Blog
New home
New chapter
Same coffee
Aug '24
We’ve got some exciting news to share with you… Roam Coffee Company has found a new place to call home! Recently, we packed up our lives (and our business) and moved to Perthshire.
Moving house has always been the plan, though the adventure of where was always unknown. but we couldn’t be happier with how it’s all turned out. We're settled into our new house, Oscar is thrilled with all of the zoomies he can do, and we're ready to get back to brewing hot cups of deliciousness for you.
We’ve been on pause over the summer but we’re ready to finally get going again! We’ve got our first event on the 31st of this month at the Muthill Sportive cycle event. We'll be serving up your favourite Faodail coffee beans to cyclists and spectators alike, and just hoping the sun shines on all the sporting enthusiasts. There's still time to sign up if you're seeing this and a countryside cycle sounds like your dream Saturday; all of the details can be found here: https://www.entrycentral.com/MuthillSportive
Change can be a little overwhelming, but we’re still the same Roam Coffee you know and love. We’ve taken the move as a chance to recharge and get inspired, and we can’t wait for you to experience what’s next. Whether you've been with us since the start or you're just discovering us now, we're so grateful to have you on this journey with us. If you want to see more of our adventure so far, take a look at our gallery for some lovely snaps of where we've been over the last two years.
If you’ve got an event coming up, a gathering, or just want to treat yourself to some amazing coffee, why not try out Roam? Drop us a message today to get this party started!
Thank you for being part of the Roam Coffee family; your support means the world to us, and we can’t wait to welcome you wherever we pop up to serve you some coffee.
The coffee’s dialled in, and we’re ready to see you soon.
It's never really been about the coffee
Feb '24
In 50 years time, when someone asks me what I loved most about running Roam Coffee, I'll reminisce with a full heart and say: "The people".
Our journey started with a conversation that probably echoes in many relationships, dreaming and planning what it would look like if we ran a business together. Every time the topic came up, our thoughts invariably gravitated toward our common love for food and community, as we brainstormed ways to blend these passions into perfect harmony, creating something truly special. In 2021, the coffee shop on wheels dream came to life: rolling through the Northern Irish countryside, we collected the soon to be coffee trailer and undertook a year-long DIY project of our lives, with a little help from our friends.
When we were getting Roam ready for the road, we spent months debating what colour to paint the outer shell, to cover up the red and grey of its previous life. Since its launch in August 2022, the vibrant blue we finally decided on has guaranteed that Roam catches the eye of our customers wherever it travels.
Running a mobile coffee business in a country with an ever-changing climate and a lot of single track roads was always going to be an operational challenge. What remains paramount to our venture is making the challenging parts worthwhile, and creating meaningful experiences and conversations wherever we go. We will both openly admit that creating latte art in the middle of a Scottish downpour may not be the height of glamour, but we’ve come to realise that it’s often about more than just the coffee.
In the year we've been in the coffee business, we have both absolutely loved the number of new people we have met over flat whites and slices of cakes. On the ramp of an old horsebox trailer, visitors from Stirling to San Diego bond over their shared need for caffeine and a chat.
I have seen that coffee - perhaps, extending this analogy to all hot beverages - possesses the spectacular ability to foster genuine connections. While we don’t have a secret recipe up our sleeves, or in our sustainably sourced, locally roasted, coffee beans, we are genuine believers in creating a space for people to connect and delivering that with consistency.
When you step into Roam, expect a warm welcome that goes beyond turning out delicious flat whites; we love hearing about your day or chatting about your furry friends. And if, by chance, we are caught up in the hustle of navigating our compact coffee-making space, feel free to turn the tables and ask about our day instead. We're all about creating a space where conversation flows as smoothly as our espresso.
To our past, present and future customers: we hope you'll keep spotting your favourite blue mini coffee shop out on the road, and stop in to say hi and have a coffee with us. If you want to find out where we’ll be popping up next, check out our website or Instagram.
