Bell Lane Coffee sets high standards for dealings with suppliers and customers

A Mullingar firm which sources raw coffee beans from central and south America helped put a big smile on the faces of some of its growers in Guatemala last year, by arranging for a dentist to visit.

That’s the sort of gesture that indicates, says joint director Denise Bell, that Bell Lane Coffee is not just about profit, but about an ethical relationship with both its customers and its suppliers.

Founded 12 years ago by Denise and her husband Stephen Bell, Bell Lane Coffee specialises in developing various roasted coffee blends which it supplies to restaurants and cafés across Ireland.

Vitally important to the two and to their joint owner Niko Sunko is their commitment to ethicality and that hallmark is one of the features that has just seen Bell Lane make history by becoming the first company in Westmeath to achieve ‘B Corp’ (Benefit Corporation) Certification.

The certification recognises Bell Lane’s commitment to a range of high standards across the areas of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency rather than just a focus on profit.

As well as being the first Westmeath company to achieve the recognition, Bell Lane is also only the 33rd company in Ireland and the first specialty coffee roaster in the country to earn the certification.

Denise said that receiving the certification represented the culmination of a passion project that began three years ago: “Along the way, the firm gave consideration to all its business relationships to ensure they aligned not only with our values but also with our commitment to environmental stewardship and ethical practices,” she said.

Denise adds that Niko’s visionary leadership in overhauling Bell Lane’s sourcing programme had been a key factor in the creation of genuine, honest relationships with coffee producers.

To become certified, Bell Lane completed a rigorous assessment process, and to retain the certification, the company will have to go through the assessment process again in three years’ time

“We believe in doing good business and making the right choices, paying close attention to the impact of our actions on the environment, our communities, and our employees,” says Denise, adding that achievement of BCorp certification reflects Bell Lane’s ongoing dedication to accountability and acting as a force for positive change in the world of specialty coffee.

Bell Lane has also just launched a new website that shares more of the Bell Lane story and some insight into what they do behind the scenes in the roastery – belllane.ie.