Sky’s the limit for former High Peak pilot who has opened a new coffee roastery business

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A newly opened coffee roastery in the High Peak is on a mission to bring people together to enjoy excellent coffee from around the world.

Ground Effect Coffee Roasters have only been open a few weeks but coffee has been a passion for owner and roaster Chris Berry for decades.

He said: “I have worked in catering for many years. I started at the bottom and worked my way up.

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“Then I took a 20 year diversion and worked in commercial aviation but my love of coffee never wavered.”

Ground Effect Coffee, Chris Berry with the roaster. Photo Jason ChadwickGround Effect Coffee, Chris Berry with the roaster. Photo Jason Chadwick
Ground Effect Coffee, Chris Berry with the roaster. Photo Jason Chadwick

Early last year Chris decided to return to his coffee and looked at opening his own business to roast coffee.

He said: “It has been such a long journey to get here and here is just the beginning.

“It’s easy to not look at the positives and just look at what you still need to do but I have made my dream a reality and now have my own business and I’m very proud of that.”

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Chris is roasting four types of beans, a brazilian which has a rich dark quality, and the taste many think of when they drink coffee.

Ground Effect Coffee, Chris Berry with the green beans before roasting. Photo Jason ChadwickGround Effect Coffee, Chris Berry with the green beans before roasting. Photo Jason Chadwick
Ground Effect Coffee, Chris Berry with the green beans before roasting. Photo Jason Chadwick

He is also hand roasting another South American coffee with Colombian beans which he said would lend itself to a drip coffee and tastes of chocolate and blackberries.

“My favourite is a Tanzania bean which tastes of toffee and citrus.

“The fourth bean I am roasting is a decaf from Ethiopia which was the birthplace of coffee in the 1600s.”

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Ground Effect Coffee is hand roasted which means it is roasted manually rather than through automated machinery.

Ground Effect Coffee, Chris Berry. Photo Jason ChadwickGround Effect Coffee, Chris Berry. Photo Jason Chadwick
Ground Effect Coffee, Chris Berry. Photo Jason Chadwick

Chris, who lives in Whaley Bridge, says this hands-on approach guarantees continuous attention to quality and standards.

He is now selling the beans to coffee shops and individuals. From his roastery in great Hucklow.

“I’ve only been going a few weeks but I’ve sent coffee off to the Shetland Islands and down to Norfolk so the message about good coffee is spreading.”

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The coffee supply chain has historically been exploitative in both human and environmental terms. However, excellent work has been ongoing over the last few decades he says to ensure that farmers and supply chains are properly remunerated, while also ensuring that the environmental footprint is as sustainable as possible.

Ground Effect Coffee. Photo Jason ChadwickGround Effect Coffee. Photo Jason Chadwick
Ground Effect Coffee. Photo Jason Chadwick

When asked what makes a good cup of coffee Chris said you need to start with great beans after that it’s up to the drinker.

“I like my coffee black with no sugar - very handy when I’m testing the beans, however someone else might like their coffee with chocolate and caramel and cream on top and that’s fine too it’s your drink.

“But if you start with great ingredients you make a great cup of coffee.

“My mission is to get everyone drinking great coffee.”

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His journey into the coffee brewing business has been supported by the Vision Derbyshire business start-up support scheme through Derbyshire County Council.

He added: “Looking to the future I want to take on more staff and grow as a business but for now spread the word that I am here.”

To order coffee visit www.groundeffectcoffeeroasters.comor visit him on instagram @groundeffect_coffee

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