Interviews January 2026 | I KNOW JERRY FROM TORONTO

Who was in the January 2026 box?

Colourful illustrations full of weird little characters in Antwerp (BE), a coffee in pretty much the middle of nowhere Matfors (SE), BadAss coffee by a BadAss Dad in Hemsedal (NO) and a cup that feels pleasant after you swallow it in Oslo (NO).

Antwerp - Belgium

Charlotte Dumortier

Intro

Your work is well-known, but for those who haven’t come across it yet, how would you introduce it?

I make colourful illustrations full of weird little characters, animals and plants.

Looking back at your 2026 self, what’s the one thing about the "professional illustrator" life that would have most surprised your student-self in Brussels?

Being an artist brought me so much more than I expected.
Travels, collaborations, a life full of freedom and playfulness and beauty.
And sweet friendships <3

You’ve expressed a love for hair buns, fluo riso prints, and crumpets.
If you had to create a "Charlotte Dumortier Starter Pack" for 2026, what three objects would have to be in it?

A tiny chubby cat, orange riso prints, the crumpet can stay.

Antwerp has a lot of coffee spots.
What’s your secret fuel?
Pour-over chic or paintbrush-in-coffee chaos?

A foamy cappuccino in the sun, at the weekly market, while watching people and their cute dogs.

Any creative ideas for taking the coffee-and-art combination to the next level, as Jerry is (trying) to do?

I started drinking coffee out of handmade ceramic cups made by friends and artists.
It really elevates my coffee moment.
I hope to make a bunch of them to give to loved ones this year.

Imagine you’re hiding a “diamond,” a secret piece of art, somewhere in the city for a stranger to stumble upon.
Where would you tuck it away?

In a little backpack on a chubby alley cat.

"Have a lovely day, reader!"

Matfors - Sweden

Stoked

Intro

How did your journey into coffee roasting begin?

I was a barista in Santa Cruz, California and fell in love with specialty coffee the first time I tasted a Panama Natural.
When I moved to Sweden in 2014 I knew I needed to bring this kind of coffee to the people up in the North where third wave coffee was unheard of.
I bought a coffee roaster off of Swedish ebay and taught myself from Scott Rao’s book.
I have never been a person who is scared of trying things. I tell myself, as long as I am paying attention, what’s the worst that can happen?
I worked at a beer brewery and sold my first batches through their food permit.
Eventually, I went into coffee roasting full-time in 2020.

Tell us about your roaster, "Granny Giesen"?

She is the OG roaster.
One of the first models of the 1KG that Giesen produced.
Everything is fully manual and requires extreme focus and patience to get the profiles right.
I’ve roasted many tons of coffee on this little machine and appreciate the bigger body it brings to the coffees.

“Good vibes” isn’t just a tagline for you; it’s a way of doing business.
How do you maintain those high-energy California vibes during Sweden’s long, dark winters?

I have always been focused on people first.
That is why I loved being a Barista and why I work a lot of festivals and markets.
During the winters I spend extra time connecting with my wholesalers and customers and see what they are looking forward to during this next season.
I take the time to reach out to artists and designers and commission new projects and brainstorm new ideas.
It is some of the most fun I have actually.
It also doesn’t hurt that I love to snowboard and ski, so I don’t mind the snow.

Besides roasting, what occupies your time?

I love making music, training in martial arts, and playing video games, to name a few things.
I also own a farm together with my wife and her family, we have sheep, chickens, and grow our own vegetables.
I spend a lot of time in the woods, also.

What is the funniest thing that you have experienced during your coffee career?

I think the funniest thing for me was when I moved my coffee roastery out from the brewery I worked at.
I didn’t have the budget to ship the roaster, so I strapped it onto a forklift and drove it across the city at 2km per hour to the new location.
It was quite the sight.

Matfors sounds amazing.
What would you recommend we do when we’re there?

It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere.
So just slow down, enjoy the drive along the lake, and come and take a sauna at my farm.

"The best thing about coffee is how much of an impact it can make on so many lives from seed to cup.
You don’t need to be the best roaster in the world to make a huge impact on people’s lives and create good in the world.
I am so grateful for all the people who get stoked from what I am doing.
I appreciate you taking the time to try out these lovely coffees."

Hemsedal - Norway

Scandinavian Alps Coffee

Intro

It has already been a year.
Since we have welcomed several new subscribers who may not yet be familiar with Scandinavian Alps Coffee, a short introduction is appropriate.

Hi Jerry members!
Thanks for having us again for your morning rituals!
We are honored and humbled.
We roast coffee in the heart of Norway in the mountain village of Hemsedal.
We love all coffee from fancy Gesha´s to simple easy drinking blends.
When we are not roasting coffee we love the outdoors from hiking, camping, and skiing.
You will have to come visit one day to visit us!

Roasting at higher elevations in Hemsedal presents unique atmospheric challenges.
How do you adjust your roast curves to maintain the signature Nordic light-roast style in a mountain environment?

