“Coffee advocate” leads expansion at speciality coffee roaster as growth continues

Speciality coffee roaster, Iron & Fire, has recruited the UK’s first dedicated ‘coffee advocate’ as the firm continues to grow its wholesale business. The latest round of recruitment also includes a new field services manager.

Steffan Frost’s entire career has been focused on the hospitality sector, having started out as an executive chef, before making the shift into the coffee market. He cut his teeth in the coffee industry as a business development manager for a regional coffee roaster before launching his own boutique tea and coffee business which he ran for four years.

As Iron & Fire’s first coffee advocate, Steffan becomes a key face of the business for its ever-increasing range of wholesale customers across the UK. With responsibility for on-boarding new customers, delivering barista training, and ensuring a first-class customer experience, Steffan is already getting to know existing Iron & Fire customers as well as leading the charge to secure a wider range of wholesale customers across the hospitality sector. He comments:

“My love of coffee stems from my time working long hours as a head chef, and what started as a pick-me-up grew into a passion. I've always considered myself to have a great palette, so the chance to become the UK’s first dedicated ‘coffee advocate’ was an opportunity that was too good to pass up.

“No two days in this job are the same. One day I’ll be found in the office, the next I’ll be out on the road meeting customers, assisting with machine installs, or delivering barista training.

“I’ve always been a people person, so I’m really looking forward to getting to know all of Iron & Fire’s existing customers, as well as bringing this fantastic coffee to new markets. Witnessing others’ passion for coffee grow is very rewarding so I’m particularly looking forward to delivering training sessions.”

Iron & Fire has also recruited Imogen Peniket to the role of field services admin manager to oversee all customer relationships and ensure excellence at all times.

Her career history has seen her hone her interpersonal skills across a range of retail and facilities management environments, and whilst her role at Iron & Fire is her first foray into the coffee industry, she’s already perfecting her coffee palette. She comments:

“When you deliver a quality service, it not only has a positive impact on customer loyalty, but also becomes personally rewarding and I’ve always been inspired and driven by success. Before starting at Iron & Fire, I was already an excessive consumer of coffee and now I’m able to channel that into becoming, I hope, a cornerstone of the future success of the team.”

Commenting on the latest round of recruitment, Joanna De Rycke, Director at Iron & Fire, concludes:

“A genuine love of coffee sits at the heart of everything we do at Iron & Fire and ensuring that every member of the team reflects this love is vital for our continued growth and success.

“In Steffan, we’ve got an unwavering lover of all-things coffee whose passion and enthusiasm to support others on their coffee journey is infectious. Imogen, meanwhile, has already demonstrated her commitment to always going the extra mile for customers and whilst her background isn’t in the coffee industry, she’s already exhibiting a fabulous palette. Not only are Iron & Fire’s customers going to benefit from this latest round of appointments, but I believe the whole team will too.”