Coffee is often just a morning routine, but for Jason Harvey (Founder, Common Coffee) it’s a catalyst for community, creativity & connection. In this episode of the ‘SuperConnector Show’ podcast, Paul Lancaster sat down with Jason to discuss his journey from selling ice at music festivals to building a vibrant, purpose-driven coffee brand based in Pathhead near Edinburgh, Scotland.
Here are some of the key takeaways from their conversation:
The Serendipitous Start
Jason’s journey into coffee wasn’t a rigid, long-term master plan. After moving from New Zealand to the UK, he worked in the music festival industry selling ice to to festivalgoers before catching the “coffee bug.”
Coming from an entrepreneurial family, he spotted a gap in the market: the coffee world was dominated by minimalist, brown-bag aesthetics & the industry terminology felt overwhelming & exclusive.
Jason wanted to bring vibrancy into the industry. He leveraged a serendipitous connection with a farmer who owned a coffee roaster & with a bit of “ambition & naivety”, they launched Common Coffee to make high-quality, specialty coffee more accessible & visually exciting (that also tasted great).
Demystifying Flavour
Common Coffee’s USP (Unique Selling Point) is its approach to flavour. Recognising that specialty coffee jargon can be a barrier, Jason designed his brand to focus on everyday descriptive terms to help customers understand what they are buying. For example:
- Strong: A darker roast with notes of roasted nuts & dark chocolate.
- Sweet: Low acidity, featuring caramel, honey & milk chocolate notes.
- Bright: Typically washed coffees from Africa with crisp, citrusy & stone fruit acidity.
- Complex: The most experimental range, often featuring unique processing methods like anaerobic fermentation to showcase the full depth of the coffee bean.
The Power of Connection
The central pillar of the brand has evolved into the tagline: ‘Connecting over Coffee.’ Jason shared that while the quality of the brew matters, the true value lies in the moments shared around it – whether that is a quiet morning ritual planning your day, a business meeting where ideas are born or a coffee catchup with a friend or loved one.
Jason & Paul noted that coffee has played a crucial role in social & political movements in coffee houses throughout history & they believe that today, coffee is increasingly becoming a healthy alternative to alcohol in social settings.
Resilience & Rebranding
The journey hasn’t been without its hurdles. The COVID-19 pandemic hit the business hard, forcing Jason to liquidate assets, let staff go, close sites & navigate extreme stress. During this time of survival, Jason had to do some deep soul-searching to rediscover his ‘Why’.
He credits his comeback to:
- Redefining Purpose: Shifting the focus to “inspiring moments of connection & curiosity.”
- Prioritising Health: Adopting routines like yoga, rock climbing & getting a dog (Larry), which forced him to step away from the business & get some exercise which helped clear his mind.
Looking to the Future
Common Coffee is growing rapidly with several exciting projects on the horizon:
- Sustainable Production: The brand has been roasting on electric roasters since day one, operating on a 100% renewable energy tariff, making them a standout for low carbon emissions.
- Global Reach: They have recently successfully expanded into the US market, supplying the Time Out Market in New York.
- New Offerings: They have just added coffee pods to their range, making their specialty roasts available for Nespresso machines.
Connect with Common Coffee
Whether you are looking for your new favourite bean or a ritual to ground your day, you can explore their full range at https://commoncoffee.co.uk
You can also follow their journey on Instagram at @iicommon & Facebook at www.facebook.com/iicommon (the two letter i’s before the word common are a nod to the two-person figure in their logo).
Prefer listening to watching?
You can also listen to this interview (& more) on Paul’s ‘SuperConnector Show’ podcast which is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible or Spreaker via our ‘Podcasts‘ page.