From Murphy’s Law to a New Era: Welcoming Our Probat P12 Coffee Roaster

Every small business has its milestones, those moments that define not just the growth of the venture but the resilience of the people behind it. For us, one such milestone has finally arrived: the installation of our brand-new, all-electric Probat P12 coffee roaster. But oh, what a journey it’s been to get here.

The Dream That Turned Into a Waiting Game

When we decided to invest in a 12kg coffee roaster, we knew it would be a game-changer. Our beloved but overworked 1kg Aillio Bullet had served us valiantly, churning out batch after batch of coffee to keep up with demand. But let’s be honest—living hand-to-mouth, roasting as fast as we could to stay ahead, wasn’t sustainable. We needed something bigger, better, and faster. Enter the Probat P12: sleek, electric, and capable of roasting up to 12 times the coffee we could before.

We placed the order back in June with high hopes and ambitious plans. The business was ready to take a leap forward. But then, Murphy’s Law decided to pay us a visit.

Stuck in Limbo: The Saga of Murphy

What can go wrong will go wrong. And oh, did it go wrong.

Our shiny new roaster, the one we were counting on to usher us into a new chapter, got delayed. And delayed again. The weeks turned into months as it languished in customs limbo. There were papers to file, fees to sort, and endless questions with few answers. We started calling it “Murphy,” after Murphy’s Law itself, because that roaster seemed determined to test every ounce of our patience.

And, of course, Murphy’s misadventures coincided with the height of our summer season—the busiest and most demanding time of the year. This wasn’t just any season; it was the one where everything seemed to happen at once: weddings, festivals, pop-ups, and markets. Every event brought with it the need for more coffee, more stock, more late nights at the roaster

Our trusty 1kg roaster soldiered on, but the cracks were showing—literally. Every batch roasted on it was a reminder of its limits and the growing need for its replacement. As demand for our coffee grew, we spent late nights roasting, strategising, and reminding ourselves that Murphy would eventually make it home.

It was an uphill battle to keep up. Every batch roasted on that machine felt like both a victory and a ticking clock—could we manage another week, another event, another delivery? There were moments of doubt, long nights of exhaustion.

A Long-Awaited Arrival 

And then, one ordinary morning, Murphy arrived. It was almost surreal to see the crate finally here, months after it was supposed to be. The joy and relief we felt were quickly tempered by yet another curveball—because of course, in true Murphy’s Law fashion, the delivery didn’t go as planned.

The lorry carrying our long-awaited roaster couldn’t make it down the final stretch between two barns to the front door. What were the odds? After all those months stuck in customs, endless paperwork, and spiralling anticipation, here we were with a 12kg roaster sitting on a lorry that couldn’t reach us. Cue another scramble.

Enter Chris, our ever-resourceful friend and local hero of the day. Without missing a beat, Chris showed up with a telehandler—a kind of heavy-duty forklift for those unfamiliar—and turned what could have been another delay into a triumphant moment. With precision and determination (and maybe a few anxious gasps from Amy), he deftly lifted the roaster off the lorry and delivered it safely to its new home.

Watching that enormous crate float through the air was both nerve-wracking and oddly poetic—a final act of teamwork and grit to get Murphy where it belonged. As the telehandler set the roaster down gently at our doorstep, the weight of the past months seemed to lift with it. Unpacking it felt like opening a treasure chest—gleaming metal, precision engineering, and the promise of so much more coffee to come.

That moment, thanks to Chris and his telehandler, marked the true beginning of a new era for our business. Murphy had arrived, and the future was finally within reach.

The Install: Matt and Paul to the Rescue

With Murphy finally on-site, the next challenge was getting it installed. Enter Matt and Paul from Coffee Tech Industries, two absolute legends in the world of coffee roaster installations. These guys didn’t just bring expertise—they brought energy, precision, and a “let’s get it done” attitude that we’ll be forever grateful for.

In what can only be described as a masterclass in efficiency, Matt and Paul installed the Probat P12 in a single day. From aligning the ducting to calibrating the roaster’s settings, they worked tirelessly to ensure everything was perfect. No detail was too small, and no question went unanswered. Their professionalism and passion for their craft were obvious in every step, turning what could have been a daunting task into an incredibly smooth process.

Watching them bring Murphy to life was a moment we won’t forget. As the roaster hummed to life for the first time, it felt like the culmination of months of waiting, worrying, and hoping. So here’s a heartfelt thank you to Matt, Paul, and the Coffee Tech Industries team. You turned what felt like a Herculean task into a milestone we’ll always celebrate. Cheers to you both—you’re as much a part of this journey as Murphy itself!

A New Chapter Begins

Now, with Murphy (we may never shake that nickname) up and running, everything feels different.

For one, we’re no longer racing against the clock, trying to squeeze enough roasting hours out of a single kilogram at a time. The P12’s capacity means we can meet growing demand without sacrificing quality or our sanity. It’s an all-electric roaster, too, which aligns perfectly with our commitment to sustainability and efficiency.

With this new setup, we’re ready to dream bigger: experimenting with new roasts, scaling up production, and finally having the breathing room to focus on the future of the business rather than just its day-to-day survival.

A Toast to Murphy

Looking back, it’s almost poetic that our roaster’s journey to us was as complex and full of twists as a great cup of coffee. The frustration, the waiting, the uncertainty—it all made Murphy’s arrival even sweeter.

So here’s to Murphy, our Probat P12, and to this exciting new chapter. With its help, we’re not just roasting coffee; we’re building a future that’s bolder, brighter, and maybe a little less bound by Murphy’s Law.

Stay tuned for what’s next—we’ve got a lot more coffee to roast!