Brazil Maria Helena Competition Winner

Skylark Coffee is the UK's only 100% non profit coffee roaster, operating as a registered charity under OCB Initiatives in Brighton. Founded by Micah Sherer, a former elite barista with extensive supply chain experience across Africa and South America, and Ben Szobody, a former political journalist and co publisher of Longberry magazine, the roastery donates all profits to charity. They roast on a Probat at the foot of the South Downs, paying top specialty prices and donating an additional £1 per kilo to environmental and social causes. Their charity partners include Knepp Wildland Foundation for rewilding in Sussex, The Stumping Project supporting Ethiopian coffee farmers, and Pro Baristas, which has trained over 2,000 people for employment in the coffee sector. In 2023, 94% of their coffee met at least one of three key sourcing principles, with a target of 100% by 2025.