Sustainability is key to BRÓ at Home

County Down coffee brand BRÓ is the first coffee producer in Ireland to offer fully compostable packaging.
Founders Brenda and Michael JohnstonFounders Brenda and Michael Johnston
Founders Brenda and Michael Johnston

BRÓ Coffee founders Brenda and Michael Johnston have invested significantly in the new packaging as part of their BRÓ at Home range of coffee and coffee gift boxes – the couple’s most recent Covid project.

The local firm, first launched in 2016 to the convenience, retail and coffee shop market has also launch its new website this month.

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Pilates instructor and coffee lover Brenda, explained: “During Covid we’d more time to consider developing the BRÓ at Home offering. It’s something we’ve wanted to do but it was always put on the long finger with other aspects of the business being so busy. Our convenience and retail/coffee shop customers brew some 15,000 cups of coffee every month.

“With Covid and subsequent lockdown, we had the time to develop this and it became really important to us to launch something that was sustainable and eco-friendly. It’s a family business and our kids are very much part of the BRÓ discussions at home and they’re very focussed on sustainability and respect for the beautiful area we live in.”

Sustainability is important throughout the firm from the roasting method to the cups and coffee grinds to the gift boxes – all of which are fully compostable.

Brenda continued: “We delayed launch of BRÓ at Home until we could make the same claim about our packaging – for us it was the last link.

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“We sourced it in China and we’re really proud of what we’ve created quality coffee which is brewed locally in small batches and is now bagged in fully compostable packaging. We’re the first company in Ireland to offer fully compostable coffee packaging.”

With the new packaging tried and tested the couple have now launched their BRÓ at home offering online www.brocoffee.co.uk.

The Loughinisland family have also joined forces with a local community interest company Wee ChoCo in their gift box offering. Michael met with Wee ChoCo founder Step Fulton and was taken by the story as well as the quality of chocolate product.

He added: “It felt like a natural alliance and I liked what the company stood for – giving work opportunities to young people with additional needs and autism. They have a wonderful product range and it supports our ‘at home’ gift offering – coupling quality coffee with quality chocolate. We’re really happy to continue to support their work,”

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BRÓ at Home is a collection of quality coffees, roasted in NI, for the discerning coffee drinker. BRÓ utilise dual roast techniques to remove more chaff from coffee beans creating a smooth coffee with no bitter after taste.

BRÓ at Home offers a full range of coffees, from blends perfected over a year to single origin specialities, as well as natural soya candles and coffee/chocolate gift boxes (free delivery).

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