Small Glasgow coffee roaster named 'best in the world' by Roast Magazine

A small coffee roaster in Glasgow has been named the “best in the world”.

Dear Green Coffee Roasters, based in Glasgow, has been recognised as the world’s best by leading industry trade publication Roast Magazine in the 21st Roaster of the Year Awards.

Dear Green, which was established by Lisa Lawson in 2011, beat competitors from around the globe to secure the top spot and is the first European roastery to win the award, beating competitors like Three Keys Coffee in Texas and Thread Coffee Roasters in Baltimore.

The annual award is said to recognise commitment to “superior coffee quality, sustainability, and community engagement, and excellence in roasting”.

The firm, which in 2020 became Scotland’s first B Corp-certified coffee roaster, produced 98,326 pounds of coffee in 2023 – with a team of just ten.

The team behind Dear Green Coffee Roasters. Story Shop via Supplied

Lisa Lawson, who began working in the coffee industry while living in Australia, said she was “blown away” with the award.

She said: “If you told me when I was scrimping and saving to buy our first roaster in 2011 that one day we’d get this award, I wouldn’t have believed you.

“I’m blown away. This is an incredible honour for our team – it speaks to the passion and commitment we put into everything we do. We are proud to represent Scotland on a global stage. When we first started, the specialty coffee scene in Scotland was limited. This award is a reflection of how much the industry here has grown and matured.

“This shows a small-scale operation can have a big impact on the world, both in terms of our coffee and by the example we set as an ethical coffee roaster.

“This definitely raises our profile, and with that, it puts us in an even better position to foster education and transparency within the coffee industry, from sourcing practices to roasting techniques, ensuring the growing number of specialty coffee lovers out there understand the journey from bean to cup.”

The firm recently passed B Corp’s rigorous recertification process, and has pledged to become a Net Zero business by 2030.

Anna Plain, Dear Green’s head roaster, added: “It’s humbling to be not only recognised among such incredible roasteries, but to come out on top. This is one of the biggest awards in coffee and the whole team is absolutely buzzing.

“Congratulations have been pouring in from around the world – it has been so nice to be recognised by others in our industry.”