A FORMER hitch-hiker who founded a company selling coffee from a cart is “feeling good” after selling his share of the business for an estimated £3 million.

The Small Batch Coffee Company imports, roasts and sells coffee beans and serves loyal customers across seven outlets in Brighton and Hove.

Founded by Brad Jacobsen and Alan Tomlins in 2006, a private equity firm now owns a majority stake, after buying Brad’s share of the business.

The investment from Risk Capital Investment, which also has a stake in Brighton pub group The Laine Pub Company and French cafe chain Patisserie Valerie, will allow Small Batch to expand outside the city's boundaries for the first time.

The business is estimated to be worth £5 million.

Brad, who sold his 64 per cent share in Small Batch, said: “It was an absolutely amazing journey from the early days to what it became. I’ll miss working with my mates every day.”

He said he had no big purchases planned, adding: “I’m not a guy to lavish myself with much, but I might buy a few more black t-shirts.”

He intends to spend more time with his two children and working in his Hove pub The Urchin.

Brad’s co-founder Alan Tomlins will stay on in charge of sourcing and roasting the coffee at Small Batch.

He said: “Brad’s passion is business and entrepreneurship whereas mine is coffee.

“This gives us the ability to invest in our producers, pay them more money to make better coffee.”

Alan is confident the business will maintain its principles, adding: “They invest money but they don’t get involved with running the company, they just want us to keep doing what we’re doing.”

Incoming chairman, Mike Simmonds of Risk Capital, said the new owners planned to expand the company but protect the firm’s business model.

He said: “Our view is that there is always a great business opportunity for the person at the apex of the quality spectrum, and these guys are absolutely meticulous about coffee.”

The company will expand in 'clusters' using its model of a central roastery and then distributing to coffee shops within a small radius.

HITCH-HIKER WHO BECAME A MILLIONAIRE

AFTER leaving school Brad Jacobsen spent two years hitch-hiking around his native Australia with hardly a penny to his name.

The Small Batch Coffee co-founder had been involved in hospitality since he was 12 years old, which, as Brad claimed, was “something you tend to go into if you’re not all that great at school”.

He first worked in a coffee shop in 2001 in Cornwall before moving to Brighton where he ran the Beach House Cafe on the seafront.

It was there he met coffee connoisseur Alan Tomlins and after a one-minute interview he offered him a job.

They spent the rest of the afternoon drinking beer – not before Alan was roped in to lend a hand in the kitchen.

The company started modestly with a coffee cart, while there was some trial and error DIY building at their first shop in Church Road.

In the years since, Small Batch has popularised Antipodean third-wave coffee culture in the city, with its five shops and two carts, and in 2010 entrepreneur and investor Nigel Lambe came on board as executive chairman.

Last year the team roasted 75 tonnes of beans from its Goldstone Villas headquarters – the equivalent of four sea containers, or more than three million cups of coffee.

Speaking last year in short film The Origin, Brad said: “I’m happy for it [Small Batch] to grow, but we realise that growth has got to be slow, because we’re not prepared to compromise on what we do.

“It’s about building something that can last.

“We want to make sure when we do anything we add value and make a difference to people’s day.”

Brad now plans to spend more time with his two young children and a third on the way, as well running his craft beer and shellfish pub The Urchin with Australian compatriot Nick Jerrim.