TrueStart Coffee celebrates its 10th anniversary this year as the UK’s original “healthy coffee” pioneer. What began in 2015 by founders Helena and Simon Hills has grown into a market leader with more than 50 million cups enjoyed in 2024. Today, with new listings in Asda and Morrisons, TrueStart is on a mission to bring caffeine‑conscious coffee to millions more—so we sat down with Helena and Simon to find out how they did it.
What inspired you to create a caffeine-conscious coffee brand, and how did your experience training for triathlons shape TrueStart’s early vision?
TrueStart was born after one of those proper lightbulb moments! Simon and I were into triathlon training and drinking loads of coffee. I’m quite sensitive to caffeine and was really noticing that I kept crashing or getting jittery. It turns out caffeine levels in coffee vary wildly, which explained a lot. That sparked the idea for a coffee that doesn’t just taste amazing – but also makes you feel amazing! A brand that delivers clean, consistent energy and a feel-good experience every time. From day one, TrueStart has been about making people feel awesome, with coffee they can trust.
TrueStart was a first-mover in the healthy coffee space back in 2015. What challenges did you face introducing something so new to the market?
It was like shouting into the void! The idea of clean, healthy coffee – or regulating your personal caffeine intake – was something that only a sporting niche really understood. We spent the first few years relentlessly building our brand by word of mouth at sports events all over the country. People didn’t know they needed caffeine consistency – until they realised they did! Retailers didn’t have a category for “healthy coffee,” so we had to educate from the ground up. The early years were a lesson in persistence and storytelling. We knew the market would catch up, and now it’s happening – the shift in how people think about health and wellness, including caffeine, is massive.
How did you develop your unique sourcing and testing process to ensure consistent, clean energy in every cup?
We start by working with suppliers who share our values on quality, traceability and environmental standards. Then we carry out a wide scope of lab tests on our core products to ensure and prove the quality, stability and purity – caffeine content, antioxidant activity, no mycotoxins, no pesticide residues, no heavy metals. We want our customers to categorically know that drinking TrueStart won’t expose them to additional toxins and heavy metals in their diet. It’s a process we’ve refined over years, and it underpins everything we do.
You’ve achieved 180% YOY growth. What have been the biggest drivers behind that success?
The growth has come from staying laser-focused on building a brand people genuinely connect with – not just selling coffee. We’ve grown through major new retail listings, investing in D2C and expanding into offices and out-of-home. But the real driver is the team. We’re a small, mighty crew, obsessed with delivering world-class energy and customer experience at every touchpoint.
Securing listings with Asda and Morrisons is a huge milestone. How did you navigate the journey into major grocery retail?
It’s taken years of graft. You only get a few minutes to pitch to the big retailers, so we made sure our story, our products, and our data were bulletproof. We listen, we move fast, and we’re easy to work with. We’re also a challenger brand with values, and consumers are demanding that from their retailers – it’s a powerful combination.
39% of UK coffee drinkers are looking to reduce caffeine (Mintel 2023). How is TrueStart tapping into this shift in consumer behaviour?
We’ve been ahead of this curve since day one. The whole rational reason for TrueStart coming into existence was to enable people to regulate their caffeine intake!
We took this a step further 18 months ago, when we launched our game changing Lightly Caffeinated coffee – and also our stronger Super Blend! We created a whole range of options – so there is a TrueStart for every type of day.
Our delicious, super clean Decaf is also one of our fastest-growing products and converts even the most sceptical drinkers. For a long time, Decaf coffee options have been really unattractive and tasteless. Ours changes that – it took us two years to create a cup profile that we were happy to launch! It’s properly crafted for people who want the ritual of coffee without compromising how they feel – and with health and wellness becoming more mainstream, it’s only accelerating.
You’ve just been listed #24 on the FEBE Growth 100. What does that recognition mean to you both as entrepreneurs and as a challenger brand?
It’s a massive honour. We’ve built this business from the ground up and are currently bootstrapped. To be recognised as one of the fastest-growing, profitable, founder-led brands in the UK is really special. It validates the belief we’ve always had: that you can build a meaningful, values-led brand and still scale fast. You absolutely can challenge the status quo.
What role does sustainability play in your sourcing and production, and how important is that to today’s health-conscious consumers?
Sustainability is baked into how we operate. We’re a certified B Corp and proud to be part of a global movement using business as a force for good. We work to minimise our environmental impact across sourcing, packaging, and logistics, and we’re constantly improving. I think that’s what being a B Corp really means – it’s a mindset of continuous improvement rather than a box you’ve ticked. We find that generally speaking, health-conscious consumers care deeply about the impact of what they consume – it’s not just about how it makes them feel, but how it impacts the world around them.
How do you balance staying true to your brand’s mission while scaling rapidly and expanding into mainstream markets?
It’s all about staying grounded in why we exist – to make people feel good. Every growth decision filters through that lens. We’re not interested in being everything to everyone. We’re building a brand with depth and purpose, not just shelf space. And as we scale, we’re making sure every hire, partner, and product strengthens that mission.
What’s next for TrueStart? Are there new product lines, markets, or innovations we can expect in the near future?
Absolutely. We’ve only scratched the surface. This year, we’ve added to our rainbow line-up of coffees with different strengths across every format – whether you want a slight buzz from a Lightly Caffeinated Coffee Bag, an espresso made with Super Blend Beans or a Decaf Barista Grade Instant in the evening. There’s now a TrueStart for every energy level!
We’re also super excited to be working on our first TV campaign – this is a huge milestone for us and the team are absolutely buzzing! We’re expanding our presence in offices and out-of-home, launching new product formats to meet customers wherever they need energy, and investing in growing our digital community. Ultimately, we want TrueStart to be the go-to coffee brand for people who want to get the most out of life – and we’re just getting started!
