Tea and coffee producer Drury Tea and Coffee has invested in new coffee equipment after securing a £500,000 bank loan.

The business, based in Woolwich, was established in 1936 by three Italian brothers and is today managed by the third generation of the Olmis family.

The company make more than 16 different espresso blends, a number of blended and single-origin coffees and 120 different types of tea for a broad customer base, including Michelin-starred restaurants, hotels and coffee shops.

To improve efficiency and increase capacity, CEO Dino Olmi approached long-term banking partner Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking to secure a £500,000 loan.

Drury Tea and Coffee used the cash to help fund the purchase of a £1m coffee roasting and packing plant.

Olmi said: “The addition of the new coffee roasting plant marks an exciting time for us. It enables us to increase our capacity and gives us the benefit of being able to access new markets and increase our market share.

“Things are really moving up a gear this year, as we have just secured further funding from Lloyds to purchase a second pyramid tea bag machine from Japan to increase our tea production further.”