By Isle of Wight Observer
A major investment of more than £100,000 has seen Rookley-based Island Tea & Coffee (ITC) open a state-of-the-art Coffee Roasting & Training Centre offering a full range of barista training and roasting experience sessions.
Capitalising on the growth in popularity of coffee over recent years, the new facilities will help cafés, restaurants and hotels maximise profitability by giving their staff the training and skills to serve a great cup of coffee every time. It will also help those who want to know more about the coffee journey and how to get the best from their barista machines at home or in the office.
ITC’s latest coffee roaster is powered by 77 solar panels on the roof of companies’ offices and warehouses, which also charge the electric vans that deliver to customers across the Island and south coast.
The single-origin Arabica coffee beans, sourced by ITC from Brazil, Columbian, Costa Rica, Congo and India, are all Fairtrade-sourced, providing an ethical and environmentally sound product from bean to cup.
Managing director, Jon Carter, said: “Our customers want a high quality, reliable, local source for freshly roasted coffee but one that truly cares for the environment. This investment reflects our commitment to providing exactly that.”
Two new jobs will be created through the investment, with the two roasting rooms having
the capability to produce 200,000 kgs of coffee each year, enough to produce more than 200 cups of espresso for every Island resident!
You can buy ITC products via iow.life/itcshop.
