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Getting to know the team at The Miners
What's the story behind The Miners and how did it all start?
Egor, co-founder of The Miners: When we first launched The Miners, the majority of specialty coffee shops were intensely passionate about coffee, catering predominantly to coffee nerds and aficionados. While they ensured a quality brew, the overall experience wasn't necessarily conducive for those seeking a spot to work productively. Recognising this gap, we set out to create a specialty coffee shop tailored for individuals aiming for focus and productivity, all within the ambiance of enjoying a fine cup of coffee. This unique blend of productivity and ambiance is something I believe is distinctive to The Miners.
Can you share more about The Miners' approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
We typically discover partners at festivals, and as our reputation grows, many approach us directly. While we initially collaborated with industry giants, over time, our longstanding relationships have given us priority access to coffee samples, and we've earned some flexibility in pricing. Upon receiving these samples, which can be either roasted or unroasted (green), we roast the green ones on our sample roaster. This roaster has a capacity of about 100 grams, which is sufficient for a cupping session. During these sessions, we discern our preferences and then procure the choicest beans, either through advance contracts or immediate purchases.
Many of the lots we come across might be limited in quantity, say, 40 bags. We then determine whether to buy the complete lot or only a fraction, like 10 bags. When it comes to filter roasts, we usually get just a pallet, but for espresso, the quantities are substantially larger. If a particular coffee captures our heart, such as our Papayo and Gesha from Colombia, we make it a point to buy it directly from the farmer.
What prompted The Miners to venture into the capsule coffee format?
Ilya, The Miners Roastery Director: I think capsules present a brilliant solution for individuals to relish coffee at home without investing in high-end equipment. With the vast array of espresso machines available at varying prices, acquiring one can be as affordable as 60 euros, making great daily home coffee within reach for many.
When we unveiled our pioneer batch of specialty capsules, we were trailblazers in the Czech Republic. Not only were they biodegradable, but they also boasted high compatibility. The caliber of our coffee transitioned seamlessly into the capsule format, standing out impressively even among other specialty capsules.
When delving into capsules, two elements are paramount: the quality of the coffee and the specific bean selection. We have always favoured the natural coffee process over the washed one. This is because the swift water flow in capsule machines doesn't allow ample extraction time for washed coffee. To ensure consistency, we engage in rigorous testing, often multiple rounds. We provide the roasted beans to the capsule producer, who then supplies us with varied samples based on grind size, weight, and TDS (solubility) levels. They grind the coffee right before encapsulation, ensuring minimal air exposure, preserving the freshness for up to a year.
Capsules have democratised specialty coffee. Previously, capsules were synonymous with subpar quality. Now, for just 16 crowns, one can enjoy a flawless espresso. What's even more remarkable about our capsules is the ability to discern the nuanced flavours, far removed from mere earthy, salty, and mineral tastes.
Everyone has their own morning rituals, with coffee often playing a pivotal role. What does your morning routine look like?
Azat, CMO of The Miners: I simply can't envision starting my day without a pour-over. Ever since I lived in New Zealand, I've been enamoured with black coffee and flat white, which are highly popular there. Whenever I travel, my Aeropress accompanies me, ensuring I can enjoy a different brew wherever I am. A day without coffee is inconceivable for me!
Ilya: I jokingly say, "I wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy." But in reality, my morning begins with an immediate shower. I then relish a delightful home-cooked breakfast with my wife. Once dressed, I head to work, and the first order of business is to indulge in an espresso.
Egor: I must admit, I'm profoundly reliant on coffee. If I don't start my day with it, a nagging headache ensues. After waking up, my first stop is the coffee shop, where I typically consume about three coffees before lunch. This ritual jump-starts my day, priming me for work. I might indulge in another cup in the late afternoon. However, my weekends are a different story. If I miss out on my regular coffee shop visits, it throws my entire day off balance. My blood pressure fluctuates, and I just don't feel right.
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of The Miners as a brand/business?
