Tell us about your incredible journey.
Mont58 began in 2018 in the most hands-on way possible. We [with husband, Shai] built a small roasting shed in our home garden and started roasting tiny batches while both still working full-time. What began as a side project quickly gained momentum as more people discovered the coffee and connected with the quality, service and personal approach behind it.
When Covid arrived, the business took on new importance. With many people suddenly working from home and looking to support independents, demand for fresh local coffee grew rapidly. We began delivering by bicycle across South East London, often loading up bags ourselves and getting them to customers’ doors the same day. That period was challenging but it helped shape our values: adaptability, community and staying close to the customer.
From there, we’ve grown steadily and organically into a full-time operation with a larger roastery in Ashford, Kent, our café in Sydenham and coffee hut in Catford. We’ve also developed a growing wholesale side, supplying cafés, offices, hospitality sites and retailers who want consistent quality, backed by reliable service and a more personal relationship than many larger suppliers can offer.
For trade partners, our journey matters because it has been built from the ground up. We understand margins, operational pressures, consistency and the importance of responsiveness because we have lived every stage of growth ourselves. That practical mindset still shapes how we work today.
It’s a hugely competitive sector. How do you stand out?
Quality has to come first – but this alone is not enough. We stand out by making speciality coffee feel approachable, fair and easy to enjoy.
We focus on great coffee without pretension, honest pricing, friendly service and real relationships with customers and partners. We’re also a certified B Corp, so sustainability and ethics are built into how we operate rather than treated as marketing.
People want businesses that feel human. Being independent allows us to stay flexible, personal and responsive in a way larger operators often can’t.
What trends are you seeing?
Consumers are more informed than ever. They care about quality – but also value, convenience and trust. They want coffee that tastes great, from businesses that are doing the right thing.
We’re seeing continued growth in subscriptions, premium instant coffee, better decaf and convenient at-home formats. Sustainability is still important but customers increasingly want practical sustainability rather than empty claims.
For operators, consistency and ease matter more than ever. Labour pressures mean cafés need coffee that performs well, is easy to dial in, and comes with reliable support.
How have you established partnerships with cafe/coffee house partners?
We’ve grown our wholesale side through relationships rather than aggressive selling. We try to understand what each business actually needs and build from there – whether that’s the right coffee profile, staff training, equipment support or simply dependable service.
Our best partnerships are where both sides care about quality and customer experience. We like working with independent cafés, hotels, wellness spaces, offices and food-led venues where coffee is seen as an important part of the offer rather than an afterthought.
How do the latest geopolitical challenges affect a smaller business such as yours?
Coffee is a global product, so smaller roasters feel international pressures quickly. Shipping disruption, currency movements, climate events and rising green coffee prices all have a direct impact.
For independents, there is less room to absorb those costs than there is for large corporates. The key is staying agile, planning carefully and being transparent with customers and partners when changes are unavoidable.
We’ve always believed in building a resilient business with strong relationships, sensible growth and high standards. That mindset becomes even more important during uncertain times.
What’s next?
We want to keep growing in a measured way without losing what makes us special. That means expanding wholesale with the right partners, continuing to develop our cafés as genuine community spaces and investing further in our roastery capability.
We’re also excited about product innovation, particularly convenient premium coffee formats that meet changing consumer habits. Most importantly, we want to keep proving that an independent business can grow while staying values-led – because we bring character, innovation and community to the UK café scene. We’re proud to be part of that.
The coffee industry can sometimes take itself too seriously. Our view is simple: great coffee should taste exceptional, feel welcoming and be accessible to more people. That’s what we’ll keep building.
Visit mont58coffee.com for info.
CHAMPIONING BUSINESS
The Small Awards, launched in 2017, is run by Small Business Britain. There are 11 categories, with Mont58 nominated in ‘Bricks and Clicks’ for using multiple channels with innovation and skill. Judged by a panel of industry experts, the winners of all categories and overall winner of Small Business of the Year was announced on 21 May 2026. Find out who took home what at thesmallawards.uk.
