A coffee break with...

With Amanda Lowe, head of innovation, Soho Coffee Co...

What does your job typically entail?
My role is to be our guardian and ambassador of great food. My key focus is continuous innovation and steering the business across supply chain, technical, commercial and new product development.

No two days are quite the same. I could be going from a new menu tasting, jumping straight to a supply chain meeting and then out scoping new suppliers to finish off the day. It’s the variety of the role that I love, and carefully balancing all those factors contributes to driving the business forward.

How did you get into the industry?
I have always had a love for food, and following on from my masters in nutrition I, was very curious about the hospitality industry. Since then, I have never looked back.

Before Soho, I started off at Greencore Northampton, which gave me a great understanding of food on the move and how quickly the grab-and-go sector innovates. It allowed me to work with incredible suppliers and gave me my first taste of launching products. Moving on to Soho enabled me to broaden my knowledge, and apply my experience across a wider category of food and drink to a brand that I love.

What’s your favourite part of the working day?
The food and the people. Being able to take an idea and turn it into a physical product that sits on our shelves in store, as well as being able to bounce ideas around with people in the industry who share the same passion I do.

What’s your favourite food and beverage?
Tea is a staple part of my day – I can’t function without a proper brew! With that said, my favourite thing to drink, especially in the summer, is iced drinks like our Tropical Crushie.

When it comes to cooking at home during the week, I tend to cook my way around the world. At the moment, I am enjoying Middle Eastern cuisine. I recently made a Lebanese chicken shawarma that was delicious!

And your least favourite?
I’ll always try something once – variety is the spice of life!

What is the biggest factor currently affecting the industry?
Supply challenges have been a problem across the industry and they make innovation more difficult. There is always a silver lining, as it has forced us to get creative and go beyond anything we have ever done before. We’ve looked at alternative revenue streams, broadened our scope of suppliers, and reviewed and streamlined internal processes, so while supply has been a challenge, I am confident that we will emerge a stronger brand for it.

One piece of advice would you offer someone working in the industry?
The food industry is all about people and relationships. Having key partners that you can rely on is one of the most important things, so don’t be afraid to lean on your circle to overcome hurdles. It’s also important to try new things and make mistakes, that’s how you learn and grow.

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