Matthew Algie
Encyclopedia
Matthew Algie is a company selling coffee
, coffee-making machines, tea
, and other products such as hot chocolate
primarily in the United Kingdom
and the Republic of Ireland
.
It was founded in Glasgow
in 1864 by Matthew Algie (born 1810 in Greenock, Scotland
, date of death missing), and since then has continued as a family-run business
.
The company now claim to be the UK's "leading independent coffee roaster", with clients including Glasgow City Council, the House of Commons
and the Scottish Parliament
, and its products are sold in Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's and Pret a Manger
among others. The company is also involved with fair trade
, and is working with Oxfam
.
The Matthew Algie company has even asked university
students to sample its coffee in the past in a series of tests, and brands its products in a way that might appeal to young people, even going as far as to state that "coffee is cool". The company's managing director, David Williamson, a descendent of Matthew Algie, died in 2008 at the age of 42.
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, coffee-making machines, tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, and other products such as hot chocolate
Hot chocolate
Hot chocolate is a heated beverage typically consisting of shaved chocolate, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, heated milk or water, and sugar...
primarily in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
It was founded in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
in 1864 by Matthew Algie (born 1810 in Greenock, Scotland
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, date of death missing), and since then has continued as a family-run business
Family business
A family business is a business in which one or more members of one or more families have a significant ownership interest and significant commitments toward the business’ overall well-being....
.
The company now claim to be the UK's "leading independent coffee roaster", with clients including Glasgow City Council, the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
and the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, and its products are sold in Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's and Pret a Manger
Pret A Manger
Pret a Manger is a British sandwich retail chain based in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom. The name "Pret a Manger" comes from the French prêt à manger, meaning "ready to eat", a reference to prêt-à-porter .The company was founded in London in 1986 by friends Sinclair Beecham and...
among others. The company is also involved with fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
, and is working with Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
.
The Matthew Algie company has even asked university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
students to sample its coffee in the past in a series of tests, and brands its products in a way that might appeal to young people, even going as far as to state that "coffee is cool". The company's managing director, David Williamson, a descendent of Matthew Algie, died in 2008 at the age of 42.