The son of a famous Scottish musician will continue to challenge perceptions of 'rip off' festival food and drink this summer with his Highland coffee business.
The Herald previously told the story of Birch coffee on the Isle of Skye, launched by Niall Munro in 2020 after his return from the world’s ‘coffee mecca’ of Melbourne, Australia.
READ MORE: The team bringing the culture of 'coffee Mecca' to the Highlands and Islands
Following the recent opening of a sister location in Inverness, Munro’s team is set to take Birch on the road this festival season for a series of events including The Reeling.
The vibrant celebration of traditional music returns to Rouken Glen Park from Saturday June 8 to Sunday, June 9 with headline acts including Elephant Sessions, Julie Fowlis, Mànran.
Niall Munro, son of former Runrig frontman Donnie Munro, said: “We cater at three music festivals, The Reeling, Belladrum, and Skye Live, and I love being a part of them.
“It’s high energy and such a good buzz.
“Reputationally, with festivals people expect to be ripped off for food, and are often happy to settle for less and pay more.
“I’m proud to be a part of a festival that isn’t like that, and we’re providing great food and drink for attendees.
“Ultimately, the music and incredible talent are what’s creating that, but I do hope we’re adding something by providing good quality coffee.”
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No stranger to festivals outside of his work with Birch, Munro is also one of the co-directors of Skye Live alongside Michael Pellegrotti.
He continued: “I’ve always been involved in music and really grown to appreciate the joy of traditional music.
“Growing up, my dad was in Runrig and I DJd and promoted nights, something which I always kept up.
“I started Skye Live in 2015, and in school, music was always at the forefront of my mind career-wise.
“Food and drink came later for me when I was working with my brother in his restaurant in Portree.”
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With Birch now successfully operating two locations in Portree and Inverness and preparing to attend The Reeling festival in the coming months, Munro has spoken of a desire to expand his speciality coffee business in the future.
“Who knows what will happen down the line – things can change and happen quickly, and opportunities come up," he said.
“We get lots of Glasgow visitors to our café, often young folk travelling around Skye.
“We don’t have any current plans to pick up a shop in the central belt, but it’s definitely something I’d like to look at.”
For more information on The Reeling Festival, click here.
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