When Chris Shelmerdine opened the first The Coffee House outlet with his brother Steve – 11 years ago in Lymm, Cheshire – they sought to reimagine the local coffee shop experience. From day one, the ethos has been to exclusively serve its own roasted coffee and hand-produced food, while fostering a strong sense of community. When customers enter one of The Coffee House’s 13 stores, they are immersed in a local experience, surrounded by wall art that captures and pays homage to the area’s heritage.

Listen to Chris as he talks about the highs and lows of building a high street coffee shop business from scratch, from competing with the big brands through to the important role of tech and how the team is scaling for their next phase of growth. 

Recipes for Success is a video & podcast series from Zupa, where we delve into real life stories and experiences from across the hospitality industry. In our interviews we tap into the key topics relevant today and help provide perspective for people across the whole sector.
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