What truly thrills me is that as we grow, we're branching out into unique ventures, such as launching our own skateboards in partnership with professional skateboarders. Some of these skateboarders are even set to participate in this year's Olympic Games. On a lighter note, we're also considering introducing some tennis-themed merchandise. While this isn't our core business, it reflects another enjoyable facet of our brand. In terms of our cafe, the prospect of establishing our presence in major European cities and expanding into Middle Asian countries is exhilarating. This expansion ensures that wherever we travel, we're never too far from a quality cup of our coffee. Receiving photographs from friends who discover our coffee on shelves in countries like Poland, Lithuania, or Italy—sometimes in places I wasn't even aware we had reached—is a testament to our remarkable growth, and it's a sight that never ceases to amaze me.
Getting to know the team at Wolstton Coffee.
What's the story behind Wolstton Specialty Coffee and how did it all begin?
Our journey began when we observed that coffee was frequently an afterthought in fine dining establishments and luxury hotels. Furthermore, there appeared to be a widespread lack of understanding about specialty coffee. While many products have achieved remarkable sophistication over time, coffee is only now beginning to receive the attention it truly deserves — in its preparation, acknowledgment of its origins, presentation, and the overall consumption experience. As coffee enthusiasts, we recognized an opportunity with Wolstton Coffee to lead this movement and elevate coffee to unparalleled heights.
Can you share more about how Wolstton Specialty Coffee approaches sourcing and roasting coffee?
The origins of our coffee beans are among the most distinguishing features of our brand. All our coffees are specialty coffees, sourced from exotic locations and recognised for their outstanding quality. Each batch has a minimum rating of 84 points, placing us within the top 1% of coffee producers globally.
In particular, we have forged strong ties with producers from various regions: the Galapagos Islands (specifically Finca La Bohemia in Santa Cruz), the Canary Islands (a small farm north of La Palma), and Nepal (a farm linked with a Buddhist orphanage in Kathmandu, nestled on the Himalayan slopes). Once we've secured these premium green beans, we begin the roasting process. Our roasting approach follows a meticulously determined curve development, optimized for capsule use. This ensures a harmonious balance between extracting the flavors and authentically representing the bean's origin, which we further refine using specific colorimetry techniques.
What truly differentiates Wolstton is our innovative approach to conceptualise blends. These creations combine beans from different origins to craft a wholly unique coffee experience. Each blend accentuates the unique characteristics of its constituent beans, delivering a story grounded in their origins. For example, Wolstton Mirovia is a blend that combines beans from all five continents, potentially unmatched anywhere else, symbolising a cosmopolitan and exquisite coffee. Another standout is Wolstton Kirati, a blend from Nepal and the Galapagos, embodying the essence of nature and harmony through its sensory qualities.
To reiterate, our roasting approach employs a precise curve development tailored for capsules. This guarantees a balance between flavor extraction and the true representation of the beans' origins, further enhanced by rigorous colorimetry.
What motivated Wolstton Specialty Coffee to explore the capsule coffee format?
At Wolstton, we leverage cutting-edge technology and ongoing industry innovations, combined with relentless research and development, to advocate for capsules as the prime method for delivering our coffee to elite hotels, restaurants, and homes that value excellence. Pairing the Wolstton Experience with The Morning Machine enables us to provide unmatched quality hand-in-hand with convenience.
We all have our morning routines, and coffee often plays a crucial role in them. What's your morning ritual?
The answer to this can vary based on the day, one's mood, or the tasks at hand. What I've come to appreciate is that at Wolstton, we've developed varieties tailored to cater to each of these nuances. Our process elevates the daily routine into a sophisticated and elegant experience: powering up the Morning Machine, retrieving a cup, choosing the blend that resonates with the moment, delighting in the aromas, admiring the crema, feeling the warmth through the glass, and then the distinct sound signalling the culmination of your Wolstton Experience.
What excites you the most at this moment and for the future of Wolstton Coffee as a brand/business?
