Free coffee machines for budding baristas

A coffee house is always a welcome addition to any high street, but for budding baristas, the cost of setting up a shop can be significant.

It’s a difficulty that Youri and Samantha Vlag know all too well. Having opened Limini Coffee in West Yorkshire in 2008, the couple understands how expensive equipment can be. But what do they mean by giving away free coffee machines?

Keen to help others spread the love for coffee, they are offering new starters and existing coffee shops free loan of La Spaziale espresso makers and La Cimbali bean to cup machines. While the cost of the machines is free, Youri and Samantha do ask that fellow baristas return the commitment by sourcing their coffee from Limini over an agreed term.

Each deal can be customised to suit the needs of individual shops and, as the machines are fully maintained and serviced by the manufacturers, there’s no ongoing expense.

The deal is all part of Youri and Samantha’s vision of supplying the nation with delicious coffee, that doesn’t come at a cost to the environment. For each bean bought from Limini, Youri and Samantha donate to World Coffee Research, a non-profit agricultural research organisation, which aims to grow, protect, and enhance supplies of quality coffee, while improving the livelihoods of the families who produce it.

For those looking to get a foothold in the industry, Limini Coffee runs dedicated training courses designed to help people start a coffee shop. There are also more advanced courses on barista and latte art training which are run from their roastery in Cleckheaton.

So, you have your free coffee machine. Guides on how to start a coffee shop. Training to become a barista. And they donate to protect the environment. What more can you want? Delicious coffee? Yes, you get that as well.