Roasting coffee is very complex and always changing due to green coffee being an organic living product.
Since we cup our last weeks roasted batches we are constantly changing and tweaking profiles to match the desired taste profile or desired brew method.
Winter and Summer bring challenges but its usually just warm up time on Bernadette 2 our Probat roaster.

From the Gravel Juice collab with Salomon to your work with Blundstone, you are very active in the mountain sports community.
How do these partnerships change the way you think about coffee as a "fuel" versus just a beverage?

We are really proud to be able to collaborate with such international brands and coffee brings a really fun “element” to these brands, or in fact any brand.
One key thing that keeps coming out in the news is how healthy coffee is for you as a beverage.
Coffee is more than fuel or a beverage.
It is a way of life!
Plus, it will make you much more creative.
Did you know coffee drinkers live 10% longer than those who do not drink it.
That's 10 more years you can drink this affordable, true luxury product.

Adrian, the motto of your roastery is “Stay Badass.”
Can you tell a story about how “Badass” you are?

The story of how badass I am probably goes back to childhood and being ADHD, and always questioning anything and everything.
I got in a lot of trouble and had frequent trips to the principal's office.
If everyone went left, I went right and always found ways to go around the rules or even break them.
This has been the secret to success and happiness for me at least.
Nowadays as a Dad of three small kids I am probably not as badass as I would like to think, but at least in the eyes of my kids I still hold that badge of honor: Badass Dad.

What's the most memorable reaction you've gotten from a customer?

That's a good question.
I think when a customer came into Alps HQ for a coffee and ordered a flatwhite and said after “that was 10x better than Tim Wendleboes coffee (Who is the most famous coffee person and roastery in Oslo for those who don't know).

Are there any new things coming up in 2026?

We have started planning a few more collabs and trips to coffee festivals.
Perhaps even our first flagship coffee bar downtown Hemsedal.
Time will tell.
Hopefully, we will get to meet Jerry from Toronto at World of Coffee, which is in Belgium this Summer.

“Folks like us, drink coffee like this.”
… Happy New Year.
Hope you enjoy this light-medium roast microlot from Mexico."

Oslo - Norway

Hibi Kaffe

Intro

Your roastery’s name, "Hibi," means "daily" or "everyday" in Japanese.
Why did you choose this name, and how does it shape the way you select and roast your beans?

I chose the name Hibi Kaffe (Daily Coffee) because I want my coffee to be part of everyday life, simply good coffee and not only for special occasions.
I think about green selection in around five categories so I can always offer something that matches different preferences: bright, juicy acidity; floral and tea-like coffees; herbal and fruity profiles; process-driven lots such as naturals and anaerobics; and classic chocolate-and-nut profiles that also work well for espresso.
From that range, I can recommend coffees based on what each customer enjoys.
In roasting, I focus on keeping each coffee’s origin character and processing expression clear while making the cup balanced and easy to drink.

Having transitioned from head roaster to founding your own business, how has your personal "roasting style" evolved now that you have total creative freedom?

When I started Hibi, I switched from the gas roaster I used as a head roaster to an electric one, so I had to rethink my roasting style from the ground up.
With a smaller batch size, and with the freedom that comes from running my own business, I can test more often and make improvements without being afraid of failure.
It has made my roasting more intentional, more flexible, and more focused on steady progress.

As a woman entrepreneur in a traditionally male-dominated industry, what advice would you give to other women looking to start their own artisanal roasteries?

There are physical tasks in roasting that can be harder as a woman, like lifting and moving heavy green bags, and during pregnancy, there were things I simply could not do.
In most cases, though, you can get help, so it is important to build a situation where you can ask for support and not feel guilty about it.
At the same time, trust your skills and take action.
Being one of the few women roasters can also create opportunities, so I try to see my position positively and use it as a strength, not a limitation.

What's your approach to flavor profiles, and how do you develop them?

My approach to flavor profiles is to roast in a way that brings out what each green coffee already has at its best.
I do not start with a fixed “espresso roast” idea; instead, if a coffee’s sweetness is its best quality, I extend development to build that sweetness, and the result often becomes delicious as espresso as well.
I also care a lot about a clean finish.
I aim for a cup that feels pleasant after you swallow it, and once the taste is gone, you want to take another sip.

Can you tell us something about the location of your roastery and The Little Pickle?

The Little Pickle in Oslo is a bakery/café during the day, where a Japanese couple makes excellent sourdough bread, and in the evening, it turns into a casual dining restaurant.
Hibi Kaffe’s roastery is tucked away in the back corner, and I love working in the same space as The Little Pickle team.
It feels lively and collaborative, and it has become a real community spot where many locals regularly gather.

Given your Japanese background and the Norwegian love for kveldskos (evening coziness), what is your personal favorite late-night coffee pairing that bridges these two cultures?

My favorite late-night pairing is a washed Ethiopian coffee with a piece of Norwegian chocolate called Smash.
After my son is asleep, that simple combo becomes my little moment of kveldskos and a really calming way to end the day.

"Thank you for including me in this subscription.
I hope that people who are trying my coffee for the first time will enjoy it along with my story.
Coffee is a daily ritual, and I love being part of that small, meaningful moment."

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