Who was in the January 2025 box?
A new year brings fresh roasters to explore!From Jodoigne (BE) all the way to Athens (GR).But we never forget our old friends in Dunajská Streda (SK).And remember to maintain your mystery!
" In a world where everyone is overexposed,
the coolest thing you can do is maintain your mystery."
Jodoigne - Belgium
Velvet
The washed Colombia in the box comes from Finca La Helena, Filandia.It lies in the picturesque Quindio department, on the western slopes of the Andean Cordillera Central.The smallest department in the nation, it is located in one of Colombia’s leading coffee-producing regions.It has been roasted by Velvet Specialty Coffee Roasters.They roast in Belgium as well as in Colombia, right at the source, so they definitely know what they’re doing!
How did your coffee project begin?
I started more than 10 years ago in Colombia.I was working on a project (not related to coffee) for 4 months in Medellin and was impressed by its potential and positive vibes.I constructed a five floor office building in the heart of the City and the first floor became one of the first specialty coffee shops in the City named Café Velvet.
What’s the favorite coffee you've served recently, and how was it prepared?
That is a difficult question because I have many favorites and it changes often 🙂 This week it is the Pacamara by Jhonatan Gasca of Zarza and Typica by Oscar Hernandez of Los Nogales, both fincas are located in Huila, Colombia and are award winning coffees.
Where do you see your roastery in the next few years?
We export our coffee by way of my Colombian company and our next goal is to export a full container this year.In Belgium, the challenge will be to sell/roast the full container within a few months.In the longer run, our roastery in Belgium is getting small and we hope in a few years to be able to move to a larger location.
What are the ideal flavor characteristics you look for in your ideal cup?
“Ideal” is a relative concept, since we adapt the “ideal” cup to what our customers consider “ideal”.My personal flavor characteristics are subtle but well defined exotic aromas, quite complex, moving from florals and herbs to a well balanced juicy acidity, to a lot of sweetness.
Your Washed Colombia is in the box, can you tell me more about this coffee?
It was produced by fourth generation; Sara Gutierrez, a young and beautiful woman, who moved from a business degree to studying microbiology and becoming a Q-grader.This coffee is from Finca La Helena, in Filanda, Quindio right at the heart of the coffee triangle in Colombia.It is a high altitude coffee, grown at 1800 meters, the coffee fruit very diligently collected by hand and carefully selected on quality.The fermentation process is elaborated.After depulping, the beans with the remainder of the mucilage are fermented in a water basin for a prolonged period of approximately 30 hours to obtain a clean and bright acidic result.
To wrap things up, we’re always on the lookout for fresh talent in both the coffee and art worlds.Do you have any hidden gems or up-and-coming artists and roasters you’d recommend for us to check out?We’re all ears!
Thank you for asking the question.We recommend tasting our coffee playing Karol G. in the background, it gives a touch of Medellin’s vibes of today and she sings in one of her songs about our neighbourhood.But that was not really your question, as an upcoming artist I recommend checking out a young and promising upcoming artist from Genk, Aaron-Victor Peeters.
"Thank you for giving us this opportunity and for all the work you are doing for our community!"
Colombia - Finca La Helena
Region: Filandia, QuindioAltitude: 1800maslVariety: Castillo, ColombiaProcess: Washed Tasting notes: Milk chocolate, honey and lemon scent
Athens - Greece
Create
We’re thrilled to introduce the second specialty coffee roaster from Greece that we’ve discovered!Based in Athens, this roastery has quickly made its mark with a dedication to quality, craft, and innovation.Their passion for exceptional coffee shines through with every roast, and we can’t wait for you to explore what makes this Athens-based roastery truly special!
What inspired you to start roasting coffee, and how has your journey evolved over the years?
