Redemption Roasters
Location: Hertfordshire
Established: 2016
No. of coffees: 11
Ted and Max's London roastery, where great coffee and a second chance share the same cup
Redemption Roasters was founded in 2016 when Ted and Max were approached by the Ministry of Justice to set up a roastery inside a prison - the idea being to train coffee skills to help reduce reoffending. Eight years on, they run barista academies across four prisons, employ prison leavers at their roastery and shops, and source specialty coffee with the same care and transparency they bring to everything else: direct relationships and honest sourcing.
Their Coffee Range
A good place to start is The Block - Redemption's house espresso blend, built around coffee from Patricia Coelho, a Brazilian producer with whom they've developed a close, ongoing relationship. Rich and creamy, with milk chocolate, caramel and hazelnut, it pulls well with or without milk. The Governor follows a similar path: a smooth Brazilian blend from Daterra farm, with chocolate sweetness and an almond-like nuttiness that works across any brew method. The Roll Call, also from Daterra, goes a touch deeper - full-bodied, low-acidity, with dark chocolate and molasses.
From there, the range opens up. The Yard brings Colombia and Rwanda together for something juicier - brown sugar and honey, with a lighter touch. For something more adventurous, the Kigeri Anoxic Natural from Burundi offers tamarind, apple and medjool date, while the Mutungati from Kenya's Mutangati Cooperative goes bright and layered with yuzu, pomelo and redcurrant. If you'd rather skip the caffeine, El Vergel Decaf - a Colombian single origin - keeps things warm and satisfying, with almond, caramel and panela. And for those who like the convenience of pods, Redemption offer Nespresso-compatible options across three roast levels, from light and fruity to dark and full-bodied.
More About Redemption Roasters
Ted and Max first met at St Andrews in 2008 - Max needed a skipper for a sailing trip, Ted obliged. Max went on to co-found Black Sheep Coffee before teaming up with Ted in 2015 to launch Catimor Ltd, a wholesale coffee company. The following year, the Ministry of Justice came calling with an unusual proposition: would they set up a roastery inside a prison? Redemption Roasters was born in October 2016, with its first roaster installed at HMYOI Aylesbury and its first barista graduate, Talib, joining the team shortly after. By the close of 2023, the reoffending rate among Redemption's employed participants stood at 4%, against a national average of 42%.
The coffee is sourced with equal seriousness. Head roaster Dom travels to origin - most recently Ethiopia, tasting over 200 coffees in a single day in Addis Ababa and visiting farmers like Marta Alemu in Gedeb through Sucafina's Lalisaa Project. Ninety-four percent of Redemption's coffee sales meet at least one of their three sourcing principles: rehabilitation of producers affected by conflict or the drug trade, environmental and economic sustainability, and female economic empowerment.
A new roastery in Wembley opened in December 2025, built to roast more coffee and employ more prison leavers - the mission and the coffee growing together.