Our vision is to redefine the coffee experience, transforming it into a concept that's nuanced, enriching, enigmatic, and poetic — each cup overflowing with stories. This essence is captured whether the coffee is enjoyed in your favorite spot at home, appreciated at the end of a meal in a fine dining restaurant, or remembered fondly during a stay at an exceptional hotel.
Getting to know Noh Chan-Young - Founder of Lowkey Coffee.
What's the story behind Lowkey and how did it all start?
We are a specialty coffee roastery located in Seoul, Korea. Our journey began in 2010 when we started roasting and retailing coffee under the name Coffeejumbbang. In 2016, we rebranded to Lowkey and currently operate five coffee shops. "Coffee Jumbbang" translates to "small local shop" in a local dialect, while "Lowkey" denotes a quiet and easygoing nature. Intriguingly, the essence of both names is quite similar. Our mission is to maintain simplicity and authenticity in our operations. We remain committed to our values, always striving for honesty and truthfulness while emphasizing the quality of our coffee.
Can you share more about Lowkey’s approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
The most crucial factors when we select our coffee are cleanliness and sweetness, as they reflect the farmer's diligent efforts. Sweetness in coffee can only be achieved when ripe coffee cherries are picked. Moreover, the beans must be clean and transparent, a result of being treated correctly throughout the entire processing phase. One of the best ways to acknowledge the farmer's hard work is to purchase these coffees and introduce them to our customers.
What motivated Lowkey to explore putting your coffees into the capsule coffee format?
To promote high-quality coffee, it's essential for more people to experience it. To achieve this, the extraction method must be user-friendly. A testament to this idea is giving my parents a try: while they've never opted for pour-over coffee, they readily press a button to get their brew (hence, capsules). Capsules clearly offer a simple solution and an effective means of broadening our reach.
We all have our morning routines, and coffee is often a crucial part of it. What is your morning ritual like?
When I arrive at work, I craft my first latte—complete with latte art—and place it on the table. It's my personal ritual to offer the first brew of the day to God.
What are some future plans for Lowkey Coffee that you are most excited about?
We've recently collaborated with PnB Bakery, a family-run business that opened its doors in 1951 and is now in its third generation. Together, we've launched a mocha pie. I'm eagerly anticipating the outcomes of this collaboration with a brand that has such a rich history.
Last year, I had the opportunity to meet a dedicated coffee producer and missionary in Uganda. They are tirelessly working to empower Ugandans to become self-sufficient. Building on last year's foundation, I'm excited to further contribute to the development of Ugandan coffee this year. Our plan is to educate them on processing techniques, cupping practices, and foster communication within the team.
Getting to know Kane - Head of Coffee for Kiss the Hippo.
How did the journey of Kiss the Hippo begin?
Kiss the Hippo started with a mission to create exceptional coffee experiences. In 2018, the journey began on the high street of Richmond, London, with a café and roastery space to ensure the highest quality coffee possible. Our focus on quality, sustainability, and ethical sourcing has helped us grow into what we are today, with a commitment to providing exceptional coffee not only in the UK but also beyond.
Can you share more about Kiss the Hippo's approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
At the forefront of our coffee sourcing approach is sustainability. Our priority is to purchase from farmers who share our deep commitment to protecting the environment, with a strong preference for those who hold organic certification, though not limited exclusively to them. We take great care in roasting our coffee beans to accentuate their exceptional qualities, which often result in a light, bright, and lively flavour profile.
What was the inspiration for Kiss the Hippo to decide to put coffees into the convenient capsule format?
Our goal was to provide everyone with easy access to delicious specialty coffee, while also ensuring that our pods are environmentally friendly. To achieve this, we made our pods home compostable, which not only makes them convenient to dispose of, but also ensures that they do not harm the environment.
Coffee is fuel to get us moving throughout the day, especially in the morning. What is your daily morning ritual like?
The first thing I do is drink coffee, of course! I recommend our House Organic Pod brewed long on the Morning (Machine). This gives me the energy to go to the gym, followed by cycling to work and getting the roaster warmed up.
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of Kiss the Hippo as a brand/business?