We’ve been in and around the coffee industry for many years.Especially our co-founder, Stefanos Domatiotis, is a world-famous coffee champion, trainer, coffee consultant and Gem Series manual pour-over designer, and has been in the coffee business for 25 years.He is generally one of the most recognizable figures in the industry bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise from having worked on global projects for more than a decade, consulting on grinding and fully automated machines.The idea for us to create something of our own existed way before we started our roasting business 2 years ago, as we all are passionate about coffee, specifically great quality coffee!Through our involvement within the industry and many coffee consulting projects that we were working on, we realized that we could offer all services and be able to guide clients towards improving their coffee experience, but we couldn’t offer the final product that is the coffee beans, in the good quality that we wanted.And so the need for our own roastery became even more apparent to us.In the 2 years that we have been operating, our mission to create bold flavors and provide consumers with a great cup of coffee – one they will always remember – has not changed.Our commitment is to push even further the boundaries of coffee, sourcing the world for its most exceptional beans while evolving the coffeehouse and home experience to something surprising and multi-sensory.As a micro-roastery, we love to allow our customers to try out different varieties and from different origins, at the same time educating them about the plethora of coffee options out there.At the moment, we have more than 15 coffee varieties in our catalog from 9 origin countries so plenty of different coffee beans to choose from.We source the world’s best beans and roast them to unique profiles to ensure each coffee’s characteristics are fully brought to life.
What makes the coffee culture in Athens unique compared to other cities you’ve visited?
We’ve visited many cities over the years and there are so many of them that have inspired us and which have been trailblazers when it comes to coffee culture.Athens has always embraced coffee in all its forms, from the traditional Greek or ‘ibrik’ coffee to the world-famous ‘frappe’ to the third wave we are experiencing now.\More than anything, the coffee culture in Greece in general plays an important role in our society and has been shaping it for centuries.Greeks want to go out for coffee, they want to socialize and be seen – drinking coffee is a necessity and a ritual but also a form of companionship, deeply rooted in our history.Athens right now is buzzing when it comes to specialty coffee spots.We don’t do global coffee chains – instead, there are some local, home-grown chains, and then when it comes to specialty coffee there are many independent coffee shops and specialty coffee roasters like ourselves dedicated to offering higher quality coffee.There is an effort to raise awareness when it comes to higher quality coffee – there is still a long way to go compared to other European cities but there is certainly the appetite and drive in the Greek market to do so.
Do you experiment with unconventional roasting methods or flavor profiles?Can you share an example?
We believe in respecting each coffee, its roots and its journey at the farm.As such, through our roasting, we aim to showcase the unique characteristics of each coffee, of the particular coffee beans and origin and ensure that this way we can bring out the true flavors of coffee.At the same time, we are of the ‘omni-roast’ mentality which means that we don't roast our coffees specifically for espresso or filter, but we roast each coffee based on its unique characteristics (origin, variety, etc.) creating a roast profile that perfectly highlights each particular coffee to deliver the right balance of acidity, fruitiness, and sweetness, and ultimately brings these individual characteristics to life.We experiment in order to find that roast profile that perfectly highlights the unique characteristics of the particular coffee.This carefully selected profile will deliver the right balance of acidity, fruitiness, and sweetness.This is not without its challenges of course – it requires a huge amount of skill and experience and a rigorous quality control process.
If you could pair one of your coffees with a classic Greek dish, what would it be and why?
That’s a tough one!Greek food is rich and full of flavor and pairing such rich flavors with bold-flavored coffees like our own is a task in itself.We would definitely pair a delicious, sweet ‘bougatsa’ which is like a custard-filled phyllo pie eaten for breakfast or snack, with La Bolsa from Guatemala which with its creamy sweetness would enhance the flavors and textures of bougatsa, making for an even more enjoyable taste experience.We are also thinking that ‘loukoumades’ – the often called Greek doughnuts, round balls of fried dough usually drizzled with honey, nuts and cinnamon – would go perfectly with Buku Abel from Ethiopia, a natural heirloom, refreshing with a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.
What’s the most surprising feedback you’ve ever received about your coffee?
We wouldn’t say it’s surprising per se, but the best thing we get is when customers tell us about how the coffee descriptions on our bags help them savor the coffee and express what they sometimes can’t express on their own.Especially customers who are new to the world of specialty coffee and are keen to learn and understand more about flavors, varieties, and textures.That makes us happy!
To wrap things up, we’re always on the lookout for fresh talent in both the coffee and art worlds.Do you have any hidden gems or up-and-coming artists and roasters you’d recommend for us to check out?We’re all ears!
