MONTY'S: COFFEE & CONVERSATION

In our conversation with the founder of Monty’s, we had the pleasure of delving into the deep connection he shares with coffee. From the early mornings of brewing coffee at home to the thoughtful design of Monty’s, every detail reflects his dedication to providing an exceptional coffee experience. Join us as we explore his journey, inspirations and the exciting future that lies ahead for Monty’s.

Here's what Mathew had to say: 

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

"There’s the personal side and the business/professional side.

From a personal point of view, it’s an easy one: my family, wife, and three children. They are the reason I wake up in the morning and go to work.

From a business and professional point of view, I think the biggest inspiration I have when working with coffee is being able to provide a premium and quality product at a very high standard. When you sit in coffee bars in major cities, you lose yourself in that moment of watching the world go by with a good cup of coffee. You can’t beat it. So, for me, being able to try and offer that service and experience is something that inspires me.

I want to deliver this to the people of this town."

IN TERMS OF BEING INSPIRED BY CITIES, WOULD YOU SAY THERE’S ANY ONE PLACE THAT INSPIRES YOU?

"My wife and I lived abroad for almost six years in the Middle East. The speciality coffee scene was growing, and it was refreshing to visit small pop-up coffee shops. When we were in Doha, we would visit various ones, as well as on holidays to places like London, New York and even Cardiff. We’d always be struck by the idea, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we could do something like this?’ Why not? Why couldn’t we do something like this? Perhaps there’s something romantic in the idea of sitting with a coffee and just watching the world go by and thats something we wanted to make.

So again, as I said, the experiences we had living in the Middle East and our variety of holidays over the years have inspired us."

WHAT IS THE COFFEE SCENE LIKE IN THE MIDDLE EAST? 

"It’s growing dramatically. I think you’ll find it’s like Europe, where you have your major chain corporations. People are no longer blind to the fact that what they’re paying for could be a lot cheaper from local independent shops. With that in mind, standards have risen. It’s so competitive now, with coffee shops popping up left, right, and centre, pushing for standards to remain high and consistent. From a cultural point of view, coffee is huge in the Middle East as alcohol is forbidden in their religion. Men and women meet up, late into the evening, enjoying coffee and traditional sweet cakes."

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO OPEN MONTYS?

"It's quite funny; my background is in education. I worked for 12 years as a secondary school teacher. I wasn’t ever massively into coffee, but I remember when my daughter was born in 2011. I was hit with the reality of being exhausted and needing something to keep me going. From that moment onwards, from Nescafe to to speciality coffee today, I would say I’m a huge fan of coffee.

My wife and I had the opportunity to go abroad and work in the education sector. It allowed us to start saving for a new project and platform. We came back just at the start of the pandemic, which was the worst time to return home when trying to start a business. We weren’t going to let that stop us in our tracks. A coffee truck became our second option. We weren’t sure how long the pandemic would last, so why not give it a go? We purchased and converted a VW transporter and took Monty’s on the road! People thought I was mad, giving up a teaching job and questioned my choices in this career change. Don’t get me wrong, I knew the risks of starting this business; there are never any guarantees. But I’m very much of the mindset that if you want it to work, you’ll make it work.

In those early days, I questioned my decisions, and the ever-changing seasons made it difficult too. From a production point of view, the wind, freezing temperatures, etc., made it quite challenging. Those days are certainly the foundation of where Monty’s finds itself today. From having the coffee van, putting ourselves out there, spending valuable time, it made us grow into what we are today. We have now worked a lot with the Welsh Rugby Union, the Welsh FA, The Ospreys Rugby and even a Netflix production. The high streets were dead during the pandemic, but it played to our advantage as people still craved good coffee and human interaction.

My wife and children also deserve credit for the beginnings of Monty’s. My children were desperate for a dog when we lived in the Middle East, but it just wasn’t appropriate when moving back and forth. Randomly, when I was preparing the van for opening, the children reminded me I said I would get them a dog if we ever moved back to the UK. So, a few weeks later, along came Monty, our Miniature Dachshund. When it came to naming the business, Monty’s was our obvious first choice. It’s quite funny now, though, as people call me Monty, and I just go with it as it’s easier."

DO YOU MISS THE EARLY STAGES OF MONTYS, AS IT WAS SO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IT IS TODAY?

"Yes, there are elements of it I miss. I never take anything for granted. Going out in all weathers, standing in the Welsh weather has certainly given me grounding to where we are today. I regularly talk to my close family and say, “I have to pinch myself,” that I’m in the position now where I’ve got staff who run the shop for me. Not that I ever take my finger off the pulse—I’m still here very regularly. It’s all about consistency. It’s about the standard of working on the machine. I want my staff to strive for it to be 10/10 every time.

I do and don’t miss the early days in the van; I do prefer the bricks and insulation in Monty’s shop. Monty’s van served its purpose and created a pathway to where we are today, where we’re looking to open a second shop. So yes, I miss it, but no, I don’t."

WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE COALTOWN?

"I was in the process of securing the VW in a local garage with the intention of making Monty’s a café on wheels. There was a gentleman there who approached me as I was leaving and apologised for bothering me. He overheard me talking about a coffee van and asked if I knew of Coaltown Coffee.

Long story short, he gave me Scott’s number, and I started to do some research. After a while of looking into other roasters, I rang Scott’s number. We connected straight away, and he invited me down to Ammanford to have a chat and have a tour around the HQ. I wasn’t aware of what I was getting into, but I was blown away. I thought I was confident in coffee, but a whole new world opened to me that day.

Scott made me a flat white that day, and it had to be the nicest flat white I’ve ever tasted, bearing in mind I’ve lived abroad and travelled a lot. I went home that day and told my wife, “You won’t believe me, but I had the best coffee today.” She has heard that before. We both went to the HQ a little bit further down the line to discuss the next steps of becoming part of the Coaltown family. After that day, my wife had a coffee and agreed with me, saying, “This is good coffee.”

