Premium coffee company Matthew Algie is using the sun to power its roastery after covering its roof with solar panels.

The company, which supplies M&S and Sainsbury’s and was an early adopter of Fairtrade products, used Absolute Solar and Wind to fit a 10 kilowatt system which will cut its carbon footprint by 80 tonnes over 25 years.

“We launched the UK’s first Fairtrade espresso back in 1997, so it makes sense that we are now one of the first to embrace the solar power revolution,” said Matthew Algie’s technical director, Ewan Reid. “sustainability is at the heart of our operation.”

Reid added that 90% of Matthew Algie’s coffee was now Fairtrade.