As a growing business, we are excited about the many opportunities that lie ahead for us to build long-lasting relationships. We are particularly keen on deepening our connections with coffee farmers who are as enthusiastic and passionate about sustainability and delicious coffee as we are.
Getting to know Petr - Co-founder and Head Roaster for Father's Coffee.
What's the story behind Father's, and how did it all start?
It all began with a Kenyan espresso back in 2013, when we fell in love with specialty coffee. A few months later, we opened our first cafe named COKAFE. However, we yearned for an international experience, so we moved to Berlin to work as baristas at Five Elephant. It was there that the idea for our roastery was born. Two years later, our dream came true as we roasted the first batch of coffee on our Diedrich IR5 roaster under our new brand, FATHER'S COFFEE.
Can you share more about Father's approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
Currently, we work exclusively with Falcon Specialty, a coffee importer. We have a dear friend, Bara, whom we met during our time in Berlin. Bara is an exceptional coffee professional, and together we seek long-term relationships with producers and farmers to find outstanding coffee to include in our offerings. You can read more about that on our blog.
What motivated Father's to explore putting your coffees into the capsule coffee format?
Since day one, we've always been excited about having our coffee in capsules. However, we long resisted capsules mainly due to their environmental impact. Regular coffee capsules are made of plastic and aluminium, which are difficult to recycle. Yet, they are great for preparing coffee quickly, for example, at work or in the morning. They make the preparation of quality coffee easier and more accessible. So, we were thrilled when we learned about CapslenZero and their approach to having zero impact on the earth.
We all have our morning routines, and coffee is often a crucial part of them. What is your morning ritual like?
Our colleagues each have their own rituals. However, at work, it typically involves a batch brew-filled container circulating around the roastery, with someone constantly searching for it.
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of Father's as a brand/business?
There is always something new happening in the roastery. Currently, we are getting accustomed to our new Loring roaster. We have also just launched new packaging, and by the end of this year, we will be opening a newly reconstructed space at our current location in Ostrava.
Getting to know Mohamed Ali Al Madfai - Founder and CEO of Emirati Coffee.
How did the journey of Emirati Coffee begin?
The journey of Emirati Coffee began when I first encountered specialty coffee on a farm in Bali, Indonesia. I was struck by its unique taste and qualities and knew that I wanted to import specialty coffee to the UAE. In 2013, I returned to the UAE and set out on a mission to learn as much as I could about the industry. I studied at the London School of Coffee and gained extensive knowledge about the specialty coffee sector. Then, in 2017, I established Emirati Coffee with two of my high school friends. Today, Emirati Coffee is the largest locally owned specialty coffee roastery in the United Arab Emirates, importing specialty coffee from all over the producing world and offering a wide range of coffee blends and single-origin coffees. Our mission is to make specialty coffee accessible, affordable, and enjoyable for everyone.
Can you share more about Emirati Coffee's approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
Our approach to sourcing coffee at Emirati Coffee is focused on sustainability and ethical practices. We work closely with our importers to choose the best suppliers who offer their pickers and farmers the greatest market rates. We seek out farmers who are active, practice sustainable farming, and promote agricultural innovation. We believe in cultivating genuine relationships with our suppliers, and we always strive to keep our supply chain transparent and traceable.
What was the inspiration for Emirati Coffee to decide to put coffees into the convenient capsule format?
We are driven by our mission to make specialty more accessible, and what is more accessible than a capsule.
We are driven by our mission to make specialty coffee more accessible to everyone, and nothing is more accessible than the capsule format.
Coffee is fuel to get us moving throughout the day, especially in the morning. What is your morning ritual like?
Nothing feels better than a juicy and bright cup of filtered coffee in the morning to get you moving throughout the day.
For me, coffee is the ultimate fuel to get me moving throughout the day. My morning ritual always starts with a juicy and bright cup of filtered coffee.
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of Emirati Coffee as a brand/business?
China. We are excited to be the first UAE-based coffee brand to enter the Chinese market.
Getting to know Yozo - Founder and CEO of Kurasu.
How did the journey of Kurasu begin?
