top of page

About us - Local, quality coffee beans for businesses & you.

Bean Smitten is an independent specialty coffee roasters in a beautiful rural location on the Kent/East Sussex border. We’re about a 20-minute drive from the spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells.  
 

We are lucky enough to have access to some of the finest coffees worldwide and our mission is to share them with you. We aim to talk to you about coffee in a straightforward and unpretentious way. Specialty coffee, in our opinion, should be accessible to everyone.


Over the past four years the number of customers loyal to Bean Smitten has steadily grown, but we keep our focus firmly on providing reliably high-quality coffee beans to businesses and individuals across Kent, Sussex and Surrey. 
 

We love trying new coffees and expanding our roasting expertise, but most of all we enjoy roasting great coffee that makes people happy.

Fresh Coffee being ground
Darren Tickner of Bean Smitten

Our Origins

Former finance executive, Darren Tickner became fascinated with coffee some time in his late twenties.

The major coffee chains opened shiny new stores on our high streets and like many of us, Darren was hooked.

However, copious cups of underwhelming coffee led him to question what made a good cup? He discovered independent coffee shops, skilled baristas and most importantly, specialty coffee.

 

In 2014 Darren quit the rat race, hired a small workshop near Flimwell, East Sussex and set up Bean Smitten, Coffee Roasters.

Three years later, Darren and his team can be found busily roasting coffee for businesses and customers across Kent, Sussex and Surrey.

Any questions? We'd love to hear from you.

Why Bean Smitten?

  • Ethically sourced - Working with reputable specialty coffee merchants like Falcon Specialty ensures total transparency about provenance and peace of mind that farmers have received a fair price for their coffee.

  • Hand roasted - We use the latest roasting technology to ensure our roasts are consistently good, but ultimately each batch is looked after by a human being.

  • Fresh beans - We roast coffee in small batches, several times a week. Roasting just enough to meet demand ensures that our coffee is always fresh.

  • Ground to perfection - We know that not everyone has the means to grind coffee beans at home or work, so we can do this for you. Just let us know how you will be brewing your coffee and we can do the rest!

  • Brewing advice - We get to know our coffees inside out, so in addition to more general advice on brewing methods we're always happy to share our thoughts on what works best with individual coffees. Just give us a shout!

  • Wholesale benefits - We enjoy working with a diverse range of cafes and businesses. We  offer a straightforward and efficient service to our commercial customers with the added bonus of discounted rates.

  • Coffee machines - We are an official distributor of Sanremo Espresso machines. We can advise you on which coffee machine is suitable for your business. ​

  • Knowledgeable and friendly customer service - We are always on hand to help. You can phone us, send us a message by email, Facebook or Twitter. Find us on Instagram or come and visit us in person at the coffee roastery.

Team at Bean Smitten
Classic & Revive Award Winning Coffee
Great Taste 3 Star Award Badge
Muddy Stilletos rosette
Produced in Kent logo

Find us

Bean Smitten Coffee Roasters, Cedar Gables, Hastings Road

Flimwell, East Sussex. TN5 7QA. United Kingdom.
 
Telephone: 01892 281060

Click & Collect available: Customers can collect their orders 24/7 from our collections box at Cedar Gables Campsite.

The roastery open for take-away coffees and bags of beans:

 

Monday - Friday, 9 am - 4 pm.

(Closed Sunday and Bank Holidays)

Find Us

Get in touch

bottom of page