We could not recommend any roaster(s) in Greece as this would be unfair to the rest, but what we can say for sure is that there’s great work being done at the moment to improve the coffee quality all around.We can suggest a few amazing coffee spots in Athens to check out though:MÖTELes PapallonesIT+White SpoonFoyerKayaTalk (new entry!)
"We are super excited about this collaboration and can’t wait for people to try our coffee and enjoy it!"
Colombia - Planadas
Region: Planadas, TolimaAltitude: maslVariety: CaturraProcess: NaturalTasting notes: Red cherry, plum, cacao notes
Dunajská Streda - Slovakia
Rye Island
A new year brings fresh roasters to explore!But we never forget our old friends.This roaster made an appearance two years ago, and now it’s time to catch up.Let’s hear what’s changed since then!Despite being a small town, Dunajská Streda boasts a growing specialty coffee scene, blending modern tastes with traditional hospitality 🙂.
How have you been doing since last time in the box?
All is good here, and it’s fantastic to be back in the IKJFT box!The last 1.5 to 2 years have been a time of growth and change for us.As life evolves, so do we — our co-founder Thomas has moved on to new adventures, but I’ve been bringing András (our marketing Paganini 😊) more into the fold.We’ve grown, adapted, and kept working to deliver better coffee experiences.
For those who are new at IKJFT, what was the beginning of your coffee project?
Our coffee journey began just a few days before Christmas in 2019 when Thomas and I (David) founded Rye Island Roastery.Thomas brought over 8 years of experience in the coffee business, while I was a passionate "Aeropresser" eager to dive deeper into the world of specialty coffee.With no prior roasting experience, we were stepping into the unknown — not just in coffee, but also into what turned out to be a world of lockdowns and banana bread baking! 😄
What's one thing about coffee that people still don't understand?
Funnily enough, we’re still battling the same issue we faced in the beginning: convincing people to step out of their comfort zones when it comes to coffee.Many stick to darker roasts they enjoy (or don’t care much about the specifics) or find a single coffee variety they like and stick to it endlessly.What they don’t always realize is that coffee is ever-changing — it’s not a static product.Just like seasons change, so do coffee profiles, and embracing that variety can lead to incredible new experiences.By now, we’re starting to see feedback that reinforces it’s worth focusing on these details — not just selling coffee and calling it a day, but creating an experience that inspires exploration.
What can we expect from your coffee?
Our current Kenyan brings crispy raspberry notes with bright citrusy acidity and a black tea-like mouthfeel.It’s a great washed coffee that embodies everything we love about clean, balanced flavors.Honestly, who doesn’t love a good Kenyan?😀 We hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.
What is the one thing that you would miss the most if you could not work in coffee anymore?
Great question!Definitely sourcing and roasting.Sourcing is such an exciting process — discovering unique beans and connecting with all the amazing people involved in bringing coffee to life is something I’d miss.And roasting?That’s where I find my flow.It’s a focused, creative process that I truly enjoy.
I hear a lot of interesting things about your city!Can you help me make the most of my time here?
Of course! Dunajská Streda may be a small town, but it’s packed with character.Be sure to try some local food — the traditional cuisine here is quite nice.If you’re looking to relax, I’d recommend visiting the Thermalpark, it’s perfect for unwinding.For a bit of culture, the Yellow Manor House is definitely worth a visit.And if you’re curious about the coffee scene, we’d love to chat with you!You can also check out Buena Coffee House for another great spot to explore what’s brewing in town (and beyond) 😉
And finally… tell us about your most unforgettable cup of coffee.
Unfortunately, I don’t remember all of them! 😄But from last year, I’d highlight Meron’s Sidra, DAK’s White Honey Carbonic Gesha, and April’s El Morito Washed Gesha.
"Over the past few years, we’ve learned on the go that specialty coffee is all about connection, community, and constant learning.We’re so grateful to be part of this journey with you all.We hope to see you somewhere in the EU at one of the festivals, sharing a great brew together.If there’s anything you want to know, feel free to reach out to us on socials or via our website!"
