Name and Occupation
David Burton – Head Of Coffee.
My role involves deciding which green coffees we source, by assessing samples from farms all around the world. I also oversee all aspects of quality control, from the grading of green coffee, to making sure that our roasts are showcasing the best of what our coffees can offer. You’re only as good as your green!
How did you get into coffee?
Like the majority of coffee professionals, I fell in head first (straight down the rabbit hole). I met a very enthusiastic guy (Dave Beattie) at a party with big ambitions, and I guess the rest is Rounton Coffee…
What is it that you like about coffee specifically?
It’s hard to pin down one individual element. I like the history, the romance, the smell, the taste and I like knowing that I will never be done learning.
What is your favourite coffee origin, and why?
It was a Guatemalan today, an Ethiopian yesterday, a Kenyan the day before that… I’m excited to see what my favourite will be tomorrow.
Washed or Natural, and why?
Washed – always washed. No amount of post-harvest processing will ever rival the taste of a well roasted carefully brewed delicious washed coffee (Sorry, Guy)!
How do you drink yours?
Black if the coffees good; with milk if it’s not...
To elaborate on this, I brew most of my coffees with a French press but if you can make me a well-brewed filter coffee, I’ll always take that.
What is your proudest achievement in coffee?
Building the team in The Granary (our roastery in East Rounton). Nothing is more satisfying than working with people that push you to be better and do better work.
If you were not working in coffee, what would you be doing?
It would probably be something boring, but if I could choose anything, it would probably involve a vineyard in the south of France, growing enough food for me and my family to be comfortable, and maybe roasting a little bit of coffee for myself.
If you could change one thing in the coffee industry, what would that be?
I wish that everybody cared more about coffee. I worry about the sustainability of coffee. When you are being paid less than the cost of production, then something has gone fundamentally wrong. I would like to see everyone do more than just talk.
What do you do away from coffee?
Spend as much time as humanly possible with my family. Travel where possible and run more than 20 miles a week.
