Where it all began!
We’re Callum, Char & Phil (and Oscar the office dog)!
Best mates since primary school, Callum and Phil joined forces with a vision of running their own coffee roastery, consciously sourcing and roasting superb speciality coffee in small batches for you to enjoy.
Having orignally met at university, Phil's wife, Char, was recruited in order to bring their distant, whimsical dream into a reality and through her continued hard work and painstaking perseverance, Fire & Flow was born! Disclosure: Char also writes the website copy.
To get back on track, we simply aim to inspire others and share our experience on how to get the most out of speciality coffee. We do this with a simple purpose in mind - to celebrate the quality of the bean and honour the devoted farmers at source.
Meet Callum
A self proclaimed wine connoisseur and award-winning coffee enthusiast, Callum has consulted on hundreds of coffee shops, hotels, restaurants and food service management groups to help them create a leading coffee experience.
“One of my favorite parts of supporting new openings is being a consultant. Not just on building a fantastic menu but also what equipment you need, what you need to plug it all in and where to put it on your bar to make the most of your space and set you up for when you get nice and busy.”
Our range of barista training programmes were developed by Callum, drawing on his experience of training hundreds of baristas, helping you to get the best out of your team, equipment and space.
What Callum likes to brag about:
- Competed in the UK Barista Championships 4 times. Won 3 heats and been a 2x finalist
- Currently sits on the South West Coffee guide committee for 3 years running
- Been on BBC radio to talk about coffee and happiness, and produced a 5 day show on brewing better coffee at home
- Featured in the ‘30 under 30 to watch in the coffee industry’ article in Caffeine Magazine
On Sunday mornings you’ll most likely find Callum recovering from one to many wines the evening before, sipping on a black coffee made in his trusty cafetiere.
Meet Phil
Phil spent years working in the fast paced start-up tech industry, satisfying his love for speciality coffee on his lunch hour - which more often than not was spent discovering new coffee spots.
Phil’s love for speciality coffee grew when he was asked to relocate to Boston, USA to help set up an American branch for a tech firm. He fell in love with the Boston coffee scene (who wouldn’t!) and has been an avid coffee lover since.
Although enjoying his time tripping around the world meeting with some of the largest names in the corporate world, Phil decided that he wanted to follow his true passion and pivot into food and drink.
Since leaving the tech industry Phil became a food and drink entrepreneur, utalising his expertise and tech background to benefit the wholesale food and drinks market. Phil’s advantageous outlook and his passion for speciality coffee come together to offer the very best experience, whether you are a wholesale partner, or you find yourself in a cosy coffee shop sipping on a Fire & Flow coffee.
On Sunday mornings you’ll most likely find Phil sipping on an Oatly flat white, watching any sport possible.
Meet Char
Char has always had a passion for marketing and design, and following University worked her way to become EMEA Marketing Manager for a technology firm, and consequently US Marketing Manager, when she moved out to Boston with the company (with Phil - that’s not just a coincidence!).
Not much of a drinker, weekends were spent meeting friends for coffee and brunch and checking out the amazing coffee shops and tea rooms that Boston had to offer.
“I have loved the coffee culture for as long as I can remember. Chatting with a friend over a coffee or tea, you can set the world to right. It was always my saving grace when I worked in the tech industry - everyday when I needed a break I would walk to my favourite coffee shop for a flat white, and most of all, a moment of peace. I knew then that I would love to give this enjoyment and happiness to others.”
After returning to the UK, Char moved into the food and drink industry with a focus on developing awesome food and drink brands that are centered around creating memorable experiences and making people happy of course!
On Sunday mornings you’ll most likely find Char cuddling up on the sofa with Oscar the dog, sipping on a white peony tea.