Interviews April 2025 | I KNOW JERRY FROM TORONTO

Who was in the April 2025 box?

Creating beauty in places you wouldn't expect, Borgerhout (BE).
Great coffee doesn’t have to be complicated in Warsaw (PL).
Familiar face with a fresh new look in Louvain (BE).
One of our all-time favorite roasters from Vilnius (LT) is returning!

Borgerhout - Belgium

Tessa Colyn “Plumo”

Welcome to our April box, where coffee, creativity, and curiosity come together.
This time, we had the chance to catch up with someone who’s doing exciting things outside the coffee world.
She is creating beauty in places you wouldn't expect.
Jerry was curious (as always), so we asked a few questions to see what’s brewing behind the scenes.!

Can you tell us something about yourself?

Hi, I'm Tessa, graphic designer and illustrator, working from the heart of Borgerhout.
I studied graphic design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.
After several years of working in advertising, I took the step to become self-employed.
Now, after 14 years, I am still very happy with the choice I made, even if it is sometimes with trial and error :-)

What originally made you want to become an illustrator/graphic designer?

I have always loved shapes, colors and cute little figures.
So I now make graphic illustrations in bright colors with simple shapes.
I played with the thoughts of becoming a jewelry designer for a very long time, but in my last year of high school, that changed to graphic designer because then I had to design a logo for a mini-company.
And that tasted like more.

What’s the best piece of advice you have heard and repeat to others?

Stay yourself and do things that make you happy and give you positive energy!

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Hmm, that could really be anything.
From Pinterest, to a flower in the garden, or a shape I come across while biking around town.
I also always review my designs with a creative person and a non-creative person.
Sometimes that gives a nice combination of inspiration as well!

Which project has been your favorite or most memorable so far?

I once had the opportunity to illustrate a 27.5-meter-long banner when the Keiligbrug in the city park was being renovated.
It was all wrapped up with that banner and every time I saw it hanging during a walk in the park, my heart made a little jump.

Are there any artists you think we should keep an eye on?

Myself ;-)
No, but there are so many good artists!
Well-known and less-known, and all with their own style.
I follow a lot of them on Instagram, but can't pick one right now because they all have something to keep an eye on.

"Thank you for having me design and screenprint a work for you.
I get a lot of energy from projects like this!
I love it!"

Warsaw - Poland

Klaro

Say hello to Klaro — Warsaw’s freshest specialty coffee roaster!
They're so new you can almost smell the paint drying — but don’t worry, the only thing stronger than their new-roastery smell is their passion for great coffee.
Born in the heart of Poland’s buzzing capital, Klaro is on a mission to roast beans so well they’ll make you forget you ever drank bad coffee.
It’s a one-man project, built on a simple idea: great coffee doesn’t have to be complicated.
Inspired by the Spanish word claro — clear, distinct, understandable — Klaro is on a mission to make outstanding coffee easy, approachable, and accessible to everyone.

Can you tell us how this started?

I’ve been working in coffee for quite a while now.
I started out as a barista, later became a trainer at a coffee roastery, and during COVID, I combined my passion with work, diving into coffee marketing.
No matter what position I held, one thing kept standing out to me more and more: the snobbery that sometimes surrounds coffee.
People often try to impose their “more correct opinion,” saying that to enjoy good coffee, you need to invest a fortune in equipment.
I’ve always believed that the best coffee is simply the one you like — and that can be anything.
So Klaro was a natural step in my journey: I wanted to create a roastery that doesn’t tell you how to drink your coffee.
I just want to roast coffee you’ll enjoy.
That’s it.

In which places can we find Klaro?

Right now, most of my partners are based across different cities in Poland — fun fact: I actually ship more coffee outside of Warsaw than stays in the city!
International orders have also picked up recently, especially to Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Germany.
If you want to check out Klaro, I highly recommend these places: Cosmo Espresso Bar (Warsaw), Pop Up (Kraków), Kawa na Romanowicza (Kraków), Nie Wylej (Lublin), Zicherka (Katowice), Kofio (Prague), and Kaffelabbet (Gothenburg).

What about your amazing Dripbags?

I’m so happy that so many people enjoy my drip bags!
I initially made a small test batch just to see how people would react — and now I’m sure there will be many more to come.
Dripbags are the perfect solution for specialty coffee lovers who appreciate both convenience and quality.
They're lightweight, compact, and ideal for traveling, business trips, or even just a busy day at work.
All you need is a cup and hot water, and you can enjoy delicious specialty filter coffee in minutes.
I really took my time perfecting every detail before offering them for sale — and they’ll be available soon at klarocoffee.com!

What brewing technique do you prefer?
And why?

The simplest one of all — the Clever Dripper!
(One day, I dream of becoming their ambassador.)
Grind your coffee, pour the water, place it in the carafe — and you’re done.
It’s no coincidence that Klaro’s motto is Sip Simply, Enjoy Daily.

We’ve encountered some wild processing methods lately—what’s your take on them?

I’m open to all processing methods.
I believe experimentation is always a positive thing, no matter the industry, as long as it’s transparent and properly communicated.
As for my personal taste, I like coffees that you can drink a lot of.
Unfortunately, many of the "wilder" processed coffees are just too much in every way — they’re like eating a spoonful of MSG.
One cup is usually enough for me.

Many coffee shops have become popular gathering places for artists and creatives.
How do you think coffee and art complement each other, and what role do you think coffee shops play in supporting the arts?

I care a lot about aesthetics — always have, always will — and Klaro is no exception.
All the branding was designed by my friend, Serhii Hrychaniuk - a great artist.
Before Klaro, we collaborated on other coffee-meets-art projects: graffiti on a canvas made from 220 coffee bags, a custom-painted Moccamaster, and a hand-painted Comandante grinder.
I just really love blending coffee and art.
Actually, I love blending art with anything.
Let’s make the world a more beautiful place!

