Meet Cassius Walker-Hunt, ex-steelworker turned coffee connoisseur. After being made redundant from TATA steel, Cassius turned his attention to his passion in life – coffee. As a result, Portablo Coffi was born.
Here’s what he had to say about his journey:
“When I was eighteen, my Dad said ‘If you want to make real money, you’ve got to go in the steelworks’, so off I went to the blast furnaces. I worked there right up until last year, when I was unfortunately made redundant from Tata Steel.
“As soon as I found out that the steelworks were closing, I had to think on my feet. I wanted to do something that would benefit the local community because a lot of the people I worked with at the steelworks were moving away, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to stay in Port Talbot and create something that would give back to the community.
“It all began in London, really. I lived there for a few years, and there’s this incredible coffee culture there that I’d never experienced before. I visited most of the notable coffee shops in the area, trying their roasts and soaking up the atmosphere, and I was struck by the fact that we just don’t have a coffee culture like that in Wales. That notion stuck with me, and when my time at the steelworks came to an end, I knew that I had an opportunity to recreate what I loved so much in London.
“I poured a lot of work into Portablo Coffi to make it what it is today. I’m not just talking about the coffee (although I’m really proud of it!) – a lot of consideration also went into the furniture and the décor. I wanted to create a particular vibe which is cosy but also pays tribute to the area and its industrial roots.
“What I love most about Port Talbot is the art, the culture, the scenes, and the strong industrial background. All of those elements blend together to create something totally unique to this place, and I don’t think that can be found anywhere else. I’m so glad that I had the conviction to follow my gut and go for it with Portablo Coffi – I’ve met some wonderful people and I feel even more connected to my community.”