Welcome to our new series, Common People, where we introduce you to the incredible people that make up the Common family. To kick things off, we sat down for a coffee with our founder Jason.
What’s your go-to coffee order and what does this reveal about your personality?
Currently I have been changing things up a little bit. If I am working from home or at a cafe I tend to have a Long Black first around 9am, and then if I am having a second coffee I look to have a Flat White around midday.
Recently I have been mindful to watch my coffee in-take and keep it to two cups a day. In the past 6 months I have taken a little more notice of my health, so I’m being more conscious of when I drink my coffee and how much.
Being a Kiwi, a good Flat White has to be a favourite of mine and I tend to order this as a treat. If my dog Larry and I take an afternoon walk up to Little Fitzroy I’ll order myself a FW as a treat and the lovely team will also give Larry a treat so it’s a win win.
What role does coffee play in your life and why does it matter to you?
As Common looks to grow, this is something that I have thought a lot about recently. For me, the work I do and my personal life are very much intertwined – which I love. So coffee is very central to my life.
Coffee is such a big industry with endless opportunities, something that I am very grateful for. I didn’t come from a coffee background but I am very happy to have ended up here. Prior to moving to the UK I worked in the outdoor Industry back in New Zealand, and having good coffee out in the mountains on the job meant a moment of solace and luxury in what at times could be some very wet and cold days.
Which is your favourite Common roast and why?
It really depends what mood I am in, and being a bit biased but I love them all. However that is a cop out of an answer – so right now my favorite is our Sweet. A Natural Colombian, it has a delicious dark chocolate, boozy flavour to it and makes a great Flat White. It is also the coffee we used for our recent collab with Stewarts Brewing, a White Affogato Stout which turned out to be delicious.
How does coffee fit into your idea of connection?
There are so many ways to look at this question. Firstly being the most widely consumed beverage in the world, I can’t help but wonder at how many people are connected by coffee. Simply by the time a cup of coffee lands in your hands at your favourite coffee shop it has passed through on average 18 different people’s hands, which is truly amazing.
Then for me personally, it’s those little moments connecting over a cup of coffee, from work meetings, to first dates, to catch-ups with old friends, or maybe a sneaky espresso martini before a night out. To work in an industry that helps connect people in those moments is a real privilege. Something I am ever keen to explore more.
Can you share a memorable moment when you connected with someone over a cup of coffee?
I guess one of the most important and therefore memorable moments was meeting the founder of Stores Supply, Simon for the first time in December 2017 at Ozone in central London. A mutual friend connected us and Simon shared the story and aspirations for Stores Supply. At the time Stores didn’t have a coffee partner, Common was still just an idea and using a wholesaler to distribute speciality grade coffee was not done within the industry. Fast forward three months and we were launching Common at London Coffee Festival on the Stores stand. We have been a brand partner of Stores ever since and it was their support that spurred us on to launch Common. To me, it highlights how the power of one connection can help shape our lives. Helping create more stories like this and sharing them is my aspiration for Common as we look to the future.
