Matthew Algie, a coffee roaster with over 150 years of history, has recently undergone significant growth and launched a new investment program to allow the company to roast over 2,500 tonnes of coffee each year. The program comprises a new green bean handling and blending system, upgraded automation, new conveying systems, and advanced packaging lines, all aimed at improving operations and enhancing productivity.
Moreover, the investment will support the company’s new sustainability strategy, prompting the entire business to become net-zero by 2035, including the supply chain, which is to meet this target by 2040. A new green storage area with larger 1-tonne transportation bags will help reduce manual handling by 90% and increase container capacity. This new system will replace hessian sacks, giving the company an additional capacity of 11% when it comes to bulk containers shipped from coffee-producing countries to UK ports. Onward delivery to the Glasgow site will see a capacity increase of 25%, reducing both costs and carbon emissions.
Paul Chadderton, Managing Director at Matthew Algie, is confident that the recent investment will future-proof their business and provide more products to their loyal customers. He added, “Equally important, however, is how these improvements will help supercharge our efforts to reach net-zero, as by 2035, our operations in the UK and Ireland will be carbon-neutral, with our entire value supply chain net-zero by 2040.”
Rhona Allison, Managing Director of Business Growth at Scottish Enterprise, praised the project, saying that it would enhance the company’s productivity and manufacturing capability, reduce its carbon emissions, and create 38 new jobs, while at the same time safeguarding many existing roles.
Matthew Algie’s new investment program is an excellent example of how companies can effectively balance growth, productivity, and sustainability. With the entire coffee industry changing and sustainability becoming an increasingly significant factor for consumers, investing in environmentally responsible initiatives could provide a competitive edge and help secure the future growth and success of businesses.
