About the business
The Heather Isle Coffee Company roasts small-batch coffee, with every step, from bean selection to the final cup, managed carefully by husband-and-wife team Jonathan and Kathanna. The business prioritises quality, consistency and honest practices, sourcing all coffee from sustainable and traceable partners.
We have loved bringing our new coffee to our local community. We can’t thank Business Gateway enough for their support during the process. We wouldn’t be where we are now if we hadn’t accessed that vital funding.”
How Business Gateway has helped
The couple worked with Business Gateway throughout the process, receiving one-to-one support from business adviser, Fiona Chisholm. As well as acting as a sounding board for their early ideas, Fiona signposted them to a range of funding opportunities.
Jonathan and Kathanna secured loan funding from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, delivered by Business Gateway, alongside grant funding from the Outer Hebrides Young Enterprise Support Scheme (OHYESS), which is funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and delivered by Business Gateway. This funding allowed them to purchase the essential equipment needed to launch.
The duo introduced their first coffee, a Guatemalan roast called ‘School of the Sea’, at the end of September. The single origin coffee celebrates the legacy of Colonel John Macsween who played a key role in setting up Lews Castle College in 1953. The launch proved a success, with the coffee selling out in just four hours. Shortly before Christmas, they followed up with a decaf Mexican coffee, ‘Home’, which is decaffeinated using mountain water and offers a flavourful option for any time of day. A third coffee is planned for launch in early 2026.
Jonathan Golder, co-owner, The Heather Isle Coffee Company, said: “We have loved bringing our new coffee to our local community. We can’t thank Business Gateway enough for their support during the process. We wouldn’t be where we are now if we hadn’t accessed that vital funding.”