Acorn Awards 2024: Charlie Needler, 25, coffee coach, Gather & Gather

Age 25

Position Coffee coach, Gather & Gather

Nominator Matt Symonds, managing director, Gather & Gather

Charlie Needler has skipped through the ranks at Gather & Gather, having joined aged 17 as a catering assistant. His energy and flair meant it wasn’t long before he was made head barista, going on to oversee increasingly large contracts.

From 2020 until January this year, he was head barista at an 800-person site. Here, he increased customer satisfaction by 60% through introducing new coffees and keeping the team trained and motivated. By introducing new equipment, Needler boosted operational efficiency by 40%, which contributed to retaining the £7.5m contract without going to tender in 2023.

During this time, he also co-ordinated the G&G Barista of the Year competition and became the company’s coffee ambassador, championing the coffee offer across tender, win and mobilisation phases, which contributed to securing and retaining business worth £2.59m.

Crucially, he was one of only six people selected for the Youth Academy by Simonelli Group for SCA training. And in 2023, he went on to train 100 baristas to achieve SCA Foundation bronze accreditation.

His dedication to mentoring and training have not gone unnoticed, and he was recently promoted to coffee coach across 40 sites, training baristas and conducting site audits to improve the coffee offer and ensure operational efficiencies.

Needler has cerebral palsy affecting his right side and, despite his own success, he is aware that many people perceive their own disability is a barrier. Using platforms across training, competitions and external communications, he raises awareness of the sector as an accessible career path where support and opportunity are plentiful.

He also uses his many personal achievements to inspire others, including being a semi-finalist in the 2024 UK Barista Championships. He is currently working towards becoming an Authorised Speciality Trainer to certify others.

Who is your biggest champion in the industry?

"The first is my coach for the UK Barista Championship, Jon Townsend, who runs the Institute of Coffee. Why? Because he pushed me to do things I didn’t think were possible. We often stay in contact and every time we chat I learn something new either about the industry or myself. The other is Tim Squirrell [head of coffee at Liquidline] because he has always seen my potential and made sure I stayed on course and encouraged me to take my coffee qualifications."

How do you get the best out of your team?

"By making them feel valued, I do this by listening to their ideas and trying to implement them where best fits. I always have a positive outlook on life, so I like to try and pass this on to my team. We often bounce ideas of one another, and I put ideas in place where I see best fits."

What excites you most about the future of your role?

"The unpredictability – who knows where coffee will take us? I want to ignite a passion for coffee among fellow baristas, making sure they understand the journey from the plant to the roasted bean, while making sure the coffee producers are not forgotten about. We can bring the coffee journey to life and bring customers on that journey with our baristas as well."