Summer 2022.

After working in coffee for around 3 years, including time through the pandemic, in roles from Barista to Manger, Andrew moved to London in 2021.

For this first year in London, he tried to find his place, get his foot in the door of the industry, which was much bigger than what he first thought. By joining a cafe as a manager and attending as many festivals as possible, the scale and way of the land became clearer, which also revealed the industries pitfalls and gaps. Potential.

With the sense that the community was disconnected, somewhat due to covid, and Andrew’s self declared mission to have a positive impact on society, an idea was born.

With the idea in hand, an instagram page shortly followed under the name ‘London Cupping Directive’. Andrew sought advice from a few colleagues on whether the idea is worthwhile, to which a resounding yes was give.

At this point, Andrew had very little marketing and design experience, so the event posters we’re basic, but functional. As word grew around London, some more people for the account and enjoyed the purpose, but very few people knew Andrew was behind it.

25, 50, 100, 250, 500. As the followers rolled in over the following 6 months, the positive impact grew and the page started to become something. The poster design improved, and the mission of increasing the number of events started to increase, finally the ball was rolling.

There were a few twists and turns along the way. Events were seen as property, so as the page was posting events quicker than the organisers, some friction occurred. It was all quickly resolved as the Directive learned to begin promoting the benefit of what they wanted to achiever, which couldn’t be disputed.

January 2024.

After a year and half of running the page during evenings and weekends for free, questions started to arise about the sustainability of the project.

At this point the event scene was booming, with a few events per week and most of them selling out. We like to think that we helped with this, but there is no way to tell.

A few people began to ask us if we organised and hosted events as well as just offering free promotion. Our response was, well we do now. After saying yes and offering our help, we quickly invested money into a basic cupping set-up to travel with. This meant unbreakable bowls and lightweight spoons, in a light weight suitcase.

With the amount of events we were now hosting, in various locations with multiple roasters and importers, our expertise began to grow. We were getting to the point that hosting coffee events was becoming a science, we figured out the secret recipe mix of fun, professionalism and efficiency, which we still evolve today.

The sustainability came into question again, so we had a decision to make. Stop what we were doing, or jump into it with everything we have. You know what we chose.

April 2024.

Andrew made the decision to move part-time to work on building infrastructure for, what would become The Cupping Directives, encompassing the UK as a whole.

Whilst gaining exposure in the industry through attending more cuppings, working with more clients, judging as festivals and sponsoring events, Andrew started to become known as the person behind it all.

This was never the goal, and it still isn’t today, but if the information helps to sell the aim of positively impacting the community then why not.

With the unexpected exposure, more event expertise and a refined instagram page on the way, more work was available but also more manageable due to the systems that were put in place.

Andrew began to realise what The Cupping Directives were becoming. An independent entity in the industry that wasn’t pushing for sales, but patiently waiting for those who needed the services. More producers, importers and roasters came knocking, those who were new to coffee and needed a buddy to show them the way. The Cupping Directives is now a platform for marketing and services, a hub of sorts.

April 2025.

After a year of working part-time, gaining a website, an email domain and building a reputation, the two days a week of employment were now more of a hinderance than a safety net.

Taking the decision to move away from employment was not a decision that was taken lightly. A year of planning, months of conversations and a lot of hard work to make it all possible.

There is always an element of risk, experiencing the unknown as a business that nobody was tried before. A business working to monetise something that was notoriously free and open. But marketing and positioning was the answer, to create opportunity for those who needed it, rather than helping those who already had it.

This is where relationships are key. To work our who has money on your downfall, and who is there for the long-term plan. Not everyone will show their hand, but when your career is at stake its the kind of decision you need to make.

Making the jump between guaranteed money in employment, to having to go and earn is tough and you really have to think hard if this life is for you. And the truth is, you probably don’t know until it’s too late.

The coffee community and industry are always changing, every 6 months there is a different trend or spotlight, even keeping up with origin’s harvest seasons can be difficult for some.

Because of this we have to forecast up to a year to always be at the forefront on events and community, to lead the way and embrace change, which is a bigger challenge than you might think.

The way we look at it is that we are open to helping the community, whatever is required, as long as we stay within our moral and philosophy, because we will never trade, or partner with, businesses that are unfair, dishonest and disrespectful to anyone.

coming soon.