LIVERPOOL, Uk – The 2024 Grounds of Innovation Award winners have been unveiled – celebrating coffee shops that don’t just serve coffee, but create vibrant, buzzing hubs for their communities. For the second year, with the help of an esteemed panel of judges, BRITA scoured the UK for the most forward-thinking, trend-setting coffee spots. The results are in, and the top ten most innovative coffee shops in the UK have been revealed as:
Mother Espresso, Liverpool
A speciality coffee spot using locally sourced ingredients to fuel their food menu with a community-focused vibe
Redemption Roasters, London
A roastery and café reducing reoffending in the UK through coffee through training to ensure long-term employment within the coffee industry
Hart’s Bakery, Bristol
An artisan bakery working out of a large Victorian railway arch at Temple Meads station in Bristol
Batch Baby, London
A coffee shop celebrating global roasteries with events to match
Carnival Coffee Roasters, London
A neighbourhood coffee shop and roastery
Steep Street Coffee House, Folkstone
A literary coffee shop inspired by the famous book cafés of Paris
Viv’s Coffee, London
A purpose driven shop supporting female owned roasteries
Cabinet Rooms, Winchester
A family-run café-bar with a range of inclusive events
Kin Coffee, Kent
A welcoming sustainable roastery and coffee spot
Ola Coffee Co, Reading
Great coffee with no single use-products
Being the only award of its kind in the sector, BRITA Professional assembled an elite panel of coffee industry titans to help narrow down the shortlist and create the top 10 ranking:
- Alex Bell, Editor at Café Life
- Alex Dalton, Founder at Rascal Coffee
- Howey Gill, Head of Coffee at Grind
- Ben Lewis, award-winning barista and latte artist
Mother Espresso, which took the top spot, was praised for its ingenuity in repurposing excess products to make items for their menu, such as using coffee leaf to brew their own kombucha. The team also believe they have created the world’s first fruited pastry cold brew, further showcasing their commitment to innovation.
As recognition for their creativity and innovation, Mother Espresso will receive a latte art masterclass from award-winning Ben Lewis, a delicious coffee bundle from sustainable coffee brand Grind and an exclusive coffee tasting experience by Guatemalan roastery, Rascal Coffee.
The top three ranked cafés, Mother Espresso, Redemption Roasters and Hart’s Bakery, will each win a PURITY C iQ filter from BRITA, the world’s first data-driven intelligent filtration system designed to ensure cafés deliver consistently great tasting coffee.
What makes a great café?
BRITA Professional’s research into what draws customers to one coffee shop over another shaped the award criteria, revealing the top factors:
- Great coffee (60%)
- A convenient location (47%)
- Interactive events (45%)
- Good value for money coffee (26%)
- A café or coffee shop that is tailored to their hobbies (24%)
To view the full list of winners and learn more about the top three, click here.
Quotes from the grounds of innovation winners and judges
Wayne Lew, Mother Espresso: “Winning this competition is absolutely amazing! Being recognized for our work, especially by a panel of industry experts, makes this victory even more special. It’s pretty cool and surreal to receive this recognition. Totally unexpected! Our goal has always been to create a welcoming community friendly space that offers a unique and creative experience.”
Mason Thomas, Redemption Roasters: “We are thrilled to be recognised for our creativity and innovation with this award from BRITA. Redemption Roasters is committed to our mission of reducing reoffending through coffee and we are grateful to be recognised alongside these other innovative brands.”
Laura Harts, Hart’s Bakery: “It’s amazing to be recognised for our creativity, and we’re so grateful to be recognised alongside such an incredible cohort of coffee shops across the UK. Balancing creativity with the demands of high-capacity work is always a challenge, but we strive to find that sweet spot.”
Ben Lewis, Grounds of Innovation 2024 Judge: “I think it’s fantastic to highlight cafés that are differentiating themselves on high streets all across the country, a lot of city centres are extremely populated with cafés and there is so often a homogenous feel to a lot of them. It is such an honour to give recognition to those who are pushing boundaries and developing concepts for people to enjoy.”
Sam Scoles, qualified water sommelier and Sales Director at BRITA UK: “Once again, the Grounds of Innovation Awards have highlighted the true breadth of creativity in coffee we have across the UK, all the way from Kent to Scotland and everywhere in between! The winners have showcased their commitment to their local communities and creativity to their customers every day and deserve every bit of recognition they receive.”
