A visit to Matthew Algie’s sprawling headquarters located just south of the River Clyde starts with a question:
“Can we get you a cup of coffee?”
It’s a simple query, and one that is likely asked time and time again with each passing week across a team of more than 400 employees.
But, as a firm which has this year passed the incredible milestone of 160 years in business, at Matthew Algie there are entire generation's worth of history, innovation and expertise packed into every single espresso poured.
The story of this world-leading coffee pioneer begins in Greenock, where the company’s eponymous founder was born in 1814.
The Clydeside town was at the time a major port for goods entering and leaving industrial Glasgow, and Matthew became a grocer by trade selling tea that arrived on the famous Clyde Clippers; a fleet of ships famed for their speed in transporting goods such as tea, opium and spices, from the Far East to Europe.
In 1864, he made the decision to specialise and set up his own tea blending and wholesale business, with a clientele made up of thousands of Glasgow retailers.
After surviving two world wars, the company then added coffee to the mix and later moved to a factory on Lawmoor Street in the Gorbals in 1964, where it is still in operation to this day.
Working there is a number of staff members who can boast over two decades worth of service, including Mark O’Neill, who first joined the firm as a forklift driver before progressing to his current role of coffee production manager.
“The reason I’ve stayed here for over 29 years now is because it’s a really good company to work for,” he said.
“It’s family-owned, and that makes you feel like you’re a part of the family too.
“A lot of my team have a minimum of 10 years service”.
O’Neill shares his incredible story of career progression fuelled by a passion for coffee as he leads our group around the recently renovated warehouse space.
There’s a real sense of juxtaposition here between tales of first days on the job decades ago and the cutting-edge technology waiting to be discovered around every corner.
Following a multi-million pound investment, this includes a state-of-the-art green bean handling and blending system, new conveying systems a cutting-edge packaging line and their very own “pallet-packing robot”.
“The thing with Matthew Algie is that they never stay still,” he continued.
“We’re always looking to lead the way and that’s something I think we’ve done very successfully through the years.
“All the way up to our most recent project, where we turned the flow of the factory around to make it leaner and reduce waste, which we’re reaping the benefits of already.
“It’s been a great journey.”
One of the main driving forces behind this journey at Matthew Algie, part of family-owned German coffee giant Tchibo since 2016, is a mission to make their roastery more eco-friendly and sustainable with a vision to achieve Net Zero by 2040.
Most recently, for example, hessian sacks have been replaced with larger one-tonne transportation bags and coffee is now shipped in bulk containers.
This aims to reduce manual handling and increase capacity, therefore cutting costs and carbon emissions.
“We’ve always been pushing the boundaries to make sure that we’re different from everyone else,” Robert Milne, roastery and site manager, said of the new improvements across the busy factory floor at Matthew Algie HQ.
“Our ethos to rework, reuse and recycle, so when others started to become more aware of environmental factors, we found we were already quite far ahead on that route.
“There’s an integrity there which makes you proud to say you work for Matthew Algie.”
This sense of job satisfaction comes not only from the firm’s sustainable credentials or commitment to supporting Fairtrade practices but also its identity as part of the Glasgow community it has called home for 60 years.
Milne, who has worked there for 23 years, said: “Outside of the catering industry, we’re a sort of little-known company.
“We have really big customers, but also an awful lot of high street stores too, so it’s all about giving each of them what they want and expect rather than having members of the public knowing who we are.
“We have kept a presence in Glasgow, try to employ locally and have links with a number of community organisations.
“The team that is based here is quite small, and we’ve all been here for a while now, so there’s a strong bond and understanding of how the business works.”
As the tour, complete with a visit to the control room which serves as the beating heart of an operation processing multiple different blends for customers large and small, comes to an end we’re later invited to take part in a expert-led ‘cupping session’.
Here Estelle McGilp, head of coffee sourcing, guides us through the intricate flavour profiles which differentiate each bean and roasting style from the next with the same reverence you might afford to the finest of vintage wines or premium single malts.
There’s talk of the real-time effects of climate change in countries such as Rwanda, Ethiopia, Peru, and Honduras too, which serves as a stark reminder of how vital their continued efforts to protect the planet are.
As the clock ticks ever closer to 5pm, there’s time for just one final chat with Angela Wilson, head of customer service, who spoke of what 160 years of Matthew Algie means to her and her long-serving colleagues.
“I’ve been with the company for 27 years, and when they asked me to do this interview today I started to think about why I’ve stayed here for so long.
“The answer is, there are lots of little reasons.
“Matthew Algie is 160 years old and we’ve managed to remain in Greenock or Glasgow for that whole time.
“What started off as a tea merchant has evolved and become an important part of the community.
“We’re a living wage employer, and we have goals for sustainability, ethical coffee sourcing and strong partnerships with our co-ops.
“That means not only are we making sure that everyone in the company has the security of a wage, but also, we’re paying a fair price for our coffee and helping our suppliers achieve a good standard of living.
“You could walk around the factory today and meet lots of people who have been in the business for almost as long as me.
“At the end of the day, it’s just a cup of coffee.
“But with a good team around you that wants to keep delivering that same service and high standard time and time again with every order that goes out, you can really take pride in what you do.”
With this year's 160th birthday celebrations now well underway, managing director of sales and marketing, Paul Chadderton, added: “As we sip on our favourite brews, we invite you to join us in celebrating this exciting new chapter.
"Here’s to the future, filled with innovation, sustainability, and, of course, delicious coffee.”
For more information on Matthew Algie visit www.matthewalgie.com
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