How this maker of fine coffee uses Timetastic to stay focused on what matters most - the coffee.
Betty is the lady of the house, a 60kg Probat roaster built in 1955 and almost 5 meters tall. Until Extract refurbished her, painstakingly, bit by bit, she'd stood derelict in a shed in Wales.
That's the kind of commitment you get at Extract, it's an ethos that runs deep through the company. In a series of restoration projects head roaster and co-founder Dave Faulkner has lovingly brought each machine back to life. He quite literally knows them inside out. It's this level of care and attention to every aspect of the craft that sets them apart from the rest.
Dave says,
"Understanding the finer detail behind how each of these machines work, informs how we use them and that of course impacts on the flavours and notes we get from our coffees."
The Perfect Startup Story
Extract started in 2007 when three best friends set out on a coffee mission - from their garden shed. That mission was (and still is) to make better coffee. Better for farmers, better for consumers.
Pouring the first flat whites in towns across the country they were right in there as coffee culture gained momentum in the UK. You might argue that in the face of the growth of Starbucks and Costa, artisan roasters like Extract have taught us about quality, a finer brew to balance against the mass market brands.
And so they grew. Moving premises twice, taking on additional staff, acquiring new 'scrapped' raosters and with it more renovation work for Dave.
Sustainability
Their commitment to sustainability runs deep.
Breathing life into second hand roasters is only one example, they also recycle all their waste coffee grounds and are using 90% renewable energy to power the roastery.
When they decided to open a training space in central London it was important to the team that it was built, not bought. And built by their own fair hands using second hand, reclaimed materials.
After months of hard work, the result is both impressive and true to their brand ethos. They literally built a workspace from materials that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Extract in 2018
Today, to meet the demand for their coffee, Betty runs alongside James, Bertha and Barry. The garden shed operation is a distant memory, when you do one thing and do it well, people feel it, in Extract's case they taste it.
But how do you grow and maintain that quality?
It's all about focus says Lee Bolam, their Commercial Director.
"We have to minimise distractions, allow the team to focus on the coffee. The last thing we want is them getting bogged down in needless admin or being distracted by problems."
So in September 2016 with a growing team they needed a staff holiday booking system - and joined Timetastic. With a headcount approaching 30 the admin burden of passing paper forms and monitoring who's going on holiday was growing.
"We just wanted a better way to manage it" says Lee, "less paperwork, less burden and better information, Timetastic has nailed it for us".
Where once holiday forms were passed from pillar to post and risked getting buried in piles of goods receipt notices or under bags of Brazilian coffee beans. Now they can sit comfortably, another small step forward, a touch more efficiency, and the focus on making better coffee is maintained.
The management team at Extract love seeing their people thrive, real humans that care about our partner business and the people they meet. A small team who work hard, travel to remote farms, who don't clock in and out.
Lee says, "Our competitive advantage is the power of small, and Timetastic helps us in intriguing little ways. The management team get a real kick out of sending a 'Happy Lieu Day' to someone who has busted their balls in Honduras, launched a new café or supported their homeless charity, 'The Passage' with mentorship...
'Happy Lieu Day' - Click - Happy face in less than 60 seconds."
That's how you run a business!
If your local coffee haunt doesn't serve Extract you could maybe nag them a little, or otherwise you'll be pleased to hear you can buy online, their Dr Strangelove is a favourite at Timetastic.