MEDIA RELEASE

Dorset based 918 Coffee Co wins Business of the Year, Best Business & Product Innovation and is Highly Commended in Ethical - CSR - Green in the FSB Worldpay UK National Business Awards

3 FEBRUARY 2016: 918 Coffee Co won overall Business of the Year in the FSB Worldpay UK Business Awards last night (2 February 2016) at the QE11 Conference Centre in Westminster, London, competing with hundreds of other businesses to achieve this prestigious accolade. The Eco-Roast business also won the Business & Product Innovation category and was Highly Commended in the Ethical - CSR - Green Business Award.

Justin Cornelius, CEO of 918 Coffee, comments, "We have worked tirelessly over the last two and a half years on our Eco Roast project and invested heavily into making it a reality for everyone to enjoy; we wanted to let people know what we were trying to achieve by entering these prestigious awards and to get this kind of recognition is fantastic and will help us achieve our big picture aspirations"

The Business and Product Innovation of the Year Award was created to reward a business that has introduced new innovations which have successfully transformed the company.

Launching the system on 18 September 2015, 918 Coffee Co developed, designed and patented its pioneering technology and process that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and creates a zero waste, carbon neutral roasting process resulting in a much reduced carbon footprint for the coffee. This means coffee lovers can enjoy their favourite beverage safe in the knowledge that the coffee waste produced to make their drink is being used in a positive way to fuel an energy efficient green coffee roasting plant to roast their next cup.

The Ethical - CSR - Green Business of the Year Award recognises the most ethical, socially responsible or green businesses out there. 918 Coffee is as passionate about the planet as it is about its coffee which is why Justin and Chanel Cornelius, who set up the company, together with their dedicated team have spent so long developing and testing its new Eco Roast technology and the whole Coffe-Eco System. It aims to dramatically reduce the amount of coffee grounds and disposables being deposited into landfill and instead can be used in a positive way to fuel an energy efficient green coffee roasting plant.

The Coffe-Eco System provides roasters, suppliers, retailers and consumers with an environmentally friendly, sustainable solution to reducing waste as well as carbon emissions. The process starts with eco roasting the fresh coffee, packing into eco-friendly bio-degradable & compostable packaging & labelling and delivering to the customer. To keep the carbon impact neutral, collection and delivery of the used and new products are done together.

Once the customer has consumed the coffee they use the special environmentally friendly compostable bags and collection bins provided to store the coffee waste ready for collection. Once collected the coffee waste is processed using secondary heat from the Eco Roast process and the coffee fuel is then used to roast new batches of coffee in the new Eco Roaster. The Coffe-Eco System also uses 100% compostable cups and lids for its coffee.

Chanel Cornelius says, "Coffee is the world's second largest commodity, second only to oil and is responsible for more than 1.8 million tonnes of carbon emissions produced in the UK alone. Our Eco Roast Technology makes substantial reductions in the roasting, packaging and disposal parts of the process. Whether you are an individual who enjoys delicious coffee, a coffee shop or a blue chip corporation, both you and the planet will benefit from using our trademarked Coffe-Eco System."

When crowned Overall Winners at the award ceremony last night, a very emotional Chanel Cornelius said "A sincere ‘Thank You' to the FSB, Worldpay, the Judges and the other finalist for giving us such a memorable evening. We were honoured to be nominated as finalists and to win not only our category, but the overall Business of the Year is incredible. We have met so many wonderful people here tonight: celebrities, politicians and other business owners who are so very talented and as passionate about their business as we are about ours! The FSB has a wealth of incredible members and we are proud to be a part of such a remarkable association."

Justin added "The recognition these awards will bring to 918 Coffee Co will help expand and support our future growth. The prize money will enable us to buy a much needed new piece of equipment for our Roastery to help with the packing process. The Coffe-Eco System has been developed and in our thoughts for many years now and we began to build the machine nearly two and half years ago. It has been our breath and life since the build began and to now witness our dream coming to fruition in such and explosive way is astonishing. I would especially like to thank my wife Chanel, although I will wait until she has stopped crying to do so!"

Further information from www.eco-roast.com or E/: coffee@eco-roast.com or T/: 01747 228230

Further press information and hi res image from: Jane Adkins, A Head for PR, T/: 01935 813114 or E/: jane@aheadforpr.co.uk

EDITOR'S NOTES:

918 Coffee Co is a multi-award winning coffee roasting company formed in 2009 and roasts coffees from around the globe to supply consumers throughout the UK and Europe from its roasteries in Dorset.

The business, founded by Justin and Chanel Cornelius, owns its own coffee outlet and understands the importance of high quality suppliers delivering a quality product also enabling them to be reactive to social trends and changes swiftly.

Feb 2016 (918 05)