A corner café in Bruntsfield due to open later this year, signals an exciting new venture for Heriot’s Blues Women sponsor Modern Standard Coffee.
Founder and CEO Lynsey Harley began the speciality coffee roaster business six years ago after building a career working in the industry from supply chain to cafe.
A qualified Q Grader, UK Cup Tasting Champion and World Barista Championship judge, Lynsey is excited to see Modern Standard Coffee in a ‘‘real-life setting’’ when the cafe opens.
Having developed plans for a café in early 2020 and finding a suitable property, lockdown and implementing coronavirus guidelines into designs has delayed renovations plans.
‘‘We hope to open in November but if it takes longer, then so be it,’’ Lynsey said.
‘‘The café will have a natural in and out flow without people having to run into each other.’’
With a coffee roastery in Scotland and an office in London, the business has become more self-reliant since lockdown when sourcing, roasting and packing Modern Standard Coffee products.
Before lockdown Lynsey would travel in order to source coffee for the business, flying to locations such as Brazil, Columbia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya.
‘‘It was maybe the second week of March that things got weird and customers started cancelling orders,’’ she said.
‘‘I had to change the way I worked. It has given us the chance to figure out what is important to us.’’
A former rugby player herself, previously playing in the top women’s rugby competition in Scotland, Lynsey has used team sponsorship as a way to encourage and support the next generation into the sport.
‘‘I think if you can help, then you should,’’ she said.
‘‘Playing rugby helped shape me as a person, I have many fond memories.’’