Glasgow based start-up Caribbean Goods Ltd imports and distributes green coffee from Guatemala to the UK. Founded by Strathclyde alum Javier Gutiérrez Abril in 2018, the company was founded from a dream to make coffee farming in Guatemala fair for the hardworking farmers who produce it.
Born and raised in Guatemala, Javier achieves this mission by sourcing coffee directly from farmers he has personally met, enabling them to bypass many of the challenges common in the industry and ensuring they receive fair compensation and working conditions. The company’s ethical and transparent sourcing model goes hand in hand with its commitment to quality, delivering only the highest-grade green coffee beans to roasters across the UK. Beyond importing green coffee, Caribbean Goods have also planted 462 trees in Scotland through the charity Trees for Life and donated over $3K to MAIA impact school since October 2024.
Traditional green coffee importers are typically based in major cities and sell beans in large volumes, making it challenging for independent roasters in remote areas to access and afford the coffee they need. Caribbean Goods addresses this by reducing shipping costs and offering green coffee in smaller, more manageable quantities: half the size of the standard industry unit. By curating a unique selection of specialty beans from Guatemala – one of the world’s leading specialty coffee producers – these thoughtful adjustments help small and medium-sized roasters access exceptional coffee without the barriers. Lately, Caribbean Goods have paired coffee roasters with Guatemalan coffee producers and is serving as a logistics partner for such direct trade.
Javier’s entrepreneurial journey began while completing an MSc in Finance at the University of Strathclyde in 2017. It was during this time that he discovered Strathclyde Inspire and the range of support available to student entrepreneurs. In an early meeting, a business adviser (rightly!) vetoed his initial business idea. Javier took time to reflect on how he could combine his background in engineering and finance with his passion for coffee and creating positive change. He returned to pitch a new concept, Caribbean Goods, which received the green light.
Recognising the potential of his venture, the Strathclyde Inspire Start-Up team invited Javier to join their investor-ready Accelerator Programme, which gave him access to additional support including funding, tailored workshops, expert advice, his own dedicated office space in the Inspire Hub, and access to pitching competitions such as the Inspire100 event, where he presented Caribbean Goods to an audience of investors and potential partners.
The support was invaluable. It gave me clarity on what was needed to build a solid foundation for growth — whether I raised investment or not. I learned the importance of structure, systems, and a strong team. It shifted my mindset from ‘how to survive’ to ‘how to scale.’
Javier emphasises the importance of passion and purpose in building a meaningful enterprise:
Keep asking yourself why you’re doing it, and who you’re helping. When you’re clear on your purpose and the impact you want to make, it becomes much harder to give up – especially when things get tough.
In January 2025, Caribbean Goods launched its first physical location: Loom Coffeehouse, a coffee lab and retail shop based in Glasgow’s West End. Operated as a separate limited company, Loom is managed by its own in-house team. Together, Caribbean Goods and Loom now employ four people.
To streamline operations and manage resources more efficiently, Javier is currently working with his accountant to establish a holding company. This new structure will own both businesses through a share-for-share transfer, helping to optimise cash flow, asset management, and growth planning.
Looking ahead, Javier hopes to open a second Loom location in the future, potentially in a larger unit which could serve as a central coffee storage hub and even offer space for other commodity importers. His long-term ambition is clear: to become the UK’s leading importer of agricultural goods from the Caribbean region, while continuing to bring outstanding coffee to independent roasters and the Glasgow public.
