Two Chimps coffee, an independent roastery in the market town of Oakham, Rutland, has announced an ambitious mission to become one of the UK’s most sustainable coffee roasters.
Two Chimps was opened by Andy and Laura in 2016. A decade ago, speciality coffee was still somewhat elitist – Two Chimps was Andy and Laura’s solution. It quickly became apparent to the pair that there were still knowledge gaps in the coffee world, with sparse information and somewhat parochial attitudes.
This shaped the guiding principle behind Two Chimps Coffee: things needed simplifying. Andy and Laura created an accessible, friendly coffee roastery for everyone. Their attitude and commitment saw them win Small company of the year 2025 at the Mercury Business Awards.
Now, they’ve turned their attention to environmental responsibility.
The environmental impact of their business has always been an important factor; every decision they make is intended to have as little impact on the planet as possible. But now they’re doubling down and aiming for an ambitious but achievable goal: Net Zero by 2040.
As they state on their website:
“With global temperatures rising and pollution affecting countries worldwide, we believe businesses have a responsibility to put the environment first. After all, the planet gives us our coffee, so why wouldn’t we show it some serious love?
From farm to cup, every step has an impact. By slashing emissions wherever possible and embracing new technologies over the next decade or so, we’re tackling what we can control and finding solutions for what we can’t control just yet.”
The coffee enthusiasts have been working with Positive Planet, a sustainability consultancy, and recently achieved Silver accreditation. Six months ago, thanks to a match-funded Rural Enterprise Grant from Rutland County Council, they partnered with Rutland Renewables Ltd to install solar panels at the roastery.
Andy says: “Coffee simply wouldn’t exist without healthy ecosystems. Everything we do depends on the environment, from the farms we buy our coffee from to the customers who enjoy it. If we want speciality coffee to have a future, we all have a responsibility to help protect it.”
Sustainability is not one big project for the team at Two Chimps, it is hundreds of small decisions that are made every day. As Andy puts it: “We’re a small business from Rutland, but we believe that shouldn’t limit the difference we can make. If we’re asking customers to care about where their coffee comes from, we also have to care about the impact of how it’s produced. Every improvement we’ve made has been driven by that mindset.”
The team at Two Chimps hope their actions show that positive action is not the sole preserve of multinational organisations, small and medium-sized enterprises can play their part too.
Andy says: “Our goal isn’t just to reduce our own footprint, we want to show that independent businesses can lead the way too. If we can encourage even a handful of other businesses to make changes because they’ve seen what’s possible, that’s a success.”