New year, same Roam
Jan '24
Are you wondering if something's gone very wrong, since we've not been on here in a little while? It's been a long time since we've updated the Blog - which we think is actually a sign that things are going very right!
We've been out on the road, roaming around, serving up coffees and living our best lives, to be honest. Unfortunately, that means that our website has taken a backseat, but all in the name of good coffee.
As 2024 begins, we are full of excitement and expectation to see what's ahead. We have a new coffee machine and grinder being installed (literally, as I write this, but probably not as you read it), which will support our commitment to bringing you the best flat whites around. And we have our brains buzzing with ideas of places to go, people to meet and cakes to bake for you all.
A new years' toast from us, to you...
Thanks for being on this adventure with us - and here's to the year ahead.
Happy Birthday to Us!
Aug '23
It’s 7am on Saturday 19th September 2022. Two brand new business owners wake up to the sound of their alarms, anxious and excited in equal measure, anticipating the day ahead. Pulling on matching navy blue sweatshirts, they look at each other and smile – it’s time. In the hours ahead, the horsebox trailer is unlocked, coffee machine fired up and dialed in, cakes carefully placed on the counter. Roam is open for the first time, basking in the glorious Scottish sunshine, serving a host of customers who have made the journey to Stirling to hold a coffee in one hand and a home baked cookie in the other.
This is a snapshot of our lives one year ago today, and we are now so thrilled to be celebrating Roam Coffee’s first birthday! When we first made our vision a reality, we had no idea how busy the year ahead would be, and how much we would learn along the way. The last year has been exhausting beyond measure, but we wouldn’t change the lessons we’ve learned or the people we’ve met for anything. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, and we’ve drunk so much coffee.
We will never stop saying how thankful we are for everyone who has supported us so far. To our family, our friends, our customers and everyone else who has cheered us on, we couldn’t have done any of it without you. Thank you for investing your time, your money and your love in helping our big dream come to life.
We’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way, and here’s our top five:
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Always, always, always bring more milk than you think you need to an event – it could be a sweaty run to a shop to grab some more
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Conversation is everything – you can make someone’s entire day by just asking how they’re doing
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People will pay for good quality food and drink, if you let them see the work and love that goes into it
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As our pals at EH9 would say: ‘Hospitality is hard’
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Work hard and stay thankful.
Here’s to the next year of learning, growing and drinking more flat whites. Thanks for being here for the adventure!
Thankful & Exhausted
June '23
And just like that, our last weekend at our wee pitch at The Barras Market has come to a close.
A huge thank you to everyone who popped by this weekend, brought us lovely flowers/cards, gave us hugs and made us cry with your love. We are so thankful.
And another huge thank you to everyone who has supported us the last few months; we have met and served coffee to the loveliest, best customers, and had so much fun. We've loved being part of your weekend routines and meeting your dogs, and we hope we see you out on the road again soon.
And to our market family, we are so glad we met you and that you're stuck being pals with us forever now. We couldn't have asked for better neighbours at our spot, and we will miss seeing you every weekend. The chaos of running a business has been made so much easier knowing you, and we can't wait to see what is next for you all!
Thankful, thankful, thankful and exhausted.
More fun things to come soon - keep following us for adventures and coffee!
Getting Roam Back on the Road
May '23
We are sad and excited, in equal measure, to let you all know that this month will be our last at our permanent spot at The Barras Market, in Glasgow.
Since October last year, we've had the best time serving up coffees, meeting all of our incredible customers, cuddling some lovely doggos, creating a wee family with our fellow traders, hosting live music events, and so so much more. These months have been great fun and we've learned so much, but we have missed visiting new places, and we wanted to give our wee trailer the opportunity to use its wheels once more.
Fear not, this won't be the end of Roam!
Our diary is now wide open for events, weddings, festivals and all kinds of fun things - we'll still be looking to bring our speciality coffee, homemade cakes and charming smiles across Scotland. If you know of anywhere in need of caffienation, give us a shout!
