Manchester · United Kingdom
Heart & Graft Coffee Roasters
Heart & Graft Coffee Roasters roasts in Manchester, Greater Manchester.
Since 2012 · James Guard, Sean Fowler
Overview
James Guard founded a garage-roasting operation called The Coffee Circle in Manchester in 2012 after getting fed up with the lack of specialty coffee in his home city; in 2015 he and Sean Fowler — at the time the UK's youngest Q-Grader, formerly an assistant buyer at commercial roastery Lincoln and York — joined forces and rebranded as Heart & Graft. The roastery has moved through Salford's Artwork Atelier co-op, a Newton Heath mill building, and most recently a Cheetham Hill site, with two purple-and-brass Giesen roasters nicknamed 'Big Purple' (30kg) and 'Lil' Purple' (15kg).
Known for
- First-wave Manchester specialty roaster
- UK youngest-ever Q-Grader as co-founder
- Direct trade with Las 3 Naruas (Honduras)
- Purple Giesen roasters as brand signature
- Strong wholesale presence across Manchester hospitality
Why it matters
Manchester's foundational specialty roaster — built from a garage in 2012, now wholesaling to many of the city's best coffee bars while training the next generation of UK baristas via SCA-certified Kieron and the Barista Hustle test program.
Production
- head roaster
- Frankie (since 2021)
- roaster machine
- 30kg Giesen 'Big Purple' + 15kg Giesen 'Lil' Purple'
- roastery location
- Cheetham Hill, Manchester M8 8RE
Recognitions
- SALSA certified