BRÓ is first Irish coffee producer to offer compostable packaging

County Down coffee brand BRÓ, is the first producer in Ireland to offer fully compostable packaging.

BRÓ Coffee – the brain child of Pilates instructor and coffee lover Brenda Johnston & her husband Michael – is the first coffee producer in Ireland to offer fully compostable packaging.

The NI brand, first launched in 2016 to the convenience, retail and coffee shop market has invested significantly in the new packaging as part of their launch of the BRÓ at Home range of coffee and coffee gift boxes – the couples most recent Covid project.

BRÓ at Home

Brenda explains: “During COVID we’d more time to consider developing the BRÓ at Home offering. It’s something we’ve wanted to do but it was always put on the long finger with other aspects of the business being so busy.  Our convenience and retail/coffee shop customers brew some 15,000 cups of coffee every week.

“With COVID and subsequent lockdown, we had the time to develop this and it became really important to us to launch something that was sustainable and eco-friendly.

“It’s a family business and our kids are very much part of the BRÓ discussions at home and they’re very focussed on sustainability and respect for the beautiful area we live in,” Brenda adds.

Brenda explains that sustainability is important throughout – from the roasting method the company employ (energy friendly and provides a real smoothness to the coffee) to the cups, coffee grinds and the gift boxes – all of which are fully compostable.

“We delayed launch of BRÓ at Home until we could make the same claim about our packaging – for us it was the last link.

“We sourced it in China and we’re really proud of what we’ve created – quality coffee which is brewed locally in small batches and is now bagged in fully compostable packaging. We’re the first company in Ireland to offer fully compostable coffee packaging. The kids call it Eco BRÓ – we like to think that we’re green and black,” Brenda smiles.

With the new packaging tried and tested the couple have now launched their BRÓ at home offering online www.brocoffee.co.uk .

The Loughinisland couple have joined forces with a local community interest company Wee ChoCo in their gift box offering.

Michael met with Wee ChoCo founder Steph Fulton and was really taken by the story as well as the quality of chocolate product. “It felt like a natural alliance and I liked what the company stood for – giving work opportunities to young people with additional needs and autism.

“They have a wonderful product range and it supports our ‘at home’ gift offering – coupling quality coffee with quality chocolate. We’re really happy to continue to support their work,” Michael adds.

BRÓ at Home is a collection of quality coffees, roasted in NI, for the discerning coffee drinker. Bro utilise dual roast techniques to remove more chaff from coffee beans creating a smooth coffee with no bitter after taste.

BRÓ at Home offers a full range of coffees, from blends perfected over a year to single origin specialities, as well as natural soya candles and coffee/chocolate gift boxes (free delivery). To see the full range at brocoffee.co.uk