I’m thrilled to be joining Scoffs as Learning & Development Manager at such an exciting time in its growth and am looking forward to immersing myself in the business to create a department that can support the existing talent and nurture those new to the business.

Tell us about your career journey so far

I completed my undergraduate degree in law when my son started school and was fortunate to be able to represent the university in several national and international competitions in negotiation, mediation and client interview. I was invited to coach future teams in these softer skills which subsequently led to 4 years as an Associate Lecturer on the LLB programme. I was encouraged to complete my teaching qualification at this time and this drove my passion for learning and development further.

Most recently I have supported students completing A Level and vocational qualifications and drove standards and outcomes through the redevelopment of courses. This led to an examining role with the exam board to further broaden my depth of understanding, enabling greater insight to the examination, standardisation and awarding process.

The progression in my career was driven by a desire to enable learners to achieve and excel and I’m looking forward to translating this into The Scoffs Group’s learning and development.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment has been the opportunity to help others succeed and help them reach their goals and beyond. A recent student of mine had applied to university and believed some institutions to be beyond his ability. I was able to coach his own self belief and help him to identify the value in the work and progress he had made. He chose to apply to a top Russell Group university and eventually secured his place upon completing college. He wrote to thank me for teaching him but referenced our conversation specifically as having a profound impact. To enable this student to lead his own success made me incredibly proud of the value I was able to offer him for his future.

What does success look like to you?

I want to enable others to understand their own potential, inspire and drive their own success and invest in themselves. I believe success lives in an individual’s own ability to access what already exists though support, coaching, guidance, investment and recognition.

What are you most excited about with joining Scoffs?

’m excited to add value to a company that clearly values its people at the heart of all it does. I believe we have a shared vision of wanting to inspire people to invest in themselves and build valuable, engaging and rewarding careers. I want to lead a programme that enables all at Scoffs to reach their own personal potential with clear opportunities and progression routes, supported by valuable and engaging learning materials and passionate people driving the development.

What is your favourite drink?

I have a sweet tooth and nothing quite hits the spot like a rich hot chocolate! When I have stood on the sidelines in the cold, wet, windy months watching my son play football, it has always kept me going!

If you could grab a coffee with anyone from history, who would it be?

Right now, it would have to be Lizzo! I love her music, her message and her morals! It would be amazing to experience her presence as I think she would be incredibly uplifting and make me feel Good as Hell!

I’m excited to be joining Scoffs as Head of Marketing and Communications.

Tell us about your career journey so far

In 2018, I completed my undergraduate degree in business management at Aston University. I decided on business management for further education as I was always fascinated with the social sciences. The benefit of my degree was to have the opportunity to not only delve further into the details of these topics of interest (indeed, I learned a lot about business fundamentals as well as the theory behind micro and macro economics during my time at university) but also, I had the opportunity to apply that knowledge in practice during the placement year of my degree.

Armed with this new found knowledge I decided to complete a placement year at ELE International (materials testing company) as a Marketing Executive and worked there for four years. It was at ELE that my love for marketing really flourished.

Following on from ELE, I started my Marketing role at Sava (Residential Surveying course provider) and worked here for 2 years. At both ELE and Sava, I honed my craft and challenged myself to engage in marketing for businesses that sell “obscure” products (at least from my perspective!) I valued my experiences at both Sava and ELE and was challenged to “think outside the box” to complete the job at hand. Although I wasn’t looking actively to move jobs when I came across the Scoffs group role, when I eventually came across the job description, I realised that the role was perfect for me - I love all things coffee and the opportunity to combine my passion for coffee with my love for marketing was an opportunity not to be missed.

Further to above, I also have had a few other part time jobs and in fact, I trained as a barista when I worked as a coffee shop assistant for Pausa whilst studying. This is where my love for coffee began and I loved experimenting and creating unique drinks such as Karak Coffee!

What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment to date has been my involvement with Al-Fikr, a charity close to my heart. Al-Fikr, through its charitable activities has benefitted individuals on both a local and global scale. For example, Al-Fikr has installed over 300 water pumps in predominantly south Asian developing countries for underserved communities desperately in need of clean water and has also helped feed the homeless in the UK (predominantly in the Milton Keynes area). Furthermore, specifically during the Islamic month of Ramadan in 2021, and owing in part to the marketing campaign I project managed and delivered, we managed to raise over £40,000 in donations in just one month - this is by far my proudest accomplishment to date!

What does success look like to you?

Success to me is finding joy in what you do and working with great people whilst you do it! I truly believe that success in the natural sense of the word I.e. in terms KPIs and other quantifiable metrics naturally follow on from succeeding in finding happiness in what you do and building strong working relationships - both of which I can’t wait to do at Scoffs group.

What are you most excited about with joining Scoffs?

I’m excited to add value to a company that clearly values its people at the heart of all it does. I believe we have a shared vision of wanting to inspire people to invest in themselves and build valuable, engaging and rewarding careers. I want to lead a programme that enables all at Scoffs to reach their own personal potential with clear opportunities and progression routes, supported by valuable and engaging learning materials and passionate people driving the development.

