Mark Ashbridge grew up in a household of coffee drinkers, childhood memories are of grinding coffee on a hand cranked grinder, with the smell permeating the air…it’s safe to say curiosity was sparked at a young age. it’s been down the rabbit hole from then, leading to an industry leading cafe and roastery in Belfast.
“There’s a clear connection in the work we do as roasters and what Bushmills do as distillers. That pursuit of perfection. It’s what made this collaboration with Bushmills very appealing to us."
Opening Established Cafe in 2013, alongside Bridgeen Barbour, the focus was on brewing and serving great quality coffee, at a time when specialty coffee in Belfast was only in its infancy. With a desire to delve deeper into the coffee, the Established Roastery was setup in 2020 and the focus became sourcing great coffee and roasting it to a high standard. Mark has headed up the roasting, using an analytical and sensorial approach to hone the craft, with a focus on taste above all else.
