Our Story at Edge Tea & Coffee: Freshly Roasting and Blending Since 1981

The Edge Tea & Coffee Journey

We love telling our story. It’s a tale that spans 3 generations and 4 continents, but it all started at a humble Sussex kitchen table, with one man passionate about tea and coffee.

 

One family, 40 years, 13 countries and countless ‘proper cuppas’ in our mission to deliver the best tea and coffee in Sussex!
Collage featuring a vintage photo of Frank Edgcumbe, metal weight stamps, a modern outdoor tea or coffee scene with three people, scattered coffee beans, and loose black tea leaves.

OUR STORY

EDGE is a proudly independent coffee and tea business based in Sussex, with a heritage spanning over 45 years. Operating across three key channels — café & retail, ecommerce, and wholesale B2B — we are dedicated to providing exceptional, sustainably sourced brews while creating welcoming spaces that bring people together.

Our story began in the early 1980s with Chris’s father, Frank. After returning home from India, Frank realised he couldn’t find a cup of tea that truly matched the quality and flavour he had experienced abroad. Rather than settling for what was available, he decided to create his own. What started as a personal mission to craft better tea soon grew into a passionate pursuit of sourcing, blending, and sharing outstanding products with others.

Black and white portrait of Frank Edgcumbe smiling, wearing a light shirt and patterned neckerchief, with a blurred street scene in the background.

1981

It all began at the kitchen table...

Our director's father, Frank Edgcumbe-Rendle blended our first loose-leaf tea, ‘Rusper’ after the village he grew up in. We still sell it today!

1987

Chris joins the team

Frank’s son, Chris, started at Edcgumbes after working for an established 200 year old tea trading company based in London with 80 estates all over the world

Black and white photo of a man in a lab coat cupping coffee while a woman beside him takes notes in a shop setting, circa 1987.
Black and white photo of Alice Rendle smiling while pouring coffee from a glass pot into a teacup, wearing a dark blouse and necklace.

1988

Two members of staff

Alice leaves her corporate job in Marketing and joins the team!

1989

We’re in business!

It’s official - Edgcumbes is incorporated as a limited company.

Close-up of a white paper bag with the Edgcumbe Tea & Coffee Co logo printed in green, resting on a weathered wooden surface.
Vintage Whitmee coffee roaster with multiple rotating drums and exposed gears, set on a wooden bench in an outdoor setting.

1991

First roaster, “The Whitmee”

Word travels fast, demand increases, and we need to up our roasting game. Enter our first-ever roaster, “The Whitmee”.

1997

The Whitmee meets a new friend…

6 years after roasting its first bean, we lighten The Whitmee’s workload and welcome a second-hand Probat Roaster to the family!

Vintage Probat coffee roaster with a black and silver finish, standing against a cream brick wall in an industrial setting.
Group of five people sitting around a small paddling pool with their feet in the water, enjoying drinks on a sunny patio with shoes lined up in front.

2009

Our first "marketing meeting"

The growing Edgcumbes team dips its toes into plans for their caffeine-fuelled future...

2014

Edgcumbes roasting & blending finds a new home

Production moves to our iconic Dutch barn, fully refurbished from reclaimed materials.

Person riding a motorbike past the Edgcumbes Coffee Roasters & Tea Blenders building, with a large sign and customer parking area visible.
Woman standing next to a large Giesen coffee roaster, smiling and holding up a piece of paper inside a roasting facility.

2015

Big Bertha joins Edgcumbes

And we start playing with the big boys…

FACT: To date, Big Bertha has roasted EDGE coffee for nearly 10,000 hours!

2016

EDGE Tea and Coffee – the brand is born

Hanging shop sign reading 'EDGE by Edgcumbes – Caffeine Addicts' with an arrow pointing right, mounted on a wall outside.
Man in an Edge Street Food t-shirt and cap holding a tray of chips with ketchup, standing in front of a row of bright green and yellow beach huts.

2020

EDGE by the Sea opens

Edge by the Sea in Littlehampton (LA to locals) opens its doors. A hub for staycationers and local caffeine addicts - run by Chris & Alice’s son, Charlie!

2021

Hello Wolfie!

After an eventful voyage from our friends in Holland, our bespoke Giesen 30kg roaster, lovingly named “Wolfie”, rolls through the barn doors.

Close-up of a modern orange and black Giesen coffee roaster inside a roastery, showing detailed metal components and control mechanisms.

We’ve come a long way from our humble kitchen beginnings...

The Old Barn

This historic Dutch barn is the heart and soul of EDGE.

An escape amongst the hedgerows of Sussex, we welcome dog walkers, cyclists and anyone interested in a spot of people watching for a coffee and a chat.

The perfect place to steal a moment of calm.

The EDGE Café

Cast your eyes across the roastery court-yard and you’ll see the EDGE Café.

When we opened it in 2015, we never thought we’d be lucky enough to be welcom-ing hundreds of loyal customers and friends daily.

Recharge in the sun-trapped courtyard or below the shady trees filled with bird song.

The EDGE Store

The perfect spot for the home barista! From our award-winning coffees ground to order, or our famous ‘Rusper’ everyday tea.

Pick a pack of tea and coffee from our refillery and take it home to brew.

Talk to us about brewing equipment, or find an array of artisan products sourced from across Hampshire and Sussex.

EDGE by the Sea

A stone’s throw from the shore of Littlehampton beach. Treat yourself to local coffee and tea, as well as some obligatory salty chips and ice cream - by-the-beach must haves!

We’re open for everyone

Worked up a thirst for delicious local coffee and tea? So have we! Explore our café locations and pop in for a cuppa and a chat – we’d love to see you.