What is your favourite drink?

My favourite drink is weather and time dependent! On a cold winters morning, I enjoy a latte (with lactose free milk) and on a hot summer afternoon, I love a (cheeky) peach iced tea!

If you could grab a coffee with anyone from history, who would it be?

I would say Queen Elizabeth II (May she rest in peace) - instead of a coffee, an afternoon tea with marmalade sandwiches would be lovely. I have always been a fan of the queen, the royal family and their traditions.

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY WITHIN OUR BUSINESS

INTRODUCE YOURSELF

My name is Delroy and I am one of the Regional Operations Directors, I have worked for Scoffs 11 years. Prior to this, I worked for other brands such as Costa Coffee, Caffé Nero, and Pizza Hut.

How did you get started with Scoffs?

I started at Scoffs as an Operations Manager in 2011

What is your proudest accomplishment while working for Scoffs?

My proudest accomplishments are seeing how much my team have grown over the years, a lot of them have been promoted internally. I have so many success stories I could share. The other accomplishment is how proud I was to be a part of the Premiere/ Jurassic acquisition, this was a big deal and turned Scoffs into a powerhouse. I am so proud that we were recently nominated for Franchise of the Year by Costa Coffee.

What is the best this about working for Scoffs?

It must be the relationship I have with my colleagues; they are more like a second family, I also love how no two days are the same, this really gives my job a good amount of variation.

What does success look like for you?

Success is personal growth and knowledge to me, I am still in my infancy stages as a Regional Operations Director, I have a lot I would like to learn and experience. I can’t wait to see where my career ends up, I want to look back and be proud of everything that I have achieved knowing that every day I did the best I could. If I inspire a few people along the way, that’s even better

Why is it important to celebrate pride at work?

For me Celebrating Pride in the workplace is a great way to promote awareness and equality within our company as well as increasing understanding of the issues faced by those in the LGBTQ+ community. As a proud Black Gay Man and one of the Regional Operations Director within the business, it’s key for me to show that no matter my sexuality or race opportunities for progression are there. No one within my organisation has ever asked me to tone it down or to change who I am, they have only encouraged me to push myself and be true to who I am.

What does Pride Month mean to you?

Pride Month in my opinion should be 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s a demonstration of the resilience of a community that is formidable. If it wasn’t for those who fought for our rights, such as Marsha P. Johnson, activists like her have truly paved the way for the entire LGBTQ+ community. Without these legends we would not have the rights and protections that we continue to fight for to this day.

Who are some of your LGBTQ+ role models?

Marsha P. Johnson, Sir Ian McKellen, Harvey Milk and Ru Paul Charles to name a few, I could go on!

What is your go to Pride Anthem?

I don’t know if I can pick just one, I think it must be I Feel Love by the Queen of Disco Donna Summer or You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by the incredible Sylvester, always guaranteed to get me dancing!

Hey! My name is Amy and I’m super excited to be joining Scoffs as a Brand Excellence Manager covering Cornwall and Jurassic stores. I have just transferred over from Equity Costa where I’ve worked for the past 10 and a half years.

Tell us about your career journey so far

I started at Starbucks when I had just turned 17, I joined as a part-time Barista whilst I was studying Fashion at Leicester College. When I finished college and left for Lincoln Uni I transferred stores, I was promoted to Shift Supervisor at Starbucks when I was 18. Moved to London at 21 to do a fashion internship, I also transferred to the super busy Canary Wharf store in the DLR station. I then decided to relocate to Cornwall and jumped coffee ship... I started my Costa career back in February 2012 as a Barista Maestro.

I was promoted to Assistant Manager in 2014 in the brand-new Cornwall Services store, then bagged my first Store Manager role back in 2016. Last year I completed the first High Performing Store Manager programme where I worked closely with Area Managers in the South West region. This led me to dual site managing both St Austell stores in Sept 2021. After Phase one of Cornwall stores TUPE’d over to Scoffs I started my Area Manager secondment where I looked after the remaining eleven stores in Cornwall for six months up until the point of TUPE transfer.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Apart from being a Barista for the past fifteen years (which is an accomplishment in itself) – My store came 4th place out of 1600 stores back in 2020, my store team are like family, so this was a proud achievement as we worked so hard together on delivering our KPIs and giving great customer service. Also receiving a Brand Excellence Champion award for our 96.4% Costa Check back last October when there were only two of us on shift – phew! On the same day I got an 89% pass in my other store too – having two Costa Checks on one day is an experience I will never forget!

What does success look like to you?

Success to me in store has always been about having a happy engaged team who look forward to going to work and having fun, but who also can provide their customers with the best service and treat them almost like they are family. We all have a crazy aunty, right? Alternatively, success to me is having a job I love which enables me to grow professionally and offers me stretch.

What are you most excited about with joining Scoffs?

I’m super new to Scoffs but I’m excited to meet all the teams in Cornwall and Jurassic, and to be able to spend quality time helping stores get those 90% Costa Check passes every time – passing on all the top tips I’ve picked up along the way.

What is your favourite drink?

