WHEN Paul Taylor started roasting coffee beans in his garage as a hobby over a decade ago, little did he know, he would be opening his very own premises.
But now, Hocombe Coffee Co is serving walkers, cyclists and villagers, delicious coffee in a new artisan space in Hursley.
“I’ve always loved coffee and the process of taking a bean and making it into what we drink,” Paul explained. “I started off roasting small batches at my home and giving them to friends and family. It grew from there and I started to sell bags online, alongside my job in food manufacturing. My garage was a great space to experiment at night after work.
READ MORE: Stylish tea rooms in spectacular setting by the River Test
“As demand grew over the years, it became clear that we needed a bigger premises to roast the beans. And then the pandemic hit. I woke up one morning and decided it was time to stop talking about my dream and take action.”
Hocombe Coffee Co in Park Road, Hursley, has been open a few months and has already become a firm favourite with local residents and businesses.
Paul still roasts all the coffee himself onsite. Coffee arrives in the raw form of a green, dried berry, from selected farms around the world, and then roasted up to temperatures of 200 degrees in the coffee roaster. Once they reach the desired colour and roast profile, they are rapidly cooled in the cooling drum.
Using his 20 years of experience in designing, building and project managing large manufacturing facilities, Paul has brought this passion for engineering to life within Hocombe Coffee Co. All the coffee is created using the best and most efficient equipment in the business and the design of the space enables customers to relax in an innovative and creative environment.
Paul said: “Using the best equipment from suppliers who share my passion for great engineering, innovation and design is really important to me. It allows us the use the latest roasting techniques in the most efficient way, creating delicious tasting coffee.
“The new site is a great opportunity to bring the roasting process to life for our customers. It’s been a great talking point for people – it’s something a bit different to see when you walk into café. It also means that our coffee packs can be made to order, ensuring it is always as fresh. We also buy our coffee with the seasons too, so we always have different coffee available.”
As well as coffee, Hocombe also serves freshly made pastries, cakes and sandwiches from local suppliers. Paul also supplies coffee to other local coffee shops, farm shops, offices and hotels across Hampshire.
He added: “We’ve really enjoyed collaborating with other local businesses and becoming involved with organisations like Hampshire Fare. We are so excited to bring Hocombe Coffee to more and more people."
A message from the Editor
Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support in reading the Daily Echo.
Subscribing to the Echo means you have unrestricted access to the latest news, features and Saints coverage - all with an advertising-light website.
You will also have full access to Saintsplus, your new home for Southampton FC tactical analysis, features and much, much more.
Don't take my word for it - subscribe here to see for yourself.
Follow the latest breaking news in the Southampton area by joining our Facebook group - Southampton News - Breaking News and Incidents
Follow the latest court and crime news on our dedicated Facebook group - Hampshire Court and Crime News
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here