The Only Way is Up (Baby)
April '23
This is something that we’ve been putting off for a little while, however, from the end of April, the prices of some of our drinks have increased. With the price of everything, from coffee beans to milk to our petrol to get to work, all rising, we’ve been absorbing all these costs the last few months, and we’ve realised we need to make a small change, for a longer term gain (cause we don’t want to go out of business over oat milk!).
The prices of our cakes and retail products will remain the same, and only the prices of select coffees will have increased. We hope that you’ll continue to keep supporting us and our dreams, and that you decide that your favourite flat white is worth the extra 15p.
At Roam, we are committed to making sure that the coffee not only tastes delicious, but also does good for the planet and other people too. When you buy a coffee from us, you’re getting:
☕ Locally roasted, climate positive Peak & Wild coffee beans from Matthew Algie, which are Rainforest Alliance certified and donate towards conservation projects in Scotland
🌿 Coffee cups + lids (both hot and cold) made from plants and are compostable, from Decent Packaging and Vegware
🤍 Syrups that are homemade by us, made with loads of flavour and loads of love
🥛 No extra charge for oat milk, cause we believe that everyone should have the equal choice to drink what they want
Plus, you’re supporting a small Scottish business in Glasgow, just a couple with a dream and a love of coffee, and the wider small business scene across Scotland.
We are beyond thankful to our customers for all of their support over the last nine months, and we can’t wait to keep serving you in the future!
Hello 2023
Jan '23
We wanted to start 2023 by wishing each of our customers, followers, friends & family a very happy new year!
We ended 2022 feeling so thankful to every single person who has supported our business this year. We have loved making coffees for you, meeting your doggos, spending time chatting with you all, and even being trusted to give out directions when you're lost in Glasgow. We couldn't have done any of it without you, so thank you!
Also a wee shout-out to our lovely new home at the iconic Barras Market and all the traders who work there. We have truly met the loveliest and most supportive people in this space and we can't wait to see how the market develops and grows over the next year.
We've got loads of ideas for the year ahead which will be centred around all of the things we love; good coffee and good chat.
Here's to 2023 and all the fun that it will surely bring!
Life at The Barras
Nov '22
We're coming up for our fourth weekend in a row open at the Barras Market in Glasgow, and it still feels like a bit of a dream to be honest.
Over the last month, we've moved the Roam trailer through to the east-end of the city, and pitched ourselves up inside the iconic Barras Market. The space assembles a host of incredibly talented stallholders and designers, who weekly bring together the most beautiful handmade and expertly curated collections for shoppers and browsers alike. With a rich history of claiming the title of the largest market in Britain some 90 years ago, the Barras Market is taking its place in the spotlight once again, and we feel so lucky to be a part of its future.
As part of our new set up, we've popped out some tables and chairs, aimed to give our customers a bit of a break from the almost guaranteed rain outside the door (sorry guys, we can't make good coffee and control the weather). The twinkle of fairy lights gives our corner a cozy feel, making it the perfect place to sip your coffee and watch the world go by. And another recent addition has seen us create a mini shopping area too; our three shelves will be stacked with coffee beans, homemade syrups and other goods for you to buy, allowing you to bring the Roam experience to your own kitchen.
Want to come say hi? You'll find us at the London Road entrance to the market, every Saturday & Sunday, 10-4. We'll always keep our social media up to date with any dates we're closed or have to shut early, so have a wee browse of our Instagram to find out more.
Glasgow, it's been a great month, and we're thrilled to keep on serving you warming drinks and delicious home baked treats all the way up til Christmas!
One Month of Roam Coffee
Sept '22
One month ago, the Roam Coffee trailer officially opened its doors (or, should that be hatch?), ready to serve customers for the first time. Since then, we've run weekend pop-ups, served coffee at our first ever market, appeared in a local magazine, met a load new fantastic customers and made (& drunk) a tonne of coffees.
Seeing our customers' positive reaction to our hot drinks and homemade cakes has made us happier than we could have imagined, and has well and truly made up for all of the hard work we put into getting the trailer ready. We've been experimenting with a changing weekly menu of baked goods, giving visitors a reason to come back week after week to try new flavours and bring their friends back to share the joy. Strong contenders for first place currently include kinder bar cookies and oreo truffles, but it's been the humble lemon drizzle loaf which has been on the menu and sold out every week since we opened.
