Robbie Hill and Sam Colman have been friends for years.
The pair grew up in Aberdeen, but they bonded through craft beer and coffee while they were both living in Berlin.
Now back home, together they run Cairn Coffee, a coffee cart based on Aberdeen’s Beach Esplanade.
Speciality coffee is the business’s port of call and having only opened in May, the duo has already made an impression with city locals and tourists alike.
Freshness and simplicity are at the core of Cairn’s offerings – you won’t find mind-boggling names you can’t pronounce here.
But above all, Robbie and Sam are relishing the homely sense of community they’ve created by running their own business.
“I grew up in the Mannofield area of Aberdeen,” says Robbie.
“I probably didn’t do as well in school as I should’ve, but I left pretty early and ended up going straight into hospitality to work at The Marcliffe Hotel at 16-years-old.
“I did various bits and bobs there, I really enjoyed it.”
Berlin bond
When Robbie and Sam decided to move to Berlin a few years later, it was here where they both took their first sips into their coffee career paths.
“I’ve always liked coffee in general, but it was through living in Berlin where people who were involved in speciality coffee nagged me enough to keep trying things!” Robbie laughs.
“There were four of us who went to Berlin from Aberdeen and it was just to really experience something a little different.
“We all ended up falling into different areas of work and learned a lot together out there.”
Robbie found a role in the craft beer industry and Sam worked in the city’s speciality coffee scene while in Berlin.
The pair crossed paths through their work on many occasions, which led them to hosting pop-up events in places as unusual as the Nordic embassies.
“We thought on our feet and bonded over our experiences. It was really good fun,” says Robbie.
“Berlin has quite a good scene of pop-up businesses. It gives you the idea that you should go out and try something.
“So, I guess Cairn Coffee has always been in the back of our minds, born out of being over there.”
Coffee conversations
Sam later relocated from Berlin to Belize to be with his partner while Robbie returned home to Aberdeen to work as a barista in Ikea.
Eventually, the pair crossed paths once more, but this time it was back home in the north-east and conversations on Cairn Coffee soon made way for action.
“It’s always been in the back of my mind to open up a bar or cafe, as I’m sure lots of people who work in hospitality dream about,” says Robbie.
Sometimes, you need something to fall in your lap a little bit to push things along.
“The coffee cart fell into our hands; we were looking for a half-finished renovation that we could take on ourselves.
“It just so happened that through a connection in Sam’s family, they were selling the cart that we’ve since bought and renovated, which gave us that push to go and do it with the business.”
New beginnings
Having re-painted and re-wired the coffee cart during lockdown, Robbie and Sam were set to launch Cairn Coffee in October last year.
However, with plans for a new bike path along the beachfront stopping them in their tracks, it wasn’t until May 2021 when things finally took off.
Since then, they haven’t looked back.
“There’s been plenty of nice weather and really nice vibes down the beach,” says Robbie.
“There are so many different options for food trucks, surfing, paddleboarding and stuff. It’s really nice.
“We see a lot of the same faces at the weekends which is super nice. Everyone who’s there really wants to make it work.”
Inclusive coffees
According to Robbie, Sam is a coffee geek who constantly watches videos of new coffee machines on Youtube.
But Robbie explains that you don’t have to be a coffee guru to enjoy Cairn Coffee’s speciality offerings.
“I wanted to do the speciality thing but on an accessible level that wasn’t snobby,” says Robbie.
“If people want to know all about it, I’m happy to have that conversation.
“But if others just want really tasty coffee and then be on their way, then of course that’s fine too.”
Espressos, flat whites, mochas… all coffee-lover favourites are covered by Cairn Coffee.
It also sells “a surprising amount” of speciality beans for people to take home and brew for themselves, Robbie mentions.
‘The vibe here…’
But beyond its hot drinks, the sense of community that Sam and Robbie feel among its customers and fellow beachfront businesses is also special.
“The vibe here is really good,” says Robbie.
“All the different trailers really help each other out; we’re always borrowing tools or what not from one another.
“Everyone’s been so supportive and it’s a really nice atmosphere to work in.”
With everything going swimmingly by the beach, what does the year ahead have in store for Cairn Coffee?
“We’re going to get some lights up on the cart, make it look nice and cosy for the winter,” says Robbie.
“We might be looking to start selling brewing kits for people at home as well.
“Overall, we’re just aiming to keep doing what we’re doing.”
A round of questions with Robbie Hill of Cairn Coffee…
Most underrated drink?
Filter coffee. A really nice filter coffee can be done so well. There’s lots of subtleties to it.
If you were a drink, what would you be and why?
Hmm… what drink is long-winded and boring? I’ve no idea!
What’s in your drinks cabinet at home?
I usually always have one bottle of Scotch malt whisky as well as a nice bottle of Italian red wine too.
Most unusual drink you’ve ever tried?
Somebody brought me back a drink from Vietnam that had a scorpion inside it. It was a bit bizarre.
Worst experience with a drink?
It’s got to be sambuca on some kind of lads’ holiday. I avoid it like the plague.
Any secret tips of the drinks trade?
Coffee-wise, get a hand grinder for yourself. You’ll notice the difference when you directly grind the beans yourself before making your coffee.
Best food and drink pairing?
I’m an absolute cheese fiend, so it would have to be cheese, a nice malt whisky and some chutney.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what three drinks would be there with you?
Some kind of black coffee for sure, a bottle of Amarone Valpolicella and a sour beer from Belgium called Gouze – it’s a little bit funky.
You have to serve your favourite superhero or celebrity a drink. Who is it and what do you serve them?
I’d serve Ivano Bonetti one of my bottles of Amarone. I think he’d appreciate it (anyone who’s not a Dundee FC fan will have no idea who that is!)
To find out more about Cairn Coffee or to support their business, visit their Instagram.
