Dimitri Andreas admits his venture into the coffee industry has really “taken off” despite almost choosing to buy a house instead of starting the business.
“I thought I was going to buy a house, that was my plan,” laughs Dmitri, 28.
“I ended up using the house funds to purchase The Highland Coffee Pod from a local vendor.
“The pod was just sitting idle, it hadn’t been used for months.
“Since then it’s really taken off.”
‘It doesn’t feel like work’
The Highland Coffee Pod is Dmitri’s second business project having started The Highland Coffee Academy a year previously.
It was a decision made with his gut in 2023, and one he hasn’t looked back on as business continues to succeed.
“It’s been pretty busy,” Dimitri adds.
“The pod tends to only be open Thursday to Sunday, and I’m doing all the academy training Monday to Thursday.
“But I absolutely love what I do, so it doesn’t feel like it’s work.”
He’s come a long way from job-hunting teenager to entrepreneur.
An even more bizarre turn of events when you consider he didn’t enjoy a cuppa until he donned the barista apron.
Dimitri worked at a coffee chain back in school.
“I didn’t actually like coffee when I got started,” he says.
“It was just a way for me to earn some cash and leave school quicker.
“I wasn’t necessarily academic at school.”
Dimitri’s inspiring story is a prime example of the heights attainable simply by grinding away – quite literally in his case.
“I slowly worked my way up the ranks in the chain, became a supervisor, and even came third in an in-house barista competition.”
‘I can’t drink chain coffee’ admits Highland Coffee Pod boss
Soon he was thrust into training programmes, travelling across stores to deliver the brand standards.
He was still only 18, but this planted the seed for what was to come.
“That was my second job, I didn’t necessarily like the sales role, so it was good to step up into that,” Dimitri says.
It took leaving that chain for him to grow into the coffee connoisseur he is today.
“To this day I can’t drink chain coffee,” he laughs.
“The quality control will never be as good as someone doing it on the smaller scale.”
The Highland Coffee Pod uses social media to its advantage, informing customers of where and when they’re set to pitch up, as well as advertising snacks and drinks with tempting photographs.
Touring the Highlands in his eye-catching yellow pod, Dmitri has managed to secure a loyal band of clientele.
“Since I’m only open four days a week, I think people make the point to come in and grab a coffee.”
Catering for a variety of events, the wee yellow trailer can be seen all over, from music festivals to golf tournaments, and Christmas markets during the festive season.
Highland Coffee pod is all about locally sourced products
Giving back to the community and supporting local projects is something Dimitri is proud to lend a hand to.
“We source our beans locally from a company called Vandyke Bros, originally from Cromarty. And we get our pastries and donuts from Perk Coffee & Donuts in Inverness, those come in fresh every day.”
But as well as keeping locals refreshed, Dimitri is also keen to educate a generation of budding baristas.
“We do a lot of workshops in schools, developing the young workforce by offering education in Inverness and surrounding areas,” he says.
“We set up coffee mornings, so the kids are in a real café environment.
“It allows them to build their skills and delivers a boost of qualifications.
“It’s a good way to see potential staff members too,” Dimitri adds.
“I would like to eventually have multiple pods or premises and expand the business.
“But at the moment, it’s just myself.”
Conversation