Former WMF executive Thomas Heinen is tasked with growing the group’s foodservice client base with a focus on the UK’s premium takeaway coffee segment
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Thomas Heinen, Matthew Algie’s new Managing Director, UK & Ireland | Photo credit: Matthew Algie
UK coffee roaster Matthew Algie has appointed Thomas Heinen as Managing Director, UK & Ireland.
Heinen joins Matthew Algie from ITW Cooking Europe having spent 25 years at German coffee machine manufacturer WMF, where he served as UK Managing Director 2003-2009. Glasgow-based Matthew Algie said the German national brings a track record of delivering profitable growth, strengthening service infrastructure and aligning operational processes with customer needs.
In a press release, the sustainability-focused coffee roaster said Heinen will strengthen its position as key supplier to the UK hospitality and foodservice segments, as well as expand its market share of the rapidly growing coffee-to-go market.
“I’ve spent time in the field, and it’s clear that the coffee-to-go market in the UK and Ireland is much more developed than in Germany. We see a huge appetite for good quality coffee everywhere – petrol stations, workplaces, hospitals. That demand for convenience and good quality coffee on the go is only going to grow,” Heinen said.
Matthew Algie also highlighted the importance of the appointment following its full integration into German coffee group Tchibo in January 2024. The strategic merger brought the UK coffee roasting, equipment supply and technical service operations of Tchibo Coffee Services and Dublin-based Capitol Foods under the Matthew Algie brand in a bid to generate synergies and efficiencies across a consolidated coffee, beverages, food and equipment portfolio.
Matthew Algie has been part of Hamburg-based Tchibo since 2016.
“One of my key focuses is bringing together the cultures of Matthew Algie and Tchibo. Both are proud companies with long histories and a lot of talent. My goal is to create a new, shared culture that takes the best from both. We have great foundations – a strong brand, excellent coffee, market-leading machines, and a passionate team. It’s an exciting time to be at Matthew Algie,” Heinen added.
Heinen will work alongside Paul Chadderton, Matthew Algie’s Managing Director of Sales and Marketing.
Founded in 1864, Matthew Algie is one of the UK and Ireland’s largest coffee roasters, with over 12,000 wholesale customers. In September 2024, Matthew Algie unveiled a major coffee factory upgrade with a focus on efficiency and eco-friendly production as it works to boost capacity and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040.