Primo Coffee

Primo Coffee and Tea was started by Peter, Robert and James following a Christmas Eve 2015 conversation, and formally incorporated in early 2016. The roastery sits in a converted cattle shed on a farm between Colchester and Manningtree in Essex, and the small team spent months cleaning and rebuilding the space before production began.

Their main production roaster is a 1957 Probat UG22, which they stripped, shot-blasted, repainted and rebuilt before bringing into service. The range covers single origin coffees from origins including Colombia, Mexico and Sumatra, sourced through importers chosen for traceability, fair pricing and environmental responsibility.

Alongside coffee and loose-leaf tea, Primo is an approved Fracino espresso machine distributor, supplying hotels, cafes and restaurants. The roastery is not regularly open to the public, but the team is happy to show people around when they can.