Ones to Watch: Bell Lane

Business & Finance highlights some of the top movers and shakers in Ireland.

What is it?

Bell Lane is a family run, award-winning coffee roaster in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath that sources, roasts and blends coffee for the premium commercial coffee sector. Bell Lane has developed a taste profile throughout its blends and roasts coffee to its optimum profile and post blend for consistency of flavour. With 30 years of coffee experience, Bell Lane truly ‘know’ coffee.

Who’s behind it?

Bell Lane was set up by husband and wife team in 2012. With experience in food sales, marketing and finance, their goal was simple – to have a better work life balance for their young family while enjoying the challenge of self-employment.

Employing a master roaster with over 20 years’ experience in coffee, this was the first step to building the team that resulted in Bell Lane won 3-stars at the Great Taste Award in 2014 for its Dragon Fly espresso blend. Since then, they have won 11 Great Taste Awards and were finalists in the Image Business Woman of the Year Awards in 2015.

How is it funded?

Denise and Stephen Bell

Bell Lane received financial assistance from the Local Enterprise Office in the form of a start your own business and employment grant and matched that with personal funding.

Future plans? 

According to the founders: “The continued success of Bell Lane is down to employing like-minded people who share the same passion for great coffee as we do.”

To date, Bell Lane has seven full-time employed delivering on sales targets for 2016 while developing and expanding the range of coffee and ancillaries.

“Bringing new ideas to our customers and keeping on top of industry trends is at the forefront. We are planning on buying coffee direct from source for 2017 with the expansion of our whole sale business.”