Two Chimps Coffee has cut its fuel use by 30% and its waste by 37.5% since 2022. In September 2026, it won Environmental Champions at the Rutland & Stamford Mercury Business Awards for the second time.
Where it started
Two Chimps Coffee, founded by Andy Cross and Laura Cross, has always had the environment in mind. In the early days, the team supported tree planting through Ecologi. But following the birth of their first child in 2019, the founders were inspired to do more for the next generation. They decided to take a closer look at their carbon footprint and find practical ways to reduce it. In 2022, they started working with Positive Planet.
“Since working with the team at Positive Planet, we have come to understand how to reduce our carbon footprint rather than simply how to offset it. The team have steered us to make better decisions with our footprint in mind, helping us to leave something wonderful for our kids and generations to follow.”
Chris White, Marketing Creative, Two Chimps Coffee
A roastery of their own
In July 2025, Two Chimps bought its own premises in Oakham. Owning the building opened the door to bigger projects. The refurbishment pushed emissions up in the latest reporting period, a one-off cost of investing in the roastery’s future.
Solar panels now cover the front and back of the roof, installed in January 2026 with the help of a match-funded grant. They can power up to 98% of the roastery through renewable energy.
A battery stores any spare energy, including what the panels collect at weekends while the roastery is closed. The roof insulation goes beyond regulatory requirements, and electric heating powered by solar has replaced gas.
The numbers
Since the 2022 baseline, Two Chimps has cut:
- Fuel use from vehicles by 30.4%
- Waste by 37.5%
- Emissions per employee by 12.1%
- Emissions per £1 million of revenue by 3.3%
The roastery has also used a 100% renewable electricity tariff in every reporting period. By late September, the new panels had already generated 11 MWh, to confirm the power.
Small changes all along the chain
Two Chimps looks beyond its own walls too. Its coffee pallets now make the final leg of their journey with a local haulage firm that offers electric vehicle delivery. All coffee packaging is fully recyclable, right down to the handwritten date stickers on each bag. The company’s website runs on 100% renewable energy.
The team has completed Carbon Literacy training in 2025 and is more aware of their responsibilities both at work and at home, with staff members openly stating they’re doing more at home to protect the environment than they were before starting work with Two Chimps. Customers notice the effort and often tell Two Chimps how much they value its minimal-waste approach to delivering their coffee.
Recognised by the region
In September 2026, the team collected the Environmental Champions Award at Rutland Hall Hotel. It follows two wins in 2024, for Environmental Champions and Small Business of the Year.
The award celebrates businesses that cut fossil fuel use, reduce waste and care for the natural environment.
“Being responsible for the impact we have on the environment is very important to us,” say Head Chimps Andy and Laura. “This award is evidence that we’re doing the right things and we’re on the right track.”
Two Chimps Coffee aren’t strangers to winning big in sustainability, with multiple awards won this year, including the Gold award in the sustainability category at the Leicestershire & Rutland SME Business Awards in May 2026.
What’s next?
Two Chimps is working towards Net Zero by 2040. The next step is an electric delivery van, powered by the roastery’s own solar energy, with the current petrol van staying on the road until it reaches the natural end of its life.
The team is also looking at smaller coffee bags made from easy-to-recycle materials, and will use them if they work in practice.
The business is approaching its 10th anniversary. It has grown from a small Rutland start-up into a speciality roastery serving customers across the UK, and it plans to keep improving as it grows.
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