Kurasu was founded in 2013 in Sydney, Australia, when I noticed a gap in the market for Japanese hand-drip coffee equipment. Initially, Kurasu operated as an online store and gradually expanded until we launched our first physical shop in Kyoto in 2016. Currently, we have seven outlets worldwide, including in Kyoto, Singapore, and Bangkok. We remain committed to offering top-quality coffee products and have partnered with Morning Machine as their exclusive distributor in Japan.
Can you share more about Kurasu’s approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
Japan has a rich history of green importers pioneering partnerships in coffee-producing origins to cultivate specialty-grade coffee. We are fortunate to have established strong relationships with many of these companies, giving us exclusive access to new crops each year, which we carefully cup. Furthermore, we are increasingly focused on building direct relationships with coffee origins. In terms of roasting, our main emphasis is on light roasts, which showcase the unique characteristics and potential of each coffee. Our offerings are tailored towards daily consumption.
What was the inspiration for Kurasu to decide to put coffees into the convenient capsule format?
In recent years, we have observed that specialty coffee roasters overseas have been working with capsules. However, Japan lacks OEM capsule manufacturers, which has limited the market for specialty-grade capsules. As innovators, we aimed to introduce high-quality capsules to the Japanese market. Therefore, in addition to launching the Morning Machine, we hope that other coffee roasters will follow suit and introduce their own capsule offerings, enabling more coffee enthusiasts to enjoy top-quality capsules at home.
Coffee is fuel to get us moving throughout the day, especially in the morning. What is your morning ritual like?
Usually, I begin my coffee ritual with a pour-over using my V60. I am fortunate to have access to a wide variety of coffee options, including Kurasu's own offerings and those received as gifts or exchanged with other roasters. I am eagerly looking forward to having the Morning Machine + Kurasu capsules on my countertop soon!
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of Kurasu as a brand/business?
There is always a lot happening at Kurasu, but I am particularly excited about the upcoming physical shops outside Japan this year, including another outlet in Singapore, as well as new locations in Hong Kong and Jakarta. I enjoy building new things, and the chance to visit and meet new people in different environments helps both me and Kurasu thrive.
Getting to know Ashley Palmer-Watts - Co-founder of Artisan Coffee Co.
How did the journey of Artisan Coffee Co began?
Artisan Coffee Co. was founded by a group of modern-day artisans; a serial entrepreneur, a Q grader (the coffee industry’s equivalent to a wine sommelier), and myself, a Michelin-starred chef. Our shared passion for coffee ignited hours of conversation that resulted in a clear mission: to deliver delicious, specialty coffee that everybody can enjoy.
Can you share more about Artisan Coffee Co's approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
It goes without saying that sourcing all of our coffee sustainably and building strong relationships between the buying team and the source is essential for securing the quality and volumes we require. Our coffee blends are created by combining specialty coffee from various certified initiatives, such as fair trade, organic, and the Rainforest Alliance.
As a chef, I brought a unique perspective to developing the coffees. I wanted it to be packed with individuality and full of character. Inspired by the great champagne houses, I directed the team to conceptualise coffee in a revolutionary way, championing the use of blends and harmonising flavour notes to create the ultimate cup. I start by mapping out the flavour profile of each blend and tasting a wide range of single origin coffees, so I can adjust the ratios of each blend to achieve precise results. Engineered to encapsulate twice the aroma, each coffee has been blended and roasted to achieve consistent characteristics across all brew formats: coffee bags, pods, whole bean, and ground, so no matter how you brew, there is a coffee that's just right for you.
What was the inspiration for Artisan Coffee Co to decide to put coffees into the convenient capsule format?
Capsule coffee didn't have to be just a coffee in a capsule. The challenge of developing blends that delivered character in such a small dose of coffee, suspended and locked in its optimum condition, was a fascinating one. I started by tasting all of our espresso blends in capsules and quickly realising that this would take a lot more development given the parameters of capsule brewing. Capsules are such a clean and convenient way to drink a great coffee at home, in hotel rooms, the office, or even in restaurants where there is very little space for coffee machines.
