A social enterprise in Cardiff, Boss & Brew is a barista skills and employability academy with a training HQ based in the Wales Millennium Centre. Founded by Natalie Hodgkinson, a former maths tutor during lockdown in 2021, Natalie felt inspired to create Boss & Brew after seeing the impact that Covid-19 caused in her local community in terms of both young people’s mental health and the consequences for the hospitality industry too.
Boss & Brew’s social goals are focused on tackling youth unemployment by providing free barista training and work placement opportunities for young people. In addition, their social goals extend to improving the mental well being and boosting the confidence of young people, as well as raising and promoting the diversity and representation within the specialty coffee industry in Wales. They have been acknowledged as 1 of the Future Generations Changemaker 100 list by the Welsh Government Future Generations & Wellbeing Commissioner.
Recently, they published their Impact Report for January to March 2023 and have noted the following milestones:
- Boss & Brew welcomed 120 guests, 10 volunteers, 16 competitors and 6 Barista experiences for coffee home enthusiasts in their first ever Latte Art Throwdown competition.
- They became a Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) licensed AST to deliver accredited qualifications in Barista Skills.
- 3 Barista skills & employability courses were delivered at their training academy HQ.
- They served over 200 free coffees & hot drinks to the local community as part of the Warm Space initiative in Wales.
- They hosted the first ever Welsh heats of the Speciality Coffee Association UK Barista Championships at Boss & Brew HQ.
To learn more about Boss & Brew Academy CIC’s work, follow them on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook to get in touch.
