From Syrups to Sustainability: The Story Behind Old Chapel Coffee

Growing up, I’ll be honest - I had a terrible relationship with coffee.

In our house, coffee meant one thing: Nescafé Original, or as I affectionately call it, Mother’s muck. That was my mum’s brew of choice. My dad was strictly a tea drinker, and I happily followed in his footsteps for many years.

But my perception of coffee shifted one day while I was working on a US Air Force base in Lakenheath, Suffolk. I remember walking into a room and being hit by the most intoxicating smell. It was a hazelnut roast coffee brought over from the States. I never even tasted it, but the aroma stuck with me. It was warm, inviting, and full of promise. I was hooked - not on the flavour, but on the idea of what coffee could be.

Back home, my friends and I used to spend time at an independent café in Colchester called Vagabonds (sadly now closed). One day I asked if they had hazelnut roast. They didn’t, but they offered a cappuccino with a shot of hazelnut syrup. That drink changed everything. I know it’s not exactly the artisan’s gateway into coffee, but for me, it was. From there, my appreciation grew. First sweetened coffees, then eventually black coffee, and before long I was well and truly down the rabbit hole.

A Health Crisis that Changed Everything

My team at Addenbrookes after my transplant

My amazing Mum, who donated her Kidney to me

In 2013, everything changed again, and not in a good way. I was diagnosed with kidney failure. I ended up on dialysis and was placed on a strict fluid restriction. Coffee, sadly, became a luxury I could no longer afford.

I can’t overstate how much I missed it. Of all the adjustments I had to make, giving up coffee was one of the hardest. But I got through it. In 2017, I received a kidney transplant, and suddenly that door reopened.

I felt like a little boy who had been told he couldn’t have something, and then suddenly could again. My wife celebrated the moment by buying me a home espresso machine, and that’s when the obsession truly began.

Falling in Love With Real Coffee

I spent the next few years diving deep. I sampled every brand on the supermarket shelves and then began discovering independent roasters in Essex and Suffolk. I visited them, tasted their coffees, and learned how real, small-batch roasting creates a completely different product from the coffee most people are used to.

I had worked in advertising and marketing for years, helping other businesses grow. After surviving COVID (more on that in a moment), I realised it was time to build something of my own - something meaningful, personal, and positive.

In March 2020, I caught COVID-19. I was hospitalised, taken to intensive care, and placed on a ventilator. I came frighteningly close to death. But I pulled through.

That experience changed me. While recovering, I decided I wanted to create a business that combined my passion for coffee with my experience in branding, business and growth.

Our youngest digging into a bag of Latin Blend

The Birth of Old Chapel Coffee

After researching the industry, I found a well-equipped and values-aligned independent roastery in York. Rather than just buying roasted beans or outsourcing production, I chose to invest directly in the business as an active entrepreneur. I worked alongside the team, helped develop product lines, and helped shape the commercial direction.

We focused on small-batch roasting, ensuring that everything we produce is fresh and full of character. Together, we developed a range of carefully selected single origins and blends that I am proud of. The goal was simple: to offer people great coffee, freshly packed to order, with a conscience.

Looking Ahead: What's Next for Old Chapel Coffee

Now that we’ve found our rhythm, we are excited about what’s next.

We are beginning to develop limited edition coffees - seasonal releases and unique micro-lots that we have either discovered through tastings or fallen in love with during our work with importers. These coffees are distinctive, often with stories that are just as special as their flavour profiles.

But flavour isn’t everything. From day one, Old Chapel Coffee has been built around the idea of being a good global citizen. That means working with importers who support ethical, direct trade, often paying better-than-Fair-Trade prices and helping farming communities thrive.

We roast in a sustainable facility, use recycled and recyclable packaging, and rely on carbon-neutral couriers wherever possible. Our mission is to do coffee properly - not just in taste, but in how we treat people and the planet.

Why We Exist

Old Chapel Coffee is not about trends or gimmicks. It is about doing things well, with care and consideration. It is about celebrating quality and freshness, and connecting people with something real.

We are not perfect, and we are always learning. But we are proud of where we have come from, and excited about where we are going.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for being part of our journey. And most of all, thank you for drinking better coffee.

Jason Mageehan

Founder, Old Chapel Coffee