Depends on what time of day it is… I’ve got to start the day off with a cuppa tea! I always have skinny milk whether it’s an iced or hot latte and always with SF syrups (SF Vanilla is a game changer).

If you could grab a coffee with anyone from history, who would it be?

I’m split over this one, Either Vivienne Westwood (who is very much still living) but someone I very much admire – her drive and ambition through the punk seventies that led her to become one of the most recognised fashion brands still today. Or John Hughes, who wrote and directed some of my all-time favourite films back in the eighties such as The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Uncle Buck.

I am extremely excited to bepart of the Scoffs family andcannot wait to start my newjourney.

Tell us about your career journey so far

I have been part of the Costa family for over 10 years now. I started as a part-time Barista and I made my way through the company becoming Store Manager within two years. I have managed some of the busiest stores whilst I was in this position. I have held various roles such as Regional and Area support as well as Interim Area Manager. I have been driven to develop my teams as well as improve customers' experience in the store.

In 2020 I left Costa and joined Phillip Morris as a Retail Store Manager in their flagship store. As part of my development, I decided to take a different path. I managed business growth across the UK market and raised new brand awareness in a fast-paced environment.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

I am proud of raising two children who have become openminded, empathetic and good people. It is not easy to accomplish such a thing in today’s world, and it takes lots of effort. Speaking about work, my proudest accomplishment is seeing my team develop as well as supporting them to achieve the goals that we set together. A great team and a healthy working environment are the two things that matter to me.

Future with Scoffs

I am very excited to be joining the team as the company has considerable opportunities for continued growth. I am really looking forward to bringing my experience and knowledge into the company and to achieve our business and personal goals together.

What is your favourite drink?

My favourite drink is an Americano. It has to have a nice crema on top and it gives me a good kick start to the day, whilst keeping me in a good mood!

Tell us about your career journey so far

I’ve been incredibly lucky to have followed and fulfilled my career dreams not just once, but twice, so here’s a little insight into that journey.

I was born into hospitality and worked in local pubs, restaurants and hotels right through my school years. One of my earliest memories was standing behind the bar in my Aunt’s pub, on a beer crate, offering hot food to customers on Sunday afternoons and attempting to pour very frothy pints of beer. I was only about 5 years old and I could hardly see over the bar! It was comical really, but I thought I was the bees knees. In those days, pubs only opened for lunch service on Sundays (officially anyway) and it wasn’t until years later that I understood that Sunday afternoon lock-ins weren’t exactly legal…!

After I finished school, I fell into HR with London Underground. I undertook my CIPD and worked my way up over the years. It was a really good grounding in operational HR but I found myself at a crossroads and decided to follow my dreams. I joined Whitbread in 1996 and spent the next 12 years running a variety of pubs, bars and at one point, a small hotel and training centre. It was long hours and hard work but incredibly rewarding. I never took my team for granted and I lost count of the number of trainees who went on to run their own bars.

In time, I realised that my true passion was for supporting and developing people and I realised I had more to give. So for the second time in my adult life, I switched careers and moved back into HR. Since then, I’ve worked for some fantastic brands such as Keystone (McDonald’s Supply Chain), Dominos, Harris+Hoole, Fuller’s, Chopstix and most recently Tenpin. Life is a continuous learning journey and I’ve never looked back. My advice to anyone out there who is at a crossroads or isn’t sure whether to follow their dreams? Do it, you will never regret it.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

I get asked this question a lot and there will only ever be one answer - and that is my son. He is my world and I am super proud of the man he has turned into. For the most part it was just the two of us and he’s 28 now with his own family but every time he calls or texts, my face still lights up. And as a Mum, I still ask if everything’s okay! He’s also given me a wonderful daughter-inlaw and two beautiful grandchildren so hands down, there is no other accomplishment that compares, professionally or personally.

What does success look like to you?

Being able to do the things that I love, whether I’m any good at them or not! A few years ago, a good friend of mine in our industry convinced me to do a Tough Mudder competition and I am the LAST person who would be able to do that! But I gave it a go, got muddy, raised some funds for a worthy cause and went back the next year as a supporter. Let’s face it, participating once was enough!

What are you most excited about with joining Scoffs?

Oh my goodness where do I start? I love this industry and I’m super excited to join Scoffs. There’s a real family feel here and it’s very infectious already! The people I will be working closely with are my kind of people – they believe in doing things for the right reason and at pace. It’s incredibly important to me that our people are engaged, feel valued and are recognised for their endless contribution and tireless work ethic, especially in the current climate, so I’m excited to get to know everyone and lead a team of Hospitality Heroes!

What is your favourite drink?

My go-to drink for a night out is Malibu but there’s nothing quite like a Baileys over ice. I have also been known to make my own homemade Baileys but the recipe is top secret…

If you could grab a coffee with anyone from history, who would it be?

Coco Chanel. She challenged the gender norms of the time, not just through her amazing fashion pieces but also by her own personal style. Men’s clothes became women’s too and she created the famous ‘little black dress’. Her perfume ‘Coco by Chanel’ is my all-time favourite.