Former Lancashire policeman Stuart Bromley is full of beans after seeing the latest stage of his growing enterprise open for business.
Preston-born Stuart runs artisan coffee roasting house ManCoCo, which is based under railway arches just off Deansgate Locks in Manchester.
And thanks to business advice and support from Preston-based accountants WNJ, he and his business partner Darren Dawson have opened a coffee shop on the site.
WNJ partner Richard Howarth advised ManCoCo on bank funding and asset financing for the new venture.
Stuart’s business started off as a hobby. Now every day he literally wakes up and smells the coffee!
Stuart, who walked the beat in his home city as a PC, set up the roasting house two and a half years ago after leaving the force.
He supplies his independent, ethically sourced coffee to restaurants, including two Michelin star chef Simon Rogan’s acclaimed establishment in Manchester’s Midland Hotel.
He also successfully trades at several markets in the region and now customers to the new coffee shop can sample the delights of his work first-hand.
Stuart, 47, said: “It all started as a hobby, it was something of a passion of mine.
“When I was on my travels I would always by coffee beans, bring them home and roast them myself. It all developed from that.
“There were very few roasting businesses when we started and certainly nothing like us in Manchester, though a few more have set up now.”
Coffee remains a passion for Stuart, who has plans to grow his business even more in the future – possibly through a mobile outlet.
Although he remains firmly committed to following its philosophy of being a hands-on business producing artisan hand roasted coffee.
He said: “The coffees I create are single origin, from sustainably grown beans that can be traced to the one farm or co-operative where they came from. That’s the difference between us and the big chains and that’s how we like it.
“We roast in small batches for freshness. The roast date is on all our products so you can see exactly how fresh they are.”
Stuart added: “Our new coffee shop was made possible thanks to the work and advice of WNJ.
“They helped us every step of the way when it came to sourcing and securing finance. As well as pointing us in the right direction they made sure that we had a robust business case. Their input and advice has proved invaluable throughout the process.”
Richard Howarth, partner at WNJ, said: “I’m delighted that we were able to help Stuart with his expansion plans and were able to aid him in securing the funding he needed to turn the vision to reality.
“We were also able to advise him on the viability and robustness of his business plan, as he looked to find the right kind of funding for him.
“Stuart is passionate about the business and has turned his interest into a venture that occupies a very special niche and is earning a growing reputation for its quality and approach. And his coffee is out of this world!”
Report by Ged Henderson.