They’re the perfect blend!

Jon and Rosie Rowe are not just the proud owners of a successful coffee shop and roastery in Poole called Grounded Coffee.

They also run two converted Land Rovers – Arthur and George – which have become a familiar sight at festivals and outdoor events in Dorset and beyond.

The husband and wife duo are also building up their subscription online coffee business.

Indeed, such is the demand for their coffee that they’re looking to expand with a new larger roastery by the end of the year which could double production.

And to think it all began with a short trip to Ireland nine years ago.

Rosie, 29, said: “We’ve both always loved coffee.

“What sparked it for us was that we went to Dublin for a weekend break and found a really cool coffee shop called Coffeeangel.

“They were doing all the latte art, as we do, and, at the time, you didn’t really see that.

“We thought: ‘Wow, this is amazing and we’d love to do something like this.’

“We literally came from that weekend break and searched online for a truck or a car to convert and start our business.”

The couple located, and purchased, a 1976 Land Rover 88 Series III which they promptly christened ‘Arthur’.

Rosie said: “Jon’s quite handy at mechanical stuff which was very useful.

“I was still in my full-time job in marketing and was booking events in my lunch break when Arthur wasn’t even ready.

“We did a lot of food festivals, weddings and markets, mostly in Dorset, in that first year.”

The business continued to grow and in 2019 Rosie and Jon began roasting their own coffee in an old barn.

The big break came the following year.

Rosie said: “We were approached by the Creative Director in charge of regenerating Kingland Crescent in Poole who was interested in having a coffee shop.

“Jon had wanted a shop for a long time and I’d always said no because of the rent and the costs.

“But when we offered two years’ rent free I couldn’t refuse.

“It was an amazing opportunity.”

Grounded Coffee opened in 2020 and now employs five staff – three full-time and two part-time – with a regular and loyal clientele.

A particular feature of the coffee shop is the roastery.

Rosie said: “We usually roast all day on a Monday but the business has built up so much that we really need two roast days and to double our output.

“Our beans come from all over the world including Brazil, Honduras, Rwanda and Papua New Guinea.

“We roast 150 kilos with five kilos at a time, back to back.

“Once five kilos are done we drop in the next lot.

“It takes between 12 and 13 minutes to roast each batch.

“It’s nice, especially in the winter, because the roasting kicks out some heat.

“People come in and they’re always interested in having a look at the roaster.

“We’re always more than happy to say what we’re doing and how it all works.”

Apart from the coffee shop, Rosie and Jon have a floor in the same building which is used for private functions with a large meeting room available to rent out to businesses.

They have also acquired a second, and larger, coffee truck.

The 2002 Land Rover 130 Defender, christened George, was previously owned by Midlands Electricity.

Other additions to the Grounded Coffee fleet are Flynn, an exhibition trailer, and Rupert, a vintage single rice trailer.

Rosie said: “We do over 100 events a year and will be out every weekend from now until the end of September.

“The Chalke Valley History Festival, Purbeck Folk Festival and Lymington Seafood Festival are just some of the events we’ll be attending this year.”

The couple, who have a two and half year old daughter, Lola, are looking to expand their online coffee business.

Rosie said: “We’ve always sold our coffee online.

“The roastery is the side of our business which is the most scalable.

“With our events there’s only so many we can do every year and in the shop there’s only so many coffees we can sell but with the roastery it’s something we can expand.

“That’s why we’ve started a subscription, people can choose to get a delivery every fortnight or every month.

“They can choose between one or two bags or a kilo bag.

“It’s a good way of getting regular income coming in and they can get a 15 per cent discount when they sign up.

“We’ve ramped up the subscription side and redone the bags which have been redesigned and are recyclable.”

Jon, 35, previously worked in the boat industry including a spell with Sunseeker International.

The couple both left their full-time jobs to run Grounded Coffee.

Jon said: “I think we’re quite proud about what we’ve been able to achieve and how we’ve been able to employ people and keep them employed.

“I’m very happy with how it’s all gone.

“People have a lot of dreams about running a business but to actually do it and take the jump is another thing.

“We did it and it definitely worked out well for us.”

Rosie added: “Most people drink coffee and a lot love it so much.

“ It’s a nice thing, it brings people together, they meet friends and it’s quite a collective thing.

“We’re always doing something different.

“One day we’re out standing in a field serving coffee.

“The next day we’re roasting, then we’re out on the road delivering the coffee, chatting to our customers.

“We love it and wouldn’t have it any other way.”

• grounded-coffee.com