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Ed Barry was upbeat and
Challenge is the drving force
enthusiastic when we
spoke online at the
beginning of May.

He is two years intro

running his latest business
at Edify Systems and is
enjoying the new challenge
after the six and half years
of building a successful
business at ‘over under
coffee’.

So, why build a successful coffee shop

business and then sell it to a larger
competitor? Well, is it because Ed is an
entrepreneur or a hard-nosed from each successive opening
businessman? Ed commented, ‘that you and financial support from
can be a combination of both and trust in investors.
your beliefs’. After seven years Ed felt he
decided ‘that he did not want to
Ed worked in hospitality during his do this forever’, and though he

student days and when he moved to New had been approached by several
York in the early 2000’s to become a businesses he found the ethos
Nanny he used his free time to explore the and professionalism of Blank
city's thriving coffee scene. Ed fell in love Street worth moving forward
with the high energy, fast paced culture with.
but didn’t like the pretentious Blank Street offered the same
atmosphere.
philosophy as Ed believed in and
On his return to London in 2016 aged 24 he felt ready to sell the business
Ed worked in various cafes to get as much and move on to new challenges.
experience in the world of coffee as Ed keeps in contact with many of
possible. He opened his first ‘over and his employees from ‘over and
under’ outlet in Earls Court in 2017. The under’ and regularly visits his
name is an ode to Ed’s parents: his dad a original outlet in Earls Court.
Brit and his mum a Kiwi.
During his time running ‘over
He opened his second outlet within six and under’ Ed identified that
months and looking back he admits this many businesses in the
was ‘way too early’. However, Ed was on a hospitality industry were not MAY/JUNE. 2024 | ISSUE 36
roll, and within eighteen months he had aware of what was happening in
opened eight shops in the London area their business. So, having
and one in the Middle East. This quick spotted an opening in this area
expansion was completed with profits he started Edify Systems.

www.beveragestandardsassociation.co.uk