We want to be able to provide a premium product, a quality product, and this is reflected in our prices today. You can see how busy we are today; people appreciate the quality we provide. We’re not everyone’s cup of tea, and I get that—there are multiple other places they can get coffee. But I’m confident in saying this: you won’t get a coffee like how we make one, anywhere in this area. This is down to the staff, equipment, beans, and how we process our coffee.

It’s been a great relationship from start to finish. Long may it continue."

WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO?

"When I first started, I soon realised it’s not just about coffee; it’s about people. One of the biggest things I love about this industry is the people you meet, the connections, and what have now become friendships. A coffee shop lends itself as a safe space for a lot of people. It’s comforting to know that people feel they can open-up here. We have frequent customers who come back regularly, who we now call friends. It’s all thanks to this shop.

Another thing that always puts a smile on my face is when people come here for the first time. I encourage them to try a coffee first without sugar or syrups and if they don’t enjoy it, they can add it in. It’s then, in that moment, when I can see them enjoying their coffee and they give me a nod to agree.

It’s more than just a cup of coffee. It’s more of a way of life for me."

WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT YOUR LOCATION?

"Every decision we make when choosing a location is calculated. When we saw this location, the buildings around it were in the process of being developed. We took that as a sign of constant footfall.

Our day-to-day in Monty’s can be calculated in connection to the school run, office hours and gym-goers. This location had potential, with the council offices nearby, three primary schools, Neath's new leisure centre, the library and the gateway into town located right by us. So, there is constant footfall.

This side of Neath is up-and-coming and is a great spot. It is accessible, and there are car parks nearby. We love our location and our regulars. Neath in general is a good place to be."

DESCRIBE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH COFFEE IN THREE WORDS:

"My relationship with coffee is rooted in passion. I’ve undergone a significant career change, but I don’t see this as a job—it's something I love. I genuinely love what I do.

So, my three words would be passion, passion, and passion."

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO COFFEE ORDER?

"It depends on the time of day.

I’m an early riser since the shop opens at 7 am. Every morning, I’ll use a Moka pot. It’s a quiet process to make first thing in the morning while everyone is still in bed and I’ll drink the coffee black. We just got back from a holiday where I enjoyed using my AeroPress. Although we have a La Marzocco Linea at home, I tend to use the Moka pot and AeroPress more.

By mid-morning, it’s time for a flat white.

Then in the evenings, my wife and I will have a cup of tea and biscuits."

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE COFFEE SHOP YOU’VE EVER VISITED?

That’s a tough one because I’ve been to some great coffee shops. I’m not just saying this because you’re here with me, but I would probably choose the Coaltown HQ Espresso Bar. The first time I visited the roastery in Ammanford, it left a lasting impression on me. It was during COVID, so I experienced a level of exclusivity. Scott gave me a private tour and we had some one-on-one time to drink coffee, talk about coffee and hear about his knowledge and expertise in the coffee industry (we followed the government guidelines)."

WOULD YOU SAY THERE IS A SPECIFIC COFFEE SHOP OR RESTAURANT INTERIOR THAT HAS INSPIRED YOU IN YOUR JOURNEY WITH DESIGNING MONTY’S?

"Yes and no.

The layout of the shop is designed with different zones in mind. We have comfy areas for mothers and elderly customers to meet, workstations, and two-seater tables with access to plug sockets. Then there are larger communal areas with tables for bigger groups. These larger tables also create a space for connection. You might have an individual on their own who ends up sitting with a couple, and by the end of their visit, they’ve all had a lovely conversation. The bar area was crucial and was inspired by our time in Italy. We loved the idea of having a space where someone could grab a quick coffee on their own and leave. It’s also becoming a zone where people who aren’t as confident can enjoy their drink in private, but before you know it, they’re chatting with another customer or a staff member behind the bar. There’s a group of five men who used to come in on their own and sit at the bar. Now, they come in together, sit on the comfy chairs, and catch up over their coffees.The structure and layout had to cater to everyone.

As for the aesthetic, I wanted it to be simple. We have concrete floors to make it easier to clean since we’re a dog-friendly coffee shop. We play music in the background that complements the atmosphere. We often choose jazz bar-style music, which we frequently get compliments on."

AS A BUSINESS, WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT RIGHT NOW OR IN THE FUTURE?

"My wife would say, to my detriment, that I struggle with accepting praise. I’m very matter-of-fact, and I’m not great at stopping to reflect on what has brought us to where we are today. I’m a realist. I’m excited about where we are now and where we’re headed. Neath’s growth is exciting and positive. As a businessman, I want my business to succeed and be successful. You get out what you put in. I’m focused on maintaining standards and being consistent—this is something I’ve always been passionate about. I’m excited about the present and the future. I’m proud that we’ve managed to maintain a wide demographic of customers.

Moving forward, I plan to open multiple Monty’s. The plan is to open a second Monty’s within the next 18 months, in another town or city. That’s the current vision and plan—it will happen; it just depends on when and how. It must be the right place and I’m aware it won’t happen overnight. I think it would be foolish to think we’ve “made it” because that will never be the case. We’ve always got to keep evolving, growing, and moving forward. I’ve made mistakes, but I’ve learned from them.

I’m excited about where we are and where we’re going."

After speaking with Matthew, it’s clear that his commitment to quality and passion for coffee infiltrates every aspect of the business. From the thoughtfully designed spaces to the meticulous brewing process, Monty’s is more than just a coffee shop—it’s a labour of love. As he looks forward to expanding and continuing to serve the community, we’re left inspired by his vision and excited to see where Monty’s will go next.