World Coffee Portal speaks to Kiss the Hippo founder Can Eren about becoming carbon negative, supply chain transparency from farm to cup and the importance of responsibly scaling the London-based specialty coffee roaster and café chain
Kiss the Hippo’s new Soho outlet | Photo credit: Kiss the Hippo
Founded by Can Eren in 2018, Kiss the Hippo recently opened its ninth coffee shop in London’s high footfall Soho district, adding to outlets in Mayfair, Fitzrovia, Richmond, Shoreditch and Covent Garden.
The specialty coffee roaster has long championed sustainable and ethical business practices and in April 2021 became the UK capital’s first carbon negative coffee business. Today, Kiss the Hippo maintains a laser-focus on supply chain transparency, low-emissions coffee roasting and zero-waste operations, while stepping up commitments to reforesting projects in Colombia, Madagascar, Zambia and the US.
Quality is primary concern for the celebrated roaster which has forged long-term partnerships with coffee farmers from 15 countries. All coffee served at Kiss the Hippo has been harvested within six months and the business commits to paying its coffee farmers at least 50% above the Fairtrade Minimum Price. Always striving to go the extra mile, 66 coffee lots purchased by Kiss the Hippo in the last year alone averaged more than twice the minimum Fairtrade threshold.
What have been some key milestones for Kiss the Hippo since the coffee roastery opened in 2018?
Since opening our Richmond roastery in 2018, we’ve expanded to nine cafés across London, with our newest locations in Mayfair and Soho. We’ve also launched a thriving online shop and subscription service, allowing people to enjoy our coffee at home.
A major highlight has been winning several prestigious awards, including the Great Taste Award for our innovative coffee pods and three UK Barista Championship titles, showcasing our commitment to quality and craft.
In addition, we’ve achieved full carbon-negative status, with all our major coffee products certified, reflecting our dedication to sustainability at every stage of the process.
Our biggest challenge has been expanding while ensuring we never compromise on quality or values. However, this has driven us to innovate, consistently finding solutions that allow us to grow while maintaining the standards that define Kiss the Hippo.
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A barista at Kiss the Hippo’s new Soho site | Photo credit: Kiss the Hippo
Kiss the Hippo has previously stated its aim to be regarded as the ‘superior coffee brand of its era’. What does this look like in practice?
For us, being the ‘superior coffee brand of our era’ means excelling in every aspect of coffee – sourcing, roasting and creating inviting spaces for our guests. Our process starts with sourcing seasonal beans from trusted farmers and importers, ensuring transparency and ethical practices.
At our roastery, we roast these beans carbon-neutrally using cutting-edge Loring technology, which enhances the flavour profile while minimising the environmental impact. Creating beautiful spaces where our guests can enjoy themselves and connect over this exceptional coffee completes the experience.
We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, but we always see room for more innovation and growth as we continue this journey.
“In 2023 alone, we planted 13,347 trees as part of the #KissTheHippoForest project to offset our carbon footprint”
How does Kiss the Hippo maintain the highest standards of quality and transparency across coffee sourcing and its UK operations?
Since our inception, we have worked with over 300 farmers to source coffee beans, maintaining the highest standards of quality and transparency throughout the entire process – from farm to cup.
We prioritise direct trade and long-term relationships with our farmers, ensuring fair prices that exceed the standard Fairtrade rate while promoting sustainable farming practices. Our Head of Coffee, Kane Statton, visits these farms annually to maintain open communication, strengthen partnerships, and ensure our standards are upheld.
We also support ongoing research into coffee production and sustainability, partnering with initiatives like World Coffee Research to help safeguard the future of coffee.
At our Soil Association-certified roastery, our dedicated Quality Control team rigorously evaluates every batch to ensure it meets our high standards. We use state-of-the-art roasting and packaging techniques to preserve both freshness and flavour. Committed to transparency, we provide detailed information about the origins and journey of each coffee.
By prioritising quality, sustainability and transparency at every step, Kiss the Hippo ensures you receive the best possible coffee while actively supporting the farmers and communities who produce it.
Tell us about how Kiss the Hippo became London’s first carbon negative coffee brand
Our journey to becoming carbon negative involved carefully measuring our carbon emissions across every aspect of our business – from sourcing and roasting coffee to transportation and packaging. A key part of reducing our emissions starts at the source, where we work closely with farmers to promote organic farming practices that help reduce carbon emissions and enhance soil health. Organic farming plays a crucial role in our sustainability efforts, as it eliminates the use of synthetic fertilisers and chemicals, contributing to a healthier environment.
At our roastery, we’ve reduced emissions further by using the environmentally friendly Loring Smart Roaster and powering our operations with 100% renewable energy. For any remaining carbon, we offset it through our partnership with On a Mission, which supports global reforestation efforts in regions like Colombia, Madagascar, and Zambia as part of our #KissTheHippoForest initiative.
Our goal goes beyond carbon neutrality – we aim to make a positive, lasting impact on the environment while continuing to serve exceptional, ethically sourced coffee.
“When approached with careful planning and attention to detail, growth and sustainability can thrive together”
How do you track and offset carbon emissions across your entire supply chain?
Working closely with On a Mission, we track and evaluate our emissions from coffee production and shipping to roasting and café operations, ensuring that for every unit of carbon generated, we offset more through native tree reforestation projects. In 2023 alone, we planted 13,347 trees as part of the #KissTheHippoForest project to offset our carbon footprint.
Accurately quantifying Scope 3 emissions from coffee farms presents unique challenges. Coffee farming involves various complex factors, including diverse farming practices, variations in fertiliser use, and differing transportation methods from remote locations.
We are actively working to improve data collection and analysis methods in collaboration with our partners and suppliers. While we cannot currently provide an exact breakdown, we are committed to refining our measurement processes to gain a more precise understanding of our Scope 3 emissions. Our goal is to continually reduce our overall carbon footprint, and that includes working with farmers to implement more sustainable practices.
Where possible, we collaborate with larger farms that can accurately measure and report their carbon emissions, such as Aquiares in Costa Rica and Daterra in Brazil. Both of these farms are certified carbon negative, which further aligns with our commitment to sourcing coffee as sustainably as possible.
All coffee served at Kiss the Hippo has been harvested within six months | Photo credit: Kiss the Hippo
How are your coffee shops in London currently trading?
We’ve just opened our ninth location in London’s Soho and we’re excited by the warm welcome the neighbourhood has shown us. It’s been rewarding to see our guests happy and continuing to visit us across London, as we grow and reach more coffee lovers throughout the city.
The positive feedback we’ve received, along with the increasing demand for our unique experience – exceptional coffee in beautifully designed, sustainable spaces – keeps us focused on delivering the best to our guests.
How compatible is business growth with sustainability?
Absolutely. When approached with careful planning and attention to detail, growth and sustainability can thrive together. For us, growth is not just about expanding but about doing so with an unwavering focus on quality and care in everything we do.
Sustainability is the foundation that allows us to maintain this focus. With thoughtful planning and responsible scaling, we’re excited to continue meeting coffee lovers in new neighbourhoods across London, all while preserving the exceptional coffee experience that defines Kiss the Hippo.
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