Coffee is fuel to get us moving throughout the day, especially in the morning. What is your daily morning ritual like?
Well depending on my day, I usually start with a capsule or two. Short shots are my thing but I do really love the americano recipes with our capsules on the Morning Machine.
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of Artisan Coffee Co as a business?
Working with fantastic partners like Morning and expanding our reach internationally is very exciting. I truly enjoy the wide range of customers we appeal to. It's very rewarding to be able to break down barriers to the overly technical language so widely used in the coffee industry, and to allow everyone, anywhere, even those who find specialty coffee a little too elitist, to embark on their new coffee journey. Life really is too short to drink bad coffee!
Getting to know Dominick - Head of Coffee for White Horse Coffee.
How did the journey of White Horse start?
We started our first roastery with the belief that a continual search for the best coffee in the world and to roast and brew and share them with our local community was our purpose for existence. This founding value has not changed.
Can you share more about White Horse's approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
Our philosophy is to always adapt, if something is not working, then we need to change. As coffee is mother nature's gift to us, from year to year it is always changing, we need to change with it.
What was the inspiration for White Horse to decide to put coffees into the convenient capsule format?
Sharing coffee in every possible way has always been in our grain, it's what makes us tick, we have a healthy large passionate support base that are fanatical about our coffee capsules because we are. We are proud about what we have achieved.
Coffee is fuel to get us moving throughout the day, especially in the morning. What is your daily morning ritual like?
As a filter coffee lover I really enjoy that I can brew a filter style coffee on the Morning capsule machine.
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of White Horse as a brand/business?
We are excited about automation, never before has a machine given us so much control in brewing, particularly in the home.
Getting to know Kasidis Laoboonmee (Pop) - Co-founder and Roaster of Rise Coffee.
How did the journey of Rise Coffee start?
In 2016, I was roasting coffee as a hobby in my home garage and started doing small wholesale orders for coffee shops and restaurants in the neighbourhood. The volume grew as time passed, so in 2019, I decided to quit my full-time job and pursue the idea of starting my own coffee brand.
Between 2019 and 2020, I spent the whole year traveling to the origins, building up my sourcing network, and doing free hours for different coffee roasteries and coffee shops. In 2021, I finally decided to open the first RISE COFFEE flagship store with the ambition to build the best coffee experience in Bangkok and ultimately make specialty coffee more accessible to everyone.
Can you share more about Rise Coffee's approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
Sourcing is the core of our business. We work directly with local farmers and cooperatives in the northern part of Thailand, where we constantly share knowledge and feedback to help improve and ensure that only the best green beans are arriving at our door.
At the roastery, we are all about the 3Es - Exploration, Experimentation, and Explanation. We believe in the collaborative learning environment and are continuously working within the team to explore new roasting approaches, improve the QC process and finally make sure that we bring out the best potential of the coffee we work with.
What was the inspiration for Rise Coffee to decide to put coffees into the convenient capsule format?
As previously mentioned, one of our primary objectives is to make specialty coffee more accessible to everyone. We believe that offering our coffee in capsule format helps achieve this goal by making it easier for people to experience specialty coffee in a convenient way.
Coffee is fuel to get us moving throughout the day, especially in the morning. What is your daily morning ritual like?
I usually start my morning routine with a quick and simple cup of americano/espresso to get my brain running while going through the to-do list of the day.
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of Rise Coffee as a brand?
I am excited about getting our new locations up and running in 2023. We are planning for two new coffee spaces in which we will be exploring new coffee experience concepts that we have been working hard for in the past years.
As a brand/business, I’m also super ambitious to see how we expand and foster a culture of learning and collaboration within the team.
Getting to know Lars Pilengrim - Co-founder of Lykke.
How did the journey of Lykke begin?
Lykke Coffee Farms is a big life and coffee project that challenges an outdated coffee industry often made up of many middlemen who do not always add value. Farmers often do not benefit from this industry.
