200 Degrees co-founder reveals plans for the future

Rob Darby, one of the co-founders of 200 Degrees has set out his plans for the future after the company was sold to the Nero Group.

Speaking exclusively to TheBusinessDesk.com, Darby said he has a number of ongoing investment opportunities – and is looking forward to helping small hospitality businesses grow.

“What I won’t miss is the M1,” says the avuncular Darby, as we sit sipping coffee in the Flying Horse Walk branch of 200 Degrees in Nottingham.

This was the very first 200 Degrees shop – just off the Old Market Square in the city. Since it was opened over a decade ago, Darby has done some miles up and down the country, growing the brand across the Midlands and North.

“I’ve done a lot of miles over the last decade,” he says. “I’m looking forward to spending less time in the car. I own some woodland and with the time I now have I’m hoping to make some oak furniture from it.”

What started as an independent coffee house, 200 Degrees has become the recognised meeting point in the 21 cities where it has a presence, gaining a particular cache amongst serious coffee connoisseurs, notably in Manchester, Leeds, Leicester, Cardiff, Derby and Liverpool.

Darby said that he is pleased with how he and co-founder Tom Vincent have built the brand, alongside a passionate team.

“As the founder, I wanted 200 Degrees to go to a good home. It’s in great hands for the future.”

He’s, rightly, very proud of the empire he’s helped to build over the last decade and more, and with typically modesty has always passed on the plaudits to his team, even when he gets awards like the one we gave him for Leadership in 2022.

“We’ve built a brand for Nottingham that’s well-respected. We’ve created lots of jobs – I’m particularly proud of that – and we’ve developed a lot of careers. Some of the people who have left the company have gone on to do great things.”

But how does it feel to let his baby go?

“Once the deal was done I didn’t particularly feel any euphoria,” he says. “It was more relief and a definite touch of satisfaction. It was a job well done.”

Darby says he’s not been short of offers since the deal to sell 200 Degrees was completed. But he’s picking and choosing what he does next.

“I love small businesses and helping them grow,” he says. “It was pretty clear that 200 Degrees wasn’t a small business any more – it became a medium-sized one.”

“What I want to do next is help small hospitality businesses grow – in the same way that we grew 200 Degrees. I’ll also be investing in them – and have done already – and helping to take them on a journey. I don’t want to be a founder or a leader at the moment – I want to offer my support where I can.”

Darby is humble enough to recognise that there are some parts of 200 Degrees that he’ll miss. When he walks into the 200 Degrees at Flying Horse Walk to meet me, he’s instantly recognised by the staff and chats with them.

“I suppose I’ll miss recognising staff as things slowly change under the new ownership,” he reflects. “It’ll be strange not knowing them as well as I do now.”

Darby isn’t one to simple be happy with this lot. He’s hungry for more. He’s recently invested in a sports coaching app called Locker. He enthusiastically walks me through it on his phone.

As with most simple, brilliant ideas – you have to wonder why no-one’s done this before.

Locker has just raised £400,000 through a funding round to take it out of testing and onto the market.

It’s a cloud-based system offering web and app-based access so coaching staff in clubs, schools and colleges, can access Locker using a desktop, tablet or mobile device from their home, office or the training ground, but in a secure environment.

Darby reckons that Locker can empowers sports clubs and teams use the power of data analysis but also promote athlete wellbeing.

It’s bound to be a hit with schools, coaches and amateur and semi-pro clubs across a range of sports. In short, it’s one to watch.

As for the rest? Well, now he’s not held hostage by his car, Darby is looking forward to enjoying more time closer to home.

“I love watching my kids play sport. I want to travel more. And I’m looking forward to taking time to try and lower my golf handicap.”

You get the feeling Darby’s earned the right to wallow in simple things in life. But you also have a sneaking suspicion this isn’t the last we’ve heard from him.