The London Coffee Festival Podcast

Recorded live on Thursday 26 February 2026, this was the very first event in
our new LCF In Conversation series an evening built around honesty, lived
experience, and a shared commitment to shaping a more equitable future for specialty coffee.
This episode explores what true inclusion looks like in specialty coffee. In partnership with SEND Coffee, we brought together leading voices to discuss accessibility, belonging, and the systemic changes needed across the industry.

Featuring Harry George, Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood, Jodie Williams and Muriel Morgan Walckiers, the conversation highlights the power of listening, creating welcoming spaces, and embedding inclusion into everyday business practices.

For more information visit: https://www.londoncoffeefestival.com/journal-1/lcf-conversation-inclusivity-coffee-night-honest-dialogue-community-energy

In this final Founder Stays On episode before the London Coffee Festival 2026, Katherine Swift, Founder of OMGTea, talks with Max Dubiel, Founder of Redemption Roasters - the world’s first prison‑based specialty coffee company. Max shares how Redemption grew from roasting behind prison walls to becoming a leading social‑impact brand reducing reoffending through barista training and meaningful employment.

They also explore the rise of matcha, the future of coffee from low‑caffeine trends to cold formats ethical sourcing, and how wellness is reshaping what consumers want. Katherine shares the OMGTea journey and why provenance and quality matter more than ever.

An inspiring conversation at the intersection of coffee, matcha, and social purpose.

Please note: this episode includes background noise due to being recorded in a coffee shop, which may intermittently interfere with audio.

This podcast is brought to you by the London Coffee Festival - discover more at https://www.londoncoffeefestival.com/ and catch up on the rest of the podcast episodes.

Our thanks to Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters Muro Aldgate for hosting the recording.

In this episode, Katherine Swift, founder of OMGTea, and Brendan Olley, co‑founder of Shed, discuss the purpose‑driven origins of their businesses and the realities of building authentic brands in the wellness and specialty coffee worlds.

Katherine shares how OMGTea was born from her mother’s cancer diagnosis and her discovery of matcha’s powerful health benefits, while Brendan reflects on the growth of Shed from a creative co‑working community into a multi‑site coffee and studio brand.

Together, they explore the rise of matcha, the pressures of founder life, sustainable growth, and staying true to their values.

A warm, insightful conversation about passion, purpose, and building businesses with heart.

If you’re a coffee lover, café owner, or a creative thinking about starting something of your own, this episode offers grounded insight, real‑world experience, and plenty of inspiration from two founders who’ve lived it.

This podcast is brought to you by the London Coffee Festival — discover more at https://www.londoncoffeefestival.com/

Recorded at Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters - Muro Aldgate location.

In this episode, Santiago Gamboa, Co-Founder of Hermanos Coffee Roasters and Christopher Fields, Co-Founder of Shed sit down for an honest conversation about what it really takes to build and sustain an independent coffee business in London.

Recorded inside a Hermanos Muro in Aldgate East, they reflect on the nerves of opening a first shop, the shock of opening a second, the realities of roasting in tiny spaces, and how COVID reshaped neighbourhood trade.

They talk openly about working closely with the people you trust, staying consistent as you grow, and the tough moments — including when closing a site becomes the smartest decision you can make.

They also share what's next: strengthening existing shops, expanding wholesale, exploring franchising, and building long‑term brand resilience.

If you’re a coffee lover, café owner, or a creative thinking about starting something of your own, this episode offers grounded insight, real‑world experience, and plenty of inspiration from two founders who’ve lived it.

This podcast is brought to you by the London Coffee Festival — discover more at https://www.londoncoffeefestival.com/

Santiago Gamboa, Co‑Founder of Hermanos Coffee Roasters, & Kirby Sinclair of The Roasting PartyFrom roasting in living rooms to building award‑winning specialty coffee brands, Santiago and Kirby share raw, honest stories about community, resilience, and shaping the future of coffee.

Recorded at BloomsYard, Level 2, 100 Liverpool St, London EC2M 2AT.

🎧 Listen now and subscribe for more stories from the people shaping specialty coffee.