Redemption Roasters
The coffee company reducing reoffending
- Location London
- Working on Prison rehabilitation
Redemption run a handful of London cafes and a coffee roastery. What sets them apart? Their (exceptional, high quality) beans are all roasted in HMP The Mount. Up to five prisoners are employed at any one time, giving them practical skills in coffee roasting, production and logistics.
They also run nine barista academies in UK prisons and a community academy in London’s Kings Cross, where those identified as being at risk of offending can study. Students are taught the tricks of the barista trade and each person on the course also has a mentor to maximise the likelihood of them finding sustainable employment.
Some of that employment could be at a branch of Redemption, where newly released employees will have a weekly check-in with a case worker. It’s a long way from 2016 when co-founders Ted and Max were approached by the Ministry of Justice and asked to consider a potential project.
Why they are different:
The story might be in about their way of working, but the quality of their coffee shouldn’t be overlooked. These are highly trained workers using high quality beans. And, if you are ever in London, we recommend a cafe revisit (our fave is the one on Lamb’s Conduit Street in Bloomsbury).
Why they are kind:
Their commitment to reskilling and rehabilitating offenders is solid and thought through. Redemption pay higher wages than the standard rate for prison employment and a portion of the prisoner’s wages are set aside to provide a financial cushion on release.
