Revealing the secrets behind proper coffee with a conscience

When David McKernan founded Java Republic 20 years ago, he set out to create a coffee experience that was unparalleled in its quality, transparency and commitment to sustainability. "There are no shortcuts to good coffee," says managing director Grace O'Shaughnessy. "All our coffee beans are hand-roasted individually, and every single batch is taste-tested before it leaves our building to ensure that the quality is consistent. Within our walls we have the top industry experts working hard to make sure that our coffee and tea is of a premium quality, always. From the roasters and the coffee quality consultants, to the baristas and the service team, no stone is left unturned when it comes to guaranteeing the best product and the best service to our customers."

Visitors to Java Republic’s café and restaurant at its roastery in Ballycoolin on the outskirts of Dublin city can see the process for themselves. The café boasts a floor-to-ceiling glass wall which allows diners and visitors to watch the coffee being roasted.

“We are proud of our transparency at Java Republic,” O’Shaughnessy adds. “All you have to do is simply look through a window and everything is there in front of you - we have nothing to hide. Every stage of our process is visible, making our commitment to quality obvious to everyone.”

There is also a specially designed corridor tour for visitors interested in the full story of the coffee experience from bean to brew. “The corridor complements our roastery experience by offering visitors a walk-through of the origin of coffee, the history of Java Republic and why we do things the way we do. Our customers can lose themselves in an experience they can’t get anywhere else in Ireland.”

The coffee roasting team is led by Peter Laird and Jolanta Turowska, the first female roaster in Ireland. "We are passionate about what we do," says Laird. "We work together to create something that brings pleasure to people – a proper cup of coffee."

The roasting team is intimately involved in the process, from the moment the coffee bean goes into the roaster, to the point where it goes into the bag. “We don’t roast with computers, we roast by hand and by eye,” says Laird. “This involves watching, smelling and doing things the right way, the ethical way. We never add water to cool our beans or to increase weight and we protect the freshness of our coffee by roasting and packing on the same day.”

“What makes our roastery special is the people behind the machine,” Jolanta Turowska adds. “We like to do things differently and we do it with a passion.”

Innovation and training are also critically important. The Coffee Lab is a hive of activity with coffee tastings, cupping sessions or training groups constantly in progress. In addition, the facility was recently awarded the title of Premier Training Campus by the Speciality Coffee Association (SCA). The SCA promotes excellence in quality coffee, and only awards Premier Training Campus status to facilities that consistently meet all requirements set out by its programme and demonstrate a teaching environment which meets specified standards. “We are delighted and immensely proud to be the first Irish roasting company to receive this certification,” says O’Shaughnessy.

Sustainability plays a central role in the company’s philosophy. “Our philosophy is ‘coffee with a conscience’, which means that we go deeper than anyone to respect people and respect the environment,” says O’Shaughnessy. “Carbon neutrality is not the only thing that we are proud of. We are helping to lead the way in the fight against plastic. Our cafés were among the first in Ireland to introduce 100 per cent compostable and biodegradable cups. In the last year we have also introduced reusable cups and KeepCups to our suite of products.”

Indeed, the Ballycoolin facility is the world’s first purpose-built carbon neutral roastery. Java Republic has worked closely for a number of years with Carbon Clear, a world-leading provider of carbon and energy management and sustainability services. The company purchases carbon credits from Carbon Clear to offset the impact of its activities in Ireland.

As a result, Java Republic is currently supporting a new project in Peru which preserves 1,000 hectares of Peruvian Amazon from deforestation. The project also aims to contribute to the sustainable development of rural producers and indigenous communities.

“The project has already saved plant and animal species, the habitats of 35 endangered species, as well as the livelihoods of indigenous tribes,” says O’Shaughnessy. “Being a part of amazing projects like this is something that we are extremely proud of.”

The Coffee with a Conscience ethos extends beyond environmental sustainability. Java Republic employees travel the world to countries like Indonesia, Colombia, Rwanda and Ethiopia in search of the best quality beans but there is another dimension to their travels.

“To us, the trips are about more than about great coffee,” says O’Shaughnessy. “They are about standing up for the people who make every cup of coffee possible. It is about meeting them, getting to know them, supporting them and building long-lasting relationships with them. We stop and think about the farmers, such as the ones in Rwanda who we recently met. We were shocked to learn that they had never even once tasted coffee, despite having worked on the farms for most of their lives. By going on these trips, we can highlight issues like this. We are now supporting them by paying their health insurance, building them a sports facility and making sure that they are given the equipment they need to be able to enjoy their own product.”

“We want our customers to think about issues like this every time they drink a Java Republic cup of tea or coffee,” she concludes. “It means that they are drinking a premium hot beverage in which every step has been carefully thought about to ensure that there is no compromise on quality. It means that it has been hand-roasted in Ireland in the world’s first carbon neutral roastery, where the top experts in the industry collaborate to ensure that no stone is left unturned. It means that the cup of coffee is ethical and sustainable in every way possible. And it means that by choosing Java Republic, you are helping us to give back to farming communities worldwide.”