Sussex family-run coffee roasters celebrates 50 years at its current base

The family-run firm will mark 50 years at its current base in Ferring – which is just ahead of another important anniversary.

That’s because in December the firm will mark 60 years in business, having spent the first ten years based out of Prospect Place in Worthing.

Started in 1964 by the late Thalben ‘Roy’ Loydell, the business is now run by his son, Phil, and grandson, Rob, from its deceptively large roastery in Ocean Parade.

Phil said: “I think put simply the reason we’re still here in Ferring 50 years later is service.

"Providing good service is everything and it’s what we have always done. Many of our customers have been using us for a long time, which I think speaks volumes.”

Kendricks was started by Roy after he moved from London to Worthing. He had been working in the coffee market as a trader, but didn’t want to commute any more, so decided to use his expertise to set up his own firm.

Grandson Rob explained the production process to me. Having bought the raw beans from brokers in London, about 20 to 25 bags of coffee beans, each weighing 60kg, arrive at Kendricks each week.

They are roasted in one of two machines – one a digital roaster, one a drum roaster – depending on the type of bean. After cooling, they are then either packaged as whole beans, or ground and then packaged in either vacuum-sealed bags, or bags with an air valve.

And because everything is freshly roasted on site, products could be on the shelves or being served to customers the very same day they are roasted.

HAVE YOU READ? Opening date for new Sussex bakery revealed

Burger King announces new Worthing restaurant is 'coming soon’

When Kendricks first started, it supplied local restaurants, hotels and businesses with freshly roasted coffee and tea that had been specially blended to suit the hard Sussex water.

And 60 years later, the firm is still doing just that – providing a high-quality product to local business and beyond, across the UK.

In the 1970s, Kendricks purchased the Hankow Batchelor Tea Company, which saw them supplying high-end customers across the world, from Harrods and Selfridges in London, to Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, plus stores in Japan, Australia and more.

The tea arm of the company was sold in the 1980s when it became too big for Kendricks to continue to manage, and allowed them to go back to focusing mainly on coffee.

Phil said: “It was nice going back to basics. It’s all local so you know your customers and suppliers. We’ve had many of them for a very long time, so we have a great working relationship.”

During the 50 years in Ferring, Phil said there had been some challenges, with Covid being the biggest. But the firm did not furlough any of its staff, just put them on part-time hours and kept them separated from each other in different parts of the building.

The Ferring base has also changed over the years, gradually expanding to purchase extra units and built a second floor, where among other things it provides free barista training for its local customers.

Looking to the future, Phil said he hopes the firm will continue doing what it does now – providing a great service for its loyal customer base and signing up new businesses across the UK.

There will be proper celebrations for the firm’s 50 years in Ferring in October.

This week, the firm also celebrated another half-century milestone – that one of its employees had been working for Kendricks for 50 years.

Lynden Lambert joined Kendricks in 1974, shortly before it moved to Ferring. He has held a number of roles in his five decades of service, including as factory manager.

He said he was proud to have worked there for so long and enjoyed the good relationship he has with the whole team.

A celebration was held for Lynden where he was presented with a watch.

For more information on Kendricks, see its website.