Hexham Coffee Firm Cupper's Journey Wins Great Taste Award

A Hexham coffee business has picked up one of the food and drink world's most respected marks of quality. Cupper's Journey, a speciality roaster based in the town, has been awarded a one-star Great Taste Award 2026 for its Rwamatamu Rwanda single-origin coffee.

For a small local firm, the Great Taste Award is a meaningful stamp. Run by the Guild of Fine Food, the awards are decided by blind tasting, so judges score what is in the cup with no idea whose product they are trying. That makes the recognition a straightforward verdict on the coffee itself rather than on branding or budget.

What the judges tasted

The winning coffee comes from the Rwamatamu estate in Rwanda, and Cupper's Journey specialises in African single-origin beans for the UK restaurant and hospitality trade. The judging panel praised the Rwamatamu for its "lovely light roast" and described it as "very drinkable, with some beautiful top notes," alongside a bright, citrus-led aroma with hints of floral and cocoa.

The bean is sold in 250g whole-bean and ground packs, priced from £14.85, through the company's own website and a network of wholesale partners and independent retailers.

A quiet win for the local food scene

Co-founders Sarah and Colin Hall built the business around the idea that good coffee deserves the same care as everything else on a restaurant menu. As Colin Hall puts it, "exceptional coffee deserves to be treated with the same care, craftsmanship and attention as every other course" — a point he makes about the coffee that often forms a guest's last impression of a meal.

Hexham already has a strong reputation for independent cafes and food producers, and a nationally recognised roaster working out of the town adds to that. It is also a reminder that some of the region's best food and drink is made by small teams a short walk from the Market Place.

Best for: The Great Taste Awards are judged entirely by blind tasting, so Cupper's Journey's one-star result reflects the coffee alone, not its label or price.

---

Details are drawn from the Hexham Courant. Spotted a local story we should cover? Get in touch.