"At the heart of specialty coffee, it’s all about people.
Sooner or later, anyone can learn how to brew a great cup — but not everyone is someone you want to share that cup with.
Drink good coffee, and be the kind of person people want to share it with.
Sip Simply, Enjoy Daily!"

Louvain - Belgium

Naft

Say hello to a familiar face with a fresh new look!
This roastery may have changed names, but its passion for exceptional coffee remains stronger than ever.
With a renewed identity and the same dedication to quality, they continue to roast with care and creativity.
We’re excited to welcome them back into the box—refreshed, rebranded, and ready to impress!!

Hello and welcome.
It's not really new, but still.
Can you tell us the story of Naft?

A bunch of friends from different backgrounds got together and just wanted to be able to source and roast coffees based on what they would like.
Some of us have been working in specialty coffee for years and some just like to drink coffee and help out.

What changes did you make?

Since a few people left and new ones joined the team, it was time to rebrand and start with a clean slate.
We chose a new name and a visual identity that better matches our values.
A bit more out there with vibrant colors, a punchy name and just great quality coffees to everyone’s liking with some funky stuff here and there.

Let us know what to expect in the future!

Great coffees and fun events!

Thanks for brewing coffee for us at the Amsterdam Coffee Festival!
How was the festival for Naft?

ACF was great!
Lovely people and just grateful we got to present some of our coffees.
The positive feedback on the branding and the quality of the coffee made it a successful day for us.

We’ve come across some wild processing methods lately—what’s your take on them?

A bit mixed, it’s great to experiment and try new methods.
That’s why we always have one coffee with a bit more experimental or exceptional profile.
But for us, the main takeaway is that we shouldn't forget about great, simple coffees like a clean-washed Kenya, for example.
The type of coffee you can drink all day, every day.

Many coffee shops have become popular gathering places for artists and creatives.
How do you think coffee and art complement each other, and what role do you think coffee shops play in supporting the arts?

Coffee and art always go hand in hand.
The thing both of them have in common is that coffee and art bring people together.
Sharing a moment around a piece of art is just like sharing a moment with a friend drinking coffee together.
So we can only hope to see more art in coffee shops and collaborations between shops and artists, where artists can showcase their portfolio, so people can enjoy it in such a setting.

"Fuel your life with great coffee and adventure, just do the things you love and enjoy doing them."

Vilnius - Lithuania

Crooked Nose & Coffee Stories

We’re heading back to Vilnius!
One of our all-time favorite roasters is making a return to the Jerry box.
Hailing from the heart of Lithuania’s vibrant capital, this roastery brings not only great coffee but also a whole lot of passion and precision.
We’re excited to have them back—let’s see what they’ve been up to since their last feature!

Thanks for featuring in our box again!
We love your coffee and branding style.
Can you talk to us about how you started and what your future plans are?

Thanks for these kind words!
When someone remembers us and asks for our coffee twice, we take it as the best possible compliment.
It gives a nice motivational boost to our (coffee) system and we really appreciate this.
Maybe some coffee people want to conquer championships, but we always strive to be enjoyed and accepted by like-minded people.
Looks like “I know Jerry from Toronto” has a bunch of truly curious noses.

What makes CNACS Coffee different from other coffees?

Hard to say, as we believe everyone is quite different.
But normally, we just try to be ourselves.
We have our own intuition, our values, our inspirations.
We like to meet and work with people who somehow resonate with us and share similar values.
This helps us to source the coffees we like and also lets us feel more confident and not overdo things.
We also do not like when coffee is treated as some kind of technical or pure business challenge, we like to keep it as a down-to-earth philosophy and natural daily culture.
At the same time, we always tried to find and purify our own coffee language.
That helps us to stay and better communicate what is really important to us.

Has the coffee scene in Lithuania undergone significant transformations over the past year?

Well, in recent years, we have had a much bigger number of roasters and specialty cafes.
But we are even more happy about the fact that many more people started to care about what they drink at home and how to brew their coffee better at home.

Other than roasting coffee, what are the different facets of coffee that interest you?

Well, we always were keen on playing and creating with the help of coffee.
As examples, I could mention our own coffee tool (wooden “Bro” coffee maker with reusable linen filter), cascara chocolate, whiskey barrel aged coffee and some other little coffee projects.
Also, we try to take coffee education seriously, and our local coffee school has various events and workshops.
And by the way, our school is first oriented to ordinary people rather than coffee geeks, as we believe that coffee culture grows stronger when normal people understand the beauty of good coffee, its culture and complex history.
I also work on the English version of my “Let there be coffee book.
When I was writing it, I had a purpose that the book should be understood by my mom and other nonprofessionals, hah.
I’m quite happy with the results in Lithuania.
We’ve just released the second edition in Lithuania and we thought it’s about time to have an international version, too.
Fingers (or noses) crossed, it would be accepted by English-speaking coffee enthusiasts.

What does good coffee mean to you?

I like when the coffee has its own character, but at the same time, it’s invisible, unpretentious.
You know it's like good acting. You do not notice it, but you feel moved.

Many coffee shops have become popular gathering places for artists and creatives.
How do you think coffee and art complement each other, and what role do you think coffee shops play in supporting the arts?

Arts and coffee coexist very naturally.
Both give motivation and inspiration, both are very personal.
We have many artist friends and I would say that different forms of art for us (my wife and me) are really important.
And yes we try to visit as many exhibitions, performances, and concerts as we can.
I’d say we are sometimes more hungry for art rather than coffee, hah.

"Thank you for thinking about us and inviting us to your coffee journey.
Stay curious!"

we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists! we're the artists!