The Bennachie Coffee Story
From Scottish hills to mountain-grown coffee: a journey in quality
The Beginning: From Ginger Snaps to Coffee Excellence
Every great coffee story starts somewhere.
Ours began in the 1980s with a young Ross Erskine dunking ginger snaps into his mum's coffee in Scotland. But it wasn't until 2001, while working in a Sydney warehouse-turned-café, that Ross discovered what exceptional coffee could truly be.
That revelation sparked a journey spanning continents and decades. From managing food and beverage operations in Greece to crafting cocktails in New York, Ross gathered the experience that would eventually shape Bennachie Coffee's approach to quality and service.
Working at Sydney's award-winning Danks Street Depot, surrounded by art galleries and coffee culture, showed him what was missing back home in the UK.The final piece of the puzzle clicked in 2016 when a friend in Colorado started roasting coffee.
This sparked Ross's realisation that to truly deliver exceptional coffee experiences, he needed to go back to the source - selecting and roasting the perfect beans himself.
Our Scottish Roots, Global Reach
Named after the iconic hills that dominate Aberdeenshire's skyline, Bennachie Coffee was established in 2017.
The name reflects both our Scottish heritage and the high-altitude origins of our coffee - a connection between our local roots and the distant mountains where exceptional coffee grows.
Our partnerships span across Latin America, where we work with farms that share our values of quality and sustainability. From Brazil's Fazenda Lagoa, where forty natural springs water the land, to El Salvador's Monte Sión Estate, recognised by the United Nations for combating poverty, each partnership reflects our commitment to both exceptional coffee and positive impact.
Today, we're proud to be part of Scotland's vibrant coffee community, but our vision extends beyond our borders. We're building lasting relationships with coffee growers, supporting sustainable farming practices, and helping businesses across the UK serve exceptional coffee.
As we grow, we remain true to our Scottish roots while bringing the world's finest coffee to your cup.
Our Values
Quality isn't just about great taste - it's about doing things right. From the farmers who nurture our coffee at origin to the final cup served in homes and cafés across the UK, every step matters.
We believe exceptional coffee should be accessible to everyone, which is why we focus on both quality and sustainability.
Our commitment starts with selecting only speciality grade coffee, scoring above 80 points. We partner with farms like Fazenda Lagoa in Brazil and Monte Sión in El Salvador, where sustainable farming practices and community support are as important as the coffee they produce.
These partnerships help create positive change in coffee-growing regions while ensuring exceptional coffee for our customers. Looking ahead, we're committed to expanding our positive impact on people and the planet while maintaining the quality and service that define Bennachie Coffee.
Whether you're enjoying our coffee at home, in a café, or on your travels, you're part of a story that connects Scottish heritage with global coffee excellence.
Our Best Sellers
Our Environmental Commitments
At Bennachie Coffee, our commitment to environmental responsibility starts at origin and extends all the way to your cup.
We partner with farms like Fazenda da Lagoa in Brazil, where 40 natural springs water the land and sustainable farming practices protect the local ecosystem.
These partnerships help preserve natural habitats while producing exceptional coffee.We work exclusively with farms that share our environmental values.
From Monte Sión's Rainforest Alliance certification to the water conservation practices at Finca San Jose de las Nubes, our partner farms demonstrate that great coffee and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.
Looking ahead, we're working towards B Corp certification, pushing ourselves to meet the highest standards of environmental performance. We're constantly evaluating our packaging and delivery methods to reduce our carbon footprint, while maintaining the quality and freshness you expect from Bennachie Coffee.
By choosing Bennachie, you're supporting a network of environmentally conscious farmers and producers who believe that exceptional coffee shouldn't come at the expense of our planet.
