Matthew Algie facts for kids

Matthew Algie is a company that roasts coffee. They are based in Glasgow, Scotland, in the United Kingdom. They sell their coffee to many places like coffee shops, restaurants, and hotels.

The company also rents out coffee machines. They have engineers who help keep the machines working. Matthew Algie also offers special training courses. These courses teach people how to make great coffee, like a professional barista.

How Matthew Algie Gets and Roasts Coffee

Matthew Algie cares about where their coffee comes from. About 90% of their unroasted (green) coffee beans come from Fairtrade groups. This means farmers get a fair price for their coffee. Matthew Algie has given millions of dollars to help these farming communities.

The rest of their coffee comes from independent farmers. Matthew Algie works directly with these farmers. They use a special way to roast coffee called Probat drum roasting. They also use a unique method called cryogenics. This process uses very cold temperatures to help make their ground coffee.

Matthew Algie sells different kinds of coffee. They have coffee for filter machines and for espresso. Some of their espresso coffees are "triple certified." This means they are Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance certified, and Organic. They also have a "Freshly Roasted" range. This coffee is delivered to customers very soon after it's roasted.

Espresso Warehouse: More Than Just Coffee

In 1997, Matthew Algie started a sister company called Espresso Warehouse. Its motto is "Everything but the Coffee." This company helps support the many new independent coffee shops.

Espresso Warehouse sells products to coffee shops in the UK and Ireland. They also sell to other countries in Europe. Their products include different kinds of tea, like loose leaf tea. They also sell hot chocolate, flavored syrups, and cookies. Plus, they offer lots of equipment for baristas and coffee bars.

Matthew Algie's History

The company was started by a man named Matthew Algie. He was born in 1814 in Greenock, Scotland. He was a grocer who sold tea that came to Scotland on big sailing ships. In 1864, he officially started his tea blending and selling business.

For about 80 years, the company sold tea and spices. This was even through two World Wars. In 1950, the company, then called Algie’s, started selling coffee in Glasgow. They also offered vending machine services. By 1974, "Algie's" began selling coffee machines for offices and restaurants. This helped people switch from instant coffee to freshly roasted coffee.

In the 1980s, the business grew quickly. They started selling coffee across the whole UK. They also added large coffee machines for catering. In 1989, they brought in their first espresso machine.

A special moment happened in 1995. The company's leader, David Williamson, visited Portland, Oregon. He came back with ideas to change the company. He wanted to help the "espresso revolution" happen in the UK. In 1997, Matthew Algie introduced the UK's first Fairtrade espresso beans. Then, in 2004, they created the world's first triple-certified espresso. This coffee was Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, and Organic.

Sadly, David Williamson passed away in 2008. A foundation was set up in his memory to help people in Rwanda. In 2010, the company changed its brand look. In 2016, a company called Tchibo bought Matthew Algie. They planned to keep the Matthew Algie brand and maybe expand it.