Supplier Awards 2026: Hot Beverage Brand of the Year – Paddy & Scott’s

Paddy & Scott’s, the UK-based coffee company founded by Scott Russell and Paddy Bishop, wowed judges with its authentic bean-to-cup story.

The Hot Beverage Brand of the Year supplies more than 430 hotels and hospitality venues across the UK. Its partners, which include 40 Marriott International hotels, have said switching to Paddy & Scott’s led to significant sales growth, thanks to the coffee company’s creative activations and personalised approach. These have included everything from sending a Paddy & Scott’s VW camper van to the Belfry in Sutton Coldfield for the guests of the Betfred British Masters golf event to welcoming guests from RBH Hotel Management at one of Paddy & Scott’s coffee farms in Kenya.

Other bespoke partnerships have included creating a custom coffee blend for Milsom’s hospitality group in Suffolk, which has driven a 14% year-on-year increase in coffee sales, as well as creating a Nourish 1948 blend specifically for the NHS hospitality teams at St Peter’s and Ashford Hospitals.

Paddy & Scott’s has built such strong relationships with its clients that the support has become mutual. As a case in point, RBH partnered with online food resale platform Too Good To Go to donate its proceeds to schools neighbouring Paddy & Scott’s farm in Meru. At Macdonald Hotels, Paddy & Scott’s developed a partnership with direct trade producers in Brazil through its Lunch Box coffee so that every bag purchased can help fund meals for children in coffee-growing areas. At the time of submission, the initiative provided an incredible 8,100 school meals in the Meru region.

These opportunities have contributed to the coffee grower, roaster and supplier funding more than 845,000 school meals in coffee‑growing regions amid a continued commitment to genuine social purpose.

As Kimberly Ofrecio, group commercial director at Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, so aptly summarised: “Through our work with Paddy & Scott’s, we’re also able to turn this growing demand into something more meaningful, supporting children and communities in coffee-growing regions around the world.”

Judges’ comment

“A strong bean-to-cup story that supports the retailers or venue to offer sustainable coffee to their customers. The company lives its mission by giving school meals to the communities where their coffee is grown. This is a brand with an inspiring story and a compelling one for the sector to take to its heart.”

Laura Willoughby, founder, Club Soda

The shortlist

• IBC Simply

• Paddy & Scott’s