With the weather changing and Autumn just round the corner, our sights are set on cozy, spiced flavours for the weeks ahead, with some of the favourites making an appearance too, perfect to be enjoyed alongside a steamy flat white and served with a smile.
Running a business in your 20's isn't for the faint hearted, but we're loving every second and can't wait for what's to come. It's been a rollercoaster of a ride so far, and we're not ready to get off yet. Here's to the future!
'Do you know we make our own syrups?'
Aug'22
'Do you know we make our own syrups?' is a question I find myself asking customers almost automatically now, like a record on repeat or some syrup-crazed lady.
If you've been to visit Roam once, or even more, you'll probably have heard us proudly talk about how we make as many things from scratch as we can, and the rest we source from local, sustainable businesses. We're not trying to show off (or maybe we are, just a little bit...), but we really are passionate about creating and sharing food that can be delicious, fresh and well made.
We both like to spend time experimenting in the kitchen trying out new things, and we hope that our appreciation for flavour is reflected in what we serve from our wee trailer. Alongside creating bottles of syrups to splash into our coffees, we also stock our cake shelf full every weekend for coffee lovers to tuck into, alongside a brew. From sponges to sausage rolls, brownies to cookies, everything that you see for sale in our bakery selection has been made by us, normally based on things that we enjoy eating.
We truly hope you enjoy them too and, if you do, remember to tell us so we can make more of what our customers really like!
Coffee Coming Up...
July '22
The final big step in our coffee trailer journey took place today - we have a coffee machine!
Our gorgeous Rancillo machine was expertly installed by the fab team at Matthew Algie, who will also be supplying our coffee beans for the trailer. We'll be serving up shots of Bramble coffee from their brand new Peak & Wild range, which we can personally vouch for being absoulutely delicious. As well as tasting good, this coffee is good for the planet too; these ethically sourced, climate positive coffee beans are working to restore the rainforests of Scotland through conservation work. Through supporting the John Muir Trust's work, the sale of the coffee beans will help to restore 1000 hectares of Scottish rainforest over the next three years, which is equivalent to around 1000 rugby pitches worth of trees. Every flat white or latte (or any other caffienated beverage of your choice) that you drink from Roam Coffee supports this essential work, and we love that we can serve coffee which makes the planet a better place.
We already know that our customers will absolutely love this coffee and we can't wait for you to try it!
Roam Wasn't Built in a Day
June '22
The trailer is finally coming together, and we cannot wait to get it out on the road! A full year after we bought the horsebox over in Northern Ireland, it's almost ready for its new life selling coffee and cakes to the caffine lovers of Scotland.
Back in July 2021, we fell in love with a pre-loved coffee trailer, with the dream of being able to sell our homemade treats at weddings and events across the country. Being recently married ourselves (although the story of our lockdown wedding is one for another day), we know how many fantastic options are out there to allow couples to make their dream day a reality, and we love the fact that soon, we'll be a part of that too. Armed with a stack of freshly home-baked traybakes and other sweet treats, we're now available to be booked by sugar addicts and coffee drinkers alike, with a range of package options to suit every budget.
We knew that renovating the horsebox wouldn't be an easy task, but we didn't anticipate quite how much work we would have to do, as the trailer threw challenge after challenge in our faces. But, with the help of our wonderful, talented friends and family, we have learned a whole bunch of new skills, overcoming the rotten floorboards, learning how to fit new lights and getting ourselves covered in paint far too many times to count. So, when you take a sip of coffee at our trailer, we'll be toasting with you as a huge thanks to everyone who sacrificed their time, energy and even a few pairs of clean trainers to the greater good of trailer renovation.
Looking at the Roam Coffee van now, we can't quite believe it's ours - we've done it! We cannot wait to see where this new business will take us, and we're ready and excited for the adventure ahead.