Scottish coffee roaster recognised as ‘world’s best’ at top industry awards

The annual award recognises “commitment to superior coffee quality, sustainability, and community engagement, and, of course, its excellence in roasting”. 

Dear Green, founded by Lisa Lawson in 2011, beat competitors from around the world to secure the top spot among roasters producing fewer than 100,000 pounds of coffee annually.

 It’s the first European roastery to win the award. 

Pictured: The team at Dear Green Coffee Roasters are celebrating their win (Image: Wes Kingston) Anna Plain, Dear Green’s head roaster, said: “It’s humbling to be not only recognised among such incredible roasteries, but to come out on top.

“This is one of the biggest awards in coffee and the whole team is absolutely buzzing. 

“Congratulations have been pouring in from around the world – it has been so nice to be recognised by others in our industry.” 

In 2020, Dear Green became Scotland’s first B Corp-certified coffee roaster and last year produced an impressive 98,326 pounds of coffee with a team of just 10, including a full-time sustainability coordinator. 

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Alongside the prestigious award win, last month the Scottish coffee roaster passed B Corp’s rigorous recertification process with flying colours and pledged to become Net Zero by 2030. 

Despite its small-scale production, the company strives to make a “broad-reaching impact” beyond the freshly roasted beans it supplies to cafes, restaurants, workplaces, and homes.

Pictured: Dear Green Coffee Roasters founder, Lisa Lawson (Image: Supplied) Of their achievements, Lisa Lawson said: “If you told me when I was scrimping and saving to buy our first roaster in 2011 that one day we’d get this award, I wouldn’t have believed you.

 “I’m blown away. This is an incredible honour for our team – it speaks to the passion and commitment we put into everything we do.

“We are proud to represent Scotland on a global stage. When we first started, the specialty coffee scene in Scotland was limited.

“This award is a reflection of how much the industry here has grown and matured.

“It shows a small-scale operation can have a big impact on the world, both in terms of our coffee and by the example we set as an ethical coffee roaster.

“This definitely raises our profile, and with that, it puts us in an even better position to foster education and transparency within the coffee industry, from sourcing practices to roasting techniques, ensuring the growing number of specialty coffee lovers out there understand the journey from bean to cup.”

For more information visit, www.deargreencoffee.com.