Published by Neil ThompsonGood days start with a great cup of coffee, and the coffee industry has over the past few years gained strength providing the market with great coffee menu choices. The Venues of Excellence (VoE) consortium members share the love of great coffee and like everything they stand for want to ensure their coffee offers the best quality and choice, so to welcome Paddy & Scott’s into the Preferred Partner Programme was a natural partnering choice.
Why did they impress us? Fundamentally, Paddy & Scott’s are coffee producers. They grow, source, import and roast some of the finest coffees in the world yet their focus is on being a business with a conscience – using coffee as a vehicle for positive change in coffee growing regions around the world. Paddy & Scott’s work at Wyboston Lakes, a VoE member, is industry leading and their reputation for excellence shines through.
After initial discussions with Jon Reed, Brand Director, Paddy & Scott’s and Stewart Elsmore, VoE Board Member responsible for the Preferred Partner Programme, it became clear that there was an opportunity for VoE to truly work in partnership and we were delighted to sponsor the Ruiga Primary School in Kenya, many of whose children who attend parents work within the Paddy & Scott’s coffee farm in Kenya. The VoE partnership which has been entered into for three years will realise c£6K sponsorship to the school furthering education and learning.
Jon Reed on signing the contract said: “We are proud as punch that Venues of Excellence have welcomed us into their Preferred Partner Programme, but more importantly that you guys are supporting our efforts to provide school meals and improve school facilities in coffee growing regions around the world. Along with the support of your members, it’s an association we’re super proud of.”
It is the first time that a preferred partner has approached the consortium with this type of partnership, giving the consortium the opportunity to reach out into an oversees community who are working tirelessly to deliver the UK with some of the finest coffees in the world. Stewart Elsmore commented: “This was a great initiative Paddy & Scott’s brought to the negotiation table; of our 46 member venues, 22 of our members are in the academic arena so there was a natural synergy with this partnership, to support education and learning in Kenya. As an organisation, Paddy & Scott’s have their own farm in Kenya and divert profits towards rebuilding the local school and fuelling the ambitions of the local community. It is great to welcome them onboard the programme and to introduce them to our membership.”
Venues of Excellence Preferred Partner Programme is aimed at organisations who themselves are at the top of their game, and who are looking to develop partnerships with our member venues in the services and products that they offer to the hospitality industry.
