SME Magazine catches up with Adam and Victoria Cozens, pictured above, the husband-and-wife team behind Perky Blenders, the coffee company which has been in business for around 10 years. They started by telling us about Perky Blenders and the motivation behind it
The motivation for starting our own business came from living in an up and coming area in 2016 and being inspired by other small independents starting up, like the breweries. We saw a gap in the market – You could cycle to Hackney and get a great coffee but Waltham Forest was lacking at that time. Secondly, we wanted to have something that gave us more flexibility around our new family life and to be there to bring up our family. Perky Blenders is a family owned and operated coffee roasting business. We have five of our own shops, franchise stores, online coffee by post service and also supply our coffee wholesale to cafes, restaurants, hotels and businesses across the UK.
Where did you start and what were the main challenges in the early days?
We started our business at home around the kitchen table, we served coffee and sold our beans at local events and markets in Waltham Forest – word quickly got around which fuelled the start of of online business as people wanted to order coffee for their homes. Our main challenges were juggling our own jobs on top of starting our business whilst, having a one year old with another one on the way!
How important is social media for your company? Which platforms do you favour?
Social Media is massively important to our business, it’s been a huge part of our growth. We’ve always favoured Instagram and we’re proud of our loyal following. That said, it’s important to keep on top of social media trends meaning that this year we’ll be looking at TikTok Shop and more influencer lead marketing. 
What makes your coffee stand out?
We are specialty coffee for everyone. We pride ourselves in bringing the best coffees from around the world, making them accessible for everyone to try and enjoy. Our resident coffees have their own personalities, which helps our customers choose the right coffee to suit their taste, without all of the jargon.
How has your role changed as the company developed?
As a business owner, you naturally wear all of the hats to start with. Over time, as we’ve grown the team, we’ve been able to delegate specific roles to individuals, meaning that we can focus on other growing/new areas of the business.
What are your plans for expansion? Where do you hope the company will be in, say, five or ten years’ time?
The franchise side of our business is a target for growth. We want to give others the opportunity to own their own Perky store, be part of our family. We are doing this in an affordable, sustainable way, just like our own model – which bucks the trend on traditional franchise models. In the next five to ten years, we would love to see more people enjoying Perky, whether that’s through our growing network of stores or drinking coffee at home.
What advice would you give to others who may be planning to start up their own business?
Our advice to anyone thinking of starting their own business is that if you have an idea, start doing, don’t over think it, if you don’t try you won’t know. We’re grateful for where we are today, for the people that have supported us throughout and have remained loyal to us. Our DM’s are always open – we’re always happy to chat!
