Interview with Yusuf Amanullah, founder of Unconform
Find out how Yusuf Amanullah’s loathing of ‘old school coffee’ led him to launch Unconform, a delicious cold brew latte infused with natural nootropics.
What is the thinking behind Unconform?
Unconform is committed to being a leading light within the UK’s fledgling cold brew coffee marketplace; the perfect union of flavour meets function.
Coffee has long needed a healthier living makeover which aligns with a younger, health-conscious demographic. At present there’s a significant chasm between the hoity toity coffee that very few actually enjoy and the sugar drenched iced coffees using forgettable cheap coffee as its base ingredient.
We wanted to create a sublime coffee experience packed with added health benefits because today being refreshing isn’t enough!
Our vision is to pair best-in-class cold brew with in vogue nootropics. The UK Cold Brew coffee category is estimated to be worth £105m with latest projections suggesting this could be a £205m category by 2027.
Whilst only a quarter of the current value of the Iced Coffee category in UK, (£449m) the opportunities for quality cold brew propositions are vast since they offer both a more discerning and health-conscious chilled coffee offer
What was the lightbulb moment when you knew you were onto something?
My primary career within finance demands long hours and a lot of coffee consumption. I was never the greatest fan of old-school coffee a dislike compounded by unwelcome caffeine highs, jitters and crashes. On one particular stressful work day I drank north of north cups, I could hardly see straight, I was hunched over with stomach cramps and any kind of recovery sleep was pretty much impossible.
I started talking to work colleagues, friends and family and soon discovered that I wasn’t alone in my loathing of old-school coffee. I began reading up and experimenting with cold brew and just loved the flavour that was smoother on my mind, body and taste buds.
This was an encouraging starting point but not the end solution because this a time when nootropics was becoming a hot food and drink trend. I decided that I wanted to create a best-of-best worlds coffee offering that gave equal weighting to flavour and function!
Each of the three nootropics infused coffees have very clear/distinct goals:
- Improved Concentration: Flat White with Ashwagandha, Ginkgo Bilboa & Vitamin 12
- Improved Gut Health: Salted Caramel Latte with Inulin and Turmeric
- Improved Beauty (hair, nails and skin): Mocha with Niacin & Biotin
What’s your career background?
My background was as a JP Morgan Finance & Business Mangement Graduate scheme that over time translated into a full-time Treasury & Chief Investment Business Manager albeit I’ve always retained long-standing entrepreneurial urges.
I’ve always believed in only immersing oneself in projects that truly captivate one’s imagination and for me ‘coffee appreciation’ is just such a topic.
Who is Unconform’s ideal customer?
Our demographic is far-reaching yet clearcut, namely any health-conscious individuals facing full-on busy days that are either physically or mentally taxing. These are typically active individuals with very full-on life diaries, who are keen to eek every last moment from any day whilst at the same time caring very much what they do and don’t put in their bodies.
What major obstacles have you had to overcome?
Two come to mind. The first is that many people remain confused as to the very clear differences that exist between iced coffee and cold brew offerings:
- Iced Coffee: This is essentially created the same way as normal coffee – namely with heat – the interaction of beans with heat results a degree of bitterness that often needs to be masked with sweeteners, sugars and flavourings
- Cold Brew Coffee: Coffee grounds are soaked overnight (15-24hrs) at room temperature to create an altogether smoother taste coupled with a less severe yet longer lasting caffeine hit. The richer more forgiving nature of cold brew coffee means less bitterness or acidity, which in turn means less dependence on sugar or sweeteners.
The second is a common misconception that cold-brew uses cheap, second best coffee beans. In truth some are, but we see little point in trying to cut corners with ingredients, since Unconform is primarily a brand about coffee appreciation. More importantly, the simple, transparent nature of cold brew (no need for sweeteners) means that any attempt to ‘pull the wool’ would be quickly be uncovered.
And what is your business highlight so far?
Our first incarnation, Impact Coffee secured a prestigious Holland & Barrett listing, a flag bearer of healthier living retail. We’ve also won a few prestigious awards/acknowledgements:
- Winners of LSE’s pitch funding competition
- Winners of Indrinks catalyst award
- Finalist of TikTok’s first business funding competition #beyourownboss
What’s been your best business move?
Moving early on the nootropics opportunity, identifying coffee’s capacity to deliver taste and health benefits in equal measure.
What does Unconform look like two years from now?
A regular participant in any well-stocked chiller, a classy alternative to countless synthetic energy drinks and a leading light within the UK’s blossoming cold brew movement.
What’s the best advice you’d give younger you?
- Don’t expect everything right first time – if you don’t make mistakes you’re not challenging the status quo enough.
- Don’t take setbacks personally, it’s an inevitable component of a disruptor brand’s journey!
- Being a category pioneer is a lonely place but trust your gut!
Find out more about Unconform.