Instead, we have established small role model farms and processing stations in excellent coffee-producing regions. We can experiment and develop techniques that we can offer to our coffee farming neighbours to help them process their already great coffee into amazing coffee. This allows us to bring the specialty coffee to the market that we know. Our business helps us to vertically integrate and cut out middlemen, so we can better control what is going into our coffee. We are committed to organic farming, avoiding monocultures, and working in harmony with people and the environment. Our goal is to enjoy a good cup of coffee without harming anyone or anything.
Can you share more about Lykke's approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
We are dedicated to growing coffee and doing so in the face of global warming. We call this cultivating happiness. Through our unique business model, we believe we can have a long-lasting impact on producing communities by investing in them and helping to mitigate risk.
We strongly believe that as we grow and reach further, we can create an even greater impact. This is reflected in our roasting and packaging methods, which are accessible, inviting, and bring joy (Lykke is an old Nordic word for happiness).
What was the inspiration for Lykke to decide to put coffees into the convenient capsule format?
Lykke is focused on making good coffee with a positive impact accessible to everyone. As we read reports that capsules can be more energy-efficient and not as harmful to the environment as they have been portrayed, we felt motivated to get involved in this aspect of the coffee industry. We chose to use compostable materials and produce our capsules in small batches frequently for the freshest experience.
Coffee is fuel to get us moving throughout the day, especially in the morning. What is your daily morning ritual like?
I am a filter coffee drinker and usually begin my day early by using an AeroPress to brew something tasty before taking my dog out for a walk. Nowadays, when I get to the office, I have the Morning Machine waiting for me to get a second cup and try something different. It's a great routine!
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of Lykke as a brand/business?
Being born in March 2020 and taking our first steps in the midst of a global pandemic has definitely been challenging. However, I am very happy to say that our projects are now moving in the right direction. For example, we only started processing coffee at our own washing station in western Uganda last month, and as I type this, I am sipping the first sample from it! Lykke is becoming more and more established as a brand, and people seem to love what we do. Therefore, we want to keep doing more and reach even further!
Getting to know the team behind Cloud Picker.
How did the journey of Cloud Picker began?
Established in 2013 by Frank Kavanagh & Peter Sztal. Our coffee isn’t just roasted in Dublin, it’s chosen for its personality which means we go beyond the usual places to find it. The name 'Cloud Picker' came from our trip to Northern Thailand where we visited a coffee farm in the Doi Chang area on the Thai / Burma border and where we went up through the clouds to see the coffee pickers! Thailand wasn't known for its specialty coffee back then so it's so beautiful to see how far it's journeyed since.
Can you share more about Cloud Picker's approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
We like the idea of going where no one has gone before. That’s why we’re not afraid to venture off into new coffee zones to find the best coffee on the planet.
Picking beans at the right time is crucial to their flavour: the small producers we work with care as much as we do about great coffee. We make sure our pickers are treated more than just fairly, so that they’re happily invested too.
What was the inspiration for Cloud Picker to decide to put coffees into the convenient capsule format?
For us the main reason was sustainability, producing pods had long been on the agenda but being able to produce a pod that not only tasted amazing, but also did not add to landfill was vitally important to us. Our pods came onto the scene for us in 2022, they are home compostable, which means people can place them in their home compost and they will decompose away perfectly.
Coffee is fuel to get us moving throughout the day, especially in the morning. What is your daily morning ritual like?
At Cloud Picker our ritual is simple, we start every morning with a shared batch brew cycling through our single origins we have available, the team love comparing notes and there is always a fair bit of competition with who can make the best tasting batch brew, or a bit of heckling for a bad brew too!
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of Cloud Picker as a brand/business?
We truly have a lot of projects in the works so it's honestly a 'watch this space' time for Cloud Picker. Projects are happening in every area of the business, from cafe customer participation, to bringing the roasting process closer to the consumer, to broader brand awareness via new exciting partnerships and a B-Corp application. We do see the coffee capsule, instant and RTD markets as huge growth markets in the EU but as always it's about ensuring our footprint and the sustainability focus is kept as priority.