Coffee king Brian Chapman is on a one-man mission to convince airlines to improve the cuppas they serve on board their flights, after dubbing airline brews as ‘awful’.

“I really think something should be done about it,” he said. “The airlines have done so much to improve the food and drink, particularly in business class, but the coffee remains awful. It’s such an after-thought for airlines. I can’t think of any carrier where I’ve had a decent cup. We do an A-cup sachet and I’ll take my own. It’s a shame, because you can judge a restaurant by its house wine and its coffee. Coffee is the one thing most people end up with and if it’s rubbish then it ruins the meal.”

Chapman, 59, started the Food Brands empire 18 years ago, and one of his brands, Percol, is a pioneer of fair-trade and organic coffee. His company employs 30 people in a head office in Battersea, London, and has a market value of around £11 million. Chapman is a passionate supporter of coffee farmers throughout the world and has donated around £200,000 to projects in coffee-growing communities. He travels to Colombia, Mexico and Nicaragua, to visit coffee farmers, and to Sweden, where his firm has a plant which packs coffee.

You must have some funny tales from your travels to South America

Well, we certainly don’t travel first class and when we’re there, we get stuck in and get our hands dirty. The last time I was in Colombia, I helped the people load up the donkeys with supplies in the rainforest. The trips can literally take days. The donkeys were having none of it when I was trying to help and everyone just sat around laughing at me.

Once we were taken by helicopter to find an Indian reservation in the rainforest in Colombia. We went up with the chief and I thought he would never be able to find it, but he knew where he was going through the clouds and suddenly we arrived. Hundreds of children came out of nowhere to greet us. An interpreter came with us because there was no way we were going to be able to communicate with the people. We were offered a coffee and a woman in her 80s asked me where I had come from. The interpreter told me just to say ‘far away’, because she had never been out of her village before and wouldn’t have heard of England. The coffee was fabulous.

Was there anywhere you didn’t like?

Everything is an experience, although some places are worse than others! When I went to Mexico City I couldn’t wait to get out to the mountains and the coffee growing areas. I just didn’t feel comfortable in the city, there were too many people and it was a very different culture.

Which airlines do you choose for long-haul trips?

I’ll choose whoever is offering the best deal – we just look on line and book it in the office. A lot of our travelling is out of season, so it’s often possible to fly long-haul on economy and get two or three seats to yourself to lie down, which can be better than going club class. If I can use my air miles to upgrade I will, rather than paying for a business seat myself. I’ve used British Airways a lot, but they’ve lost my bags twice in the past six months, which has put me off a bit. I’ve also been with Virgin, which has offered a good service. If there’s a choice I’ll actually look for the type of aircraft rather than the carrier. I like going on a jumbo, the 747.

What’s your tip for a successful flight?

I read most of the time. If I feel like a good laugh, then I’ll grab my Jeremy Clarkson book. Otherwise I’ll do some business reading. I can get very absorbed in it all and by the time I’ve put something down we’ll be half way there. I’ll also have a light supper and a glass of wine, and then go to sleep. But as I said before, I certainly won’t have the coffee. You can’t have the decaffeinated stuff either, because a cup of decaffeinated coffee has to be pretty special to have a nice taste and on airlines that is also pretty awful.

Which hotels do you like?

The hotels in coffee growing areas are not glamorous. I always take a small net and some mosquito repellent, otherwise you will get bitten to pieces. We have people on the ground who find us these places – it’s not the kind of accommodation that pops up on the popular internet sites. A lot of the south American hotels we stay in have instant coffee, which is incredible. We’ll be in the heart of the coffee-growing area, where they are making some of the world’s most delicious coffees, and the hotels will serve some horrible imported instant rubbish.

Any tips for travellers?

Plan ahead – that’s the most important thing. I put a suitcase in a room two to three days before I’m due to travel and just chuck stuff in that I plan to take – not necessarily clothes, but little things that you need, which you always forget at the last minute. But I suppose that does lead to me taking too much, but everyone takes too much on trips.

Anything else?

Take lots of water on planes. I try to take a laptop, but there are plenty of places, like the rainforest, where you can’t get a connection. Sometimes you can get a mobile phone connection up there, but it doesn’t last for long.

How do you travel to Sweden?

To be honest, I always go on the no-frills carriers. I think the amount of money airlines charge for club class is ridiculous, particularly on short routes. I have no preference for airlines; I’ll just go with whoever is offering the best deal. Flying is not fun any more on short trips, it’s a bit like catching a bus.

Do you travel in the UK?

Yes, a lot of my travel is to see the major supermarkets which are selling our products. I go by car because the train system is awful. I’ve got a Porsche Cayenne, which is like a travelling office for me, with a surround telephone and laptop, and is very comfortable. I know it’s a 4X4, but I don’t think it’s as environmentally unfriendly as aircraft. It gets me from A to B in comfort, which is important at my age. I suppose in time we’ll all have electric cars, but for time being I’ll stick with what I’ve got.

If I have to stay overnight anywhere, I just look for somewhere that is clean and comfortable. Generally, the standards of the budget hotels have risen in recent years – but you still can’t get a decent cup of coffee!