James Hoffmann won the World Barista Championship in Tokyo in 2007. His business partner Anette Moldvaer won the World Cup Tasters Championship the same year and roasted the winning espresso at the World Barista Championships in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Together they founded Square Mile in 2008.
Their first roaster was a 30kg G.W. Barth found on eBay, restored by Malcolm Quarleri. The roastery now runs a vintage 75kg Probat from the 1960s, sourced from a closing roastery in Belgium and restored by Sanco near Mansfield, alongside a 15kg Probat from the 1950s. Hoffmann authored The World Atlas of Coffee, now in its third edition.