Our coffee philosophy: quality, consistency, transparency
We prefer our coffee to do all the talking, but there are some parts of the story a cup can’t fully express. This is how we make deliciousness a constant, not a coincidence:
- Our lineup is diverse by design
- We only work with high-quality, traceable green coffee
- We roast for clarity of flavour and sweetness
- Our packaging balances quality and environmental impact
- We practice transparency
- We share resources that help everyone understand, value and make the most of our beans
Find more details about what we’re doing in each category just below, or learn about our business approach beyond beans and brewing.
Our lineup is diverse by design
We offer 3-5 weekly rotating single origins
We’re here to sample, so our lineup showcases different regions, varieties and processes every week. Brewers who love a specific profile can find something they like; those who like to mix things up can try different flavours.
Our blends get as much attention and respect
Our blend components follow the same quality, seasonal and transparency standards as our single origins. This applies to filter and espresso/milk blends.
Decaf that is actually exciting
We believe decaf can be excellent; it just needs to be roasted and brewed with particular care. Backed by pros and enthusiasts, we can say that our decaf options are as solid as any other single origin in our lineup.
We only work with high-quality, traceable green coffee
We use ethical importers that pay above Commodity market and Fairtrade prices
Over 90% of our yearly green coffee beans come from Caravela, Cafe Imports, MCM (certified B corporations). We also purchase from Condesa Co Lab, Osito, Cofinet, and Sucafina.
We buy through a mix of spot purchases and forward contracts
Spot purchases give us flexibility and diversity in our menu. Forward contracts bring financial stability and commitment to both sides of the supply chain—producers and roasters.
We only work with high-quality (‘specialty’) coffee
Our single origins are Arabica +85 SCA score and our blend components Arabica +80, which is true ‘specialty’ coffee. Though we prefer to use the term ‘high quality’ and back our quality claims with transparency data, moving away from the shallow use and abuse of the word ‘specialty’ in the last few years.
We have a soft spot for washed process lots
It’s a style we love for its clean, balanced and beautiful flavours—the kind of coffee we enjoy drinking every day, anytime. However, we’re here to enjoy everything, from crazy natural profiles to premium Gesha lots.
Explore our coffee atlas and our Very Special (VS) range
We roast for clarity of flavour and sweetness
We use a Loring Kestrel S35
In 2022, we switched from a vintage Probat UG15 to a Loring Kestrel S35. It allowed us to roast more coffee per batch and be more energy-efficient. Plus the coffee roasting technology brought a beautiful brightness and clarity to our coffee flavours.
Our single origins are roasted omni for bright acidity
Designed to be brewed for filter and espresso, we want to capture each origin’s characteristics, given by the terroir, tree variety, harvest care and production process.
Our espresso blend components are roasted for body and richness
Designed to be served with milk, we roast them for a satisfying flavour and sweetness. So delicious and smooth that many drinkers feel they don’t need to add sugar anymore.
Go deep into our roasting approach
Our packaging balances quality and environmental impact
Our current bean bags are ABA-certified, home compostable
We always choose materials that, first, ensure the quality of our beans in the weeks post-roast. Once that is ticked, we research and choose the one that has the lowest environmental impact. Our current packaging breaks down at home and industrial composting setups, plus it doesn’t rely on the oil industry and opaque recycling schemes.
We stay updated and evolve alongside technology, materials and culture
We take a nimble, open-minded and thoughtful approach, choosing today’s best evidence-based offerings and embracing future systems as they come.
Learn more about our packaging
We practice transparency
We share traceability info for all our origins (including blend components)
Being transparent about the characteristics and origin of each coffee lot gives us confidence in our communications. Plus, it helps cut through the noise, giving consumers a clear and tangible idea about the facts and quality of our products.
We share aggregated data, milestones and stories on our annual reports
These are an extra transparency exercise where customers can get the bigger picture about our coffees and business sustainability. From FOB prices to importers and country breakdowns, all the essential metrics about green coffee purchases are found there.
Go to our annual reports index
We share resources that help everyone understand, value and make the most of our beans
We believe everyone can make delicious coffee
We all just need the right tools, goods and knowledge. That’s why, aside from quality beans, we also sell a selection of our favourite gear. Plus, we share a growing list of guides, recipes and learning resources that help everyone—from pros to beginners—brew the best Sample Coffee.
