June RISE coffee box
Big Dog Coffee, Coffee Factory & Iced Coffee Season.
Written by Alice & Ben, co-founders of RISE Coffee Box, Great Taste Award judges 2026, B Corp certified, obsessed with finding the UK's best independent specialty coffee roasters.
This month's RISE Coffee Box features Big Dog Coffee from Newport, Wales, one of the best specialty coffee roasters in Wales, and Coffee Factory from Devon's Jurassic Coast. Two roasters doing things properly, two extraordinary coffees, plus our first ever community roastery event, iced coffee season recipes, and the launch of the RISE Roastery Line.
June is a special one. We're bringing you two roasters with serious stories: Big Dog Coffee from Newport, Wales, with an organic Colombian that does everything right, and Coffee Factory from Devon with an Ethiopian that might be the most exciting coffee we've featured this year. Plus it's iced coffee season, we held our first community event, and there's a lot to cover. Let's get into it.
Two Roasters, Two Stories
Big Dog Coffee
📍 Newport, Wales · Est. 2019This is the second time we've featured Big Dog Coffee and we couldn't be happier to have them back. Based in Newport, Wales, they've quietly become one of the best specialty coffee roasters in Wales and honestly one of our favourite roasters in the UK full stop.
We worked really closely with them to select this exclusive Colombian for your box. Last month they launched their Donate a Goat scheme: 50p from every bag goes towards purchasing goats for a coffee-growing cooperative, supporting the Rugori Women's Crown Program. Exactly the kind of impact we want behind every coffee in your box.
Coffee Factory
📍 Devon, Jurassic Coast · 17 years hand-roastingSome roasters we discover through events. Some through blind tastings. Coffee Factory we found through the sheer volume of people telling us to feature them. Danny and Justine have been hand-roasting specialty beans along the Jurassic Coast in Devon for 17 years with a simple mission: make world-class coffee approachable for everyone.
They aim for 100% traceability, responsibly sourcing to ensure farmers receive a sustainable living. Devon's best kept coffee secret. Until now.
This Month's Coffees
Lozana Organics
Colombia · Western Antioquia · ~30 smallholder farms · 1,800–2,000mOrganic
Sage 8–10 · De'Longhi 7–9 · Ninja 8–10
Filter: 15g → 240ml · 2:30min
The coffee: Sourced through Lozana Organics, a Colombian importer paying above Fairtrade prices who build long-term relationships with producers. This comes from around 30 smallholder farms high in the Andes of western Antioquia.
When we tasted it we were immediately struck by how beautifully sweet and chocolatey it is: rich, rounded, and oh so satisfying. Perfect as an espresso or flat white, but brew it as filter and you get something completely different. Clean, bright, with a lovely citrus lift.
A coffee that does both brilliantly, and 50p from every bag goes to the Rugori Women's Crown Program.
Sidamo Taferi Kela
Ethiopia · Sidamo · Bette Buna community · WashedEthiopia
Sage 7–9 · De'Longhi 6–8 · Ninja 7–9
The coffee: From the Bette Buna community in Sidamo, where the name means "House of Coffee". They've distributed over 350,000 climate-adapted seedlings, taught sustainable farming practices, and created real economic opportunity for farmers in one of the most important coffee regions in the world.
A classic washed Ethiopian: depulped, fermented for 24–36 hours, then dried on raised beds for up to 15 days. You get everything that makes Ethiopian coffee so special: caramel sweetness, stone fruit depth, and a bright cranberry finish.
Coffee Factory have been quietly making some of the best specialty coffee in Devon for 17 years. We're very glad the RISE community found them.
🌙 For the decaf drinkers
Naturally decaffeinated using sugarcane and water rather than chemicals. In the cup: red fruit and chocolate, smooth, rich, completely satisfying any time of day. Decaf has never tasted this good.
High-altitude Huila region. Caffeine removed using Ethyl Acetate, a natural byproduct of bananas and fermented sugars, over an 8-hour process. Notes of sweet biscuit and pecan. A genuinely excellent all-day option.
☀️ Iced Coffee Season Is Here
Before you reach for a supermarket bottle that's been sitting on a shelf for six months. You've got world-class specialty coffee in your box right now. Here are three of our favourites to try this summer.
Cold Brew
Ben's Favourite60g coffee, 1 litre cold water in a jar. Stir, cover, fridge for 12–24 hours. Strain and serve over ice. Smooth, sweet, low acidity. My summer go-to.
Dirty Chai on Ice
Alice's FavouriteStrong chai left to cool, poured over ice, splash of cold milk, then a double espresso poured slowly over the top. Spicy, creamy, completely addictive.
Espresso Tonic
Parri's Favourite150ml tonic over ice. Pour a double espresso slowly over the top and watch it cascade through. The bitterness meets the bubbles and creates something genuinely special.
Our First Community Roastery Event
Last month we hosted our very first RISE community event and we took 15 subscribers behind the doors of Caravan Coffee's London roastery for an exclusive morning that most coffee lovers never get access to.
Caravan took us from green bean to finished roast, exploring what makes specialty coffee special, how it's grown and processed at origin, and why the same variety can taste completely different depending on how it's handled. We learned the roasting process too.
It was a great day. We are planning a lot more of these this year. Register your interest via the QR code in your box.
The RISE Roastery Line
We've launched a direct WhatsApp line straight to Alice and Ben. No bots, no automated responses. Just us. Got a question about grind size, brewing, or what's in your box? Scan the QR code inside and ask us directly.
WhatsApp Brew Line
For all your coffee queries. We'll respond as quickly as possible to help you brew better at home. Scan the QR code in your box to chat.
Stay Closer to RISE
💬 Facebook Group
Daily brewing discussion, tips, and community. Search RISE Coffee Box Community to join.
🎬 TikTok & Instagram
Behind-the-scenes content, roastery visits, and coffee education every week. Follow @risecoffeebox.
🏆 Great Taste Awards 2026
Alice and Ben are judging this year. Alice on filter, Ben on espresso. We won't feature any coffees we award stars to. Full integrity, always.
🌱 B Corp Certified
RISE is the UK's only B Corp certified coffee discovery club. We give 1% of every order to our Friendly Coffee Fund, supporting coffee-growing communities worldwide.
Refer a Friend, Get £10
When your friends sign up using your referral link, they get £10 off their first box and you get £10 credit.
Refer & Earn £10
Share your referral link and you both win. Great coffee is always better shared.
Coffee That Does More.
This month's box is a reminder of what specialty coffee can be when it's done right. A Colombian from Big Dog Coffee, one of the best roasters in Wales, where 50p from every bag supports female coffee farmers. An Ethiopian from Coffee Factory on Devon's Jurassic Coast, from a community that has planted 350,000 seedlings and changed lives for a generation.
Every cup you drink this month supports people doing things the right way. That means something to us, and we hope it means something to you too.
Enjoy every single cup. We'll be back next month with more.
— Alice & Ben ☕
MONTHLY COFFEE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR
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