The acquisition gives Origins 1450 its own London roastery and an expanded retail network | Photo credit: The Gentlemen Baristas

London-based coffee group Origins 1450 Limited has announced the acquisition of specialty coffee roaster and café group The Gentlemen Baristas. 
 

In a press release, Origins 1450 said the deal will ‘deepen and expand’ its presence in the UK market and enable the group to create the country’s first vertically integrated specialty coffee roastery, ‘offering a truly seed-to-cup experience’. 

Holding company Origins 1450 was established in 2022 by Faris Sheibani, who also founded Qima Coffee in 2016. Today, Qima Coffee is Yemen’s largest specialty coffee exporter, working with 2,600 farmers in 53 communities across sourcing, processing, exports and auctions.  

In 2020, super premium coffee trader expanded operations to Colombia, where it works with coffee farmers in Tolima, Cauca, Huila and Nariño, before launching in Ecuador in 2022. 

Qima Coffee currently supplies specialty coffee roasters in more than 40 markets globally and opened its own retail outlet, Qima Café, in London in September 2022, which showcases coffee from Qima’s global network of partner farmers and roasters.  

The acquisition of The Gentlemen Baristas will give Origins 1450 its own roastery and an expanded retail network in the UK capital.

“We are excited to welcome The Gentlemen Baristas into the Origins 1450 family. This acquisition is a significant step forward in our mission to lead the specialty coffee sector in the UK,” said Basel Almadhoun, Chief of Staff, Origins 1450. 

Launched by Henry Ayers and Ed Parkes in 2014 with single coffee shop in Borough, London, The Gentlemen Baristas opened its roastery in 2018 and was trading strongly across 11 coffee shops across the UK capital before unexpectedly entering administration in January 2024.  

The following March, the specialty coffee roaster and café group was acquired out of administration by an unnamed buyer for £785,000 ($998,822), a deal which included The Gentlemen Barista’s 12,000sq ft Stratford roastery and London Bridge store, according to a Companies House filing at the time.  

Following administration and the closure of several café sites, The Gentlemen Baristas now operates two stores in Piccadilly and London Bridge. 

“This marks an exciting new chapter in the evolution of The Gentlemen Baristas. From seed to cup, this ground-breaking new partnership will allow us to deliver our customers the best ‘well-mannered’ coffee yet. We couldn’t have found a better partner in coffee than Origins 1450 as our values and outlook are truly aligned,” Parkes said. 

In May 2024, The Gentlemen Baristas co-Founder Henry Ayers launched a new wholesale and direct-to-consumer coffee business, All Things Bloom, which sources coffee from nine countries across Africa and South America.  

All Things Bloom also works alongside sister social impact business Home Kitchen to offer barista training for people affected by homelessness.