Baristocracy was founded in North Shields, Tyne and Wear in 2017 by Alex Forsyth and Kate Hudson, a family business with roots split between the UK and Sydney, where Alex grew up around his parents' long-running cafe, Forsyth Coffee and Tea.
Baristocracy was founded in North Shields, Tyne and Wear in 2017 by Alex Forsyth and Kate Hudson, a family business with roots split between the UK and Sydney, where Alex grew up around his parents' long-running cafe, Forsyth Coffee and Tea. That Australian coffee background shapes the roastery's approach: a focus on flavourful speciality coffee, sourced through importers who build sustained relationships with producers rather than buying on the open market.
The roastery places a deliberate emphasis on coffees from less commercially mainstream origins and smallholder farms, working with countries including Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, and Uganda alongside more familiar names. Alex visited producing regions in Rwanda and Burundi in 2024.
Barista training courses and wholesale supply sit alongside the direct-to-consumer online shop and subscription service.
