Local coffee business launches a range of syrups to rival the ‘big brands’

The Garden Pantry is using coffee from Give it Some Beans in its new coffee curd Picture: The Garden Pantry (Image: Archant)

Proudly Norfolk member and coffee producer Give it Some Beans has a lot to celebrate at the moment. Not only are the brand's premium roasts selling well, but they've just launched a number of new products, from a coffee curd made in partnership with another local food business, to a range of delectable coffee syrups to rival the leading brand.

But success comes at a bittersweet cost, because the person who inspired owners and husband and wife team Jo and Sean Arnoup to start their own company isn't here to help them celebrate.

Sean, formerly an electrical engineer, lost his best friend Tyron Jones in a tragic accident in 2016, with the couple setting up Give it Some Beans a year later. "Tyron's death hit Sean really hard," says Jo. "He had some time off work and his GP said he should do something to keep himself busy. So we talked about setting up our own business and just went for it. He set up the website, worked out the costings and did lots of research. Then we bought our coffee roaster on Ebay and realised, when we got it, it was exactly a year to the day since Tyron died. It felt like a sign. Him and Sean loved coffee and bought their coffee machines together. We even got him a lovely coffee for Christmas, but he died before we could give it to him."

Both Sean and Tyron were big motor racing fans, so all the coffees, sourced from a supplier in Kent and roasted to perfection by Sean and Jo in Mattishall, have a name linked to the sport in his honour, from Kickstart, to Super Fuel.

The Handmade Doughnut Company is using coffee curd from The Garden Pantry, made with Give it Some Beans coffee in its doughnuts Picture: The Handmade Doughnut Company (Image: Archant)

"It took us a good three weeks to get our roasts right," Jo laughs. "It was snowing outside at the time and I've got pictures of us roasting in the garage in woolly hats and gloves! The whole reason we did this is because I found so many types of coffee we were buying were really bitter and I didn't like them!"

Sean and Jo roast and grind coffee for any machine, and are producing 'white label' own-brand coffees for the likes of Woodforde's (adding in their chocolate barley), Swanton Morley Stores, Red Lodge and Redwings, as well as selling at numerous locations in Norfolk.

The range includes Super Fuel (an Italian roasted three bean blend with a nutty, sweet flavour with wine and spice undertones) and C-Type (smooth, fruity and floral).

But they're really excited now to unveil some great new collaborations.

For starters, Sean and Jo have teamed up with another Proudly Norfolk member, The Garden Pantry, with preserve makers Becky and Neil now making coffee curd and a blackcurrant and coffee jam using Give it Some Beans products.

The coffee curd is, in turn, being used by The Handmade Doughnut Company in Swaffham, to fill their fresh, daily doughnuts.

There are new products directly from Give it Some Beans as well. "I was playing around with making coffee syrups," says Jo, "and they were delicious. So now we've got cinnamon, vanilla and gingerbread flavours on sale. And we've come up with a black coffee barbecue sauce, a herb coffee mix to add to tomato-based sauces, and a toffee spice rub, which is delicious rubbed into belly pork before you roast it!"

The syrups, rubs and sauces are now available at Jarrold, Thorpe Plant Centre and Coxfords Butchers in Norwich.

"I just know Tyron would be so proud of what we've done," Jo adds.