A GROWING York food business is taking on the coffee chains by launching a new barista department.

Filmore & Union, which opened its first shop in Low Petergate last year and has since expanded into branches in Harrogate and Wetherby as well as York railway station, has created a new team to venture into the coffee market.

The café and deli, which serves handmade healthy food, is working with Yorkshire importers and roasters and plans to launch its own range of branded coffee to sell in store.

The company has appointed Richard Darby, 27, who lives in the city centre, to head up the department.

Richard joined Filmore & Union last August after leaving a career as a design illustrator. He quickly showed flair, moving from a position as front-of-house server to front-of-house supervisor, before being appointed head barista trainer.

His love of coffee has seen him create a barista guide for Filmore & Union’s four sites, setting out step-by-step instructions for the perfect lattes, cappuccinos and ristrettos.

Richard said: “I’m looking forward to making Filmore & Union into a real beacon of brilliant coffee.”

Restaurant and deli manager Susie Matthews, who trained Richard, said: “The standard of our coffee is hugely important to us – especially when our two York sites are situated so close to big national coffee chains.”

Richard is setting his sights on building a solid barista management team and leading Filmore & Union at national coffee championships.