Interviews October 2025 | I KNOW JERRY FROM TORONTO

Who was in the October 2025 box?

Attracted by the extraordinary things in Utrecht (NL), sweet memories of our adventure at the Amsterdam Coffee Festival in Prague (CZ), the combination of good coffee and beautiful branding in Cap Ferret (FR), and triggered by the kindness of Warsaw (PL), where my gratitude is as great as my love for coffee!

Utrecht - The Netherlands

Vrij Formaat

It’s funny how the extraordinary things in life can attract you.
For Dutch design duo Vrijformaat, the extraordinary often hides in plain sight, in colors, shapes, and stories that spark curiosity and connection.
Their work bridges the everyday and the unexpected, transforming ideas into vibrant visual experiences that invite people to look twice and see differently.

We’d love to hear about your backgrounds and experience as artists.

We are two graphic designers who have known each other for a long time.
After many years in our design firm Omniafausta, we really wanted to make more ‘free’ work, not just for clients.
We started to make designs and illustrations under the name VrijFormaat, and also felt the urge to start printing them ourselves.
Things really got rolling once we got our own risograph.
Next to her work for VrijFormaat Esther also makes lino prints, drawings and more under the name Evisch (evisch.nl).

Jerry is a big fan of your “Extra Ordinary” series.
What motivated you to make it?

The objects we showcase in this series are items people use regularly - some even daily - without thinking about the ingenious idea, beautiful design, or the larger concept behind them.
The apparent simplicity of the designs is enhanced by using only two colors.
We chose red and blue and, of course, we use all the shades that result from mixing these two colors.

From silkscreen to risograph, you explore many printing techniques.
Which one do you love the most?

Every printing technique has its own characteristics, so it depends.
What we do most is print on the riso.
Just turning it on brings a smile to our faces.
But some things you can’t do on our A4 machine, so making big screenprints for instance, brings its own wonderful moments.

With Jerry admiring print legends like Piet Parra and Andy Warhol, are there any contemporary print artists you’d recommend?

We would of course would like to tip Evisch ;)
Others that come to mind are Strangford, Cliff van Thilo, Boobie Babes, Myrthe Majoor, Petra Verkade, just to name a few.

Utrecht sounds like a city rich in art and coffee culture.
What are some hidden spots you love?

Some nice places near our studio are Koffie Leute Brauhaus, De Utrechtse Boekenbar, Keek.
And we are lucky to be in the Museum Quarter, so art aplenty.

We’ve reached a point where we need to decide whether to continue the subscription.
Do you have any ideas on how we can maintain what we offer without raising the subscription price or reducing what we pay our coffee roasters each month?

Sorry, we are better at making prints than business advice!

"Thanks for contacting us, it was fun making this extra print for our Extra Ordinary (Bijzonder Alledaags) series."

Prague - Czech Republic

Candycane Coffee

Fast, sweet as hell, and damn, they sure know what they’re doing!
Jerry had a great time at ACF, and it’s easy to see why, Candycane Coffee doesn’t just roast beans, they create an experience.
From barista expertise to beautifully curated coffees, every detail reflects their commitment to excellence and a deep appreciation for the craft.

How did you learn about coffee roasting?

The head of our roastery, Ondřej, started experimenting while working at EMA espresso bar.
One of the most famous cafes around 2015.
All of us who work in cafes know that dead-end feeling, where to move from the position of barista and Ondřej longed for roasting.
Tests on a small air roaster turned into the micro brand "Captain Arabica" and after two years of experience as a flying roaster, we agreed to put our heads together over beer and start a company.

What cause or aspect of coffee motivates the work you do?

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If you could sit down for coffee with anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be and why?

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What was the last cup of coffee that made you smile?

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Since the last time I spoke to you, are there any new plans on the horizon for Candycane coffee?

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We’ve reached a point where we need to decide whether to continue the subscription.
Do you have any ideas on how we can maintain what we offer without raising the subscription price or reducing what we pay our coffee roasters each month?

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Cap Ferret - France

Miche

The combination of good coffee and beautiful branding is like a common thread in Jerry’s journey.”
Nestled in Cap Ferret, France, Miche Coffee is about much more than just exceptional coffee; its visual identity, packaging, and storytelling are all integral parts of the experience.
Collaborations with artists and thoughtful design choices turn each bag into a work of art, making every cup as visually delightful as it is flavorful.
Sustainability lies at the heart of Miche’s mission: from filtered roasting to recyclable packaging, they prioritize care for both people and the planet.
Here, good coffee meets beautiful branding, creating a journey that awakens the senses and sparks curiosity, a journey that Jerry would undoubtedly recognize and cherish.

Can you introduce yourself?

Hi,
I’m Mel, and I roast, pack, ship, and deliver coffee from my small roastery in Cap Ferret, France.
I used to live in Los Angeles, where I worked in tech and took great coffee for granted.
When I moved to a small coastal town in France, not only were there no coffee shops open year-round, but there also wasn’t anywhere to buy specialty coffee.
I had to order online and get it shipped from Bordeaux.
I had a baby, quit my tech job, and then started roasting coffee with the goal of one day opening up a coffee shop here.

What drives your passion for coffee?

I wouldn’t necessarily call it a passion for coffee.
The passion lies in making something delicious to share with people.
Hosting and feeding friends is my favorite thing to do at home, and this was the closest thing I’ve found to that outside of home.

Who’s your ultimate coffee hero?

My mom and her unabashed dislike of specialty coffee (which she calls “sour” coffee).
She doesn’t drink my coffee and proudly buys the burnt “italian blend” from the supermarket.
Also, Mikael Portannier (2025 World Champion of Roasting), who taught me most of what I know about the coffee world and still answers my dumb questions today.

Jerry loves the artwork on your boxes?
Who made it and is there a way he can connect with them?

Multiple artists!
You can find their bios here: https://michecoffee.com/pages/artists.
The pieces were not commissioned specifically for the boxes, but the artists were compensated for printing rights of the selected pieces!

If you could do any job in coffee, what would you choose, and why?

This one!
And one day, being the barista at my own coffee shop.

Cap Ferret, how is it like, and how is the coffee scene over there?

It’s a small coastal town in the Southwest of France that is very seasonal - a good percentage of the shops and restaurants close during the winter months.
It’s a peninsula with pine trees and sand dunes and oyster farms and sailing and surfing.
It’s quiet and picturesque.
Other than Josie Coffee, a small café/coffee shop that serves my coffee, there isn’t much of a coffee scene at all.
We’ve reached a point where we need to decide whether to continue the subscription.

We’ve reached a point where we need to decide whether to continue the subscription.
Do you have any ideas on how we can maintain what we offer without raising the subscription price or reducing what we pay our coffee roasters each month?

I’m not an expert in this department!
But I wish you the best of luck :-)

"Would you go back to a world without social media and smartphones if you could?
I would.
I have Instagram because I feel like I have to for my roastery, but it’s a timesuck and doesn’t feel real.
I feel trapped.
That’s what’s on my mind today.
Thanks for including my coffee in your subscription box!"

Warsaw - Poland

Trigger

Not only do they have excellent coffee, they’ve got the kind of energy that makes you want to stay all day.
A specialty coffee roastery in Warsaw is a place where passion, precision, and a touch of chaos (my chaos) come together beautifully.
Every cup feels like it’s been crafted with both science and soul, the kind of brew that wakes up more than just your senses.
I’m always happy to meet people who can fix my f*ck ups, and the folks at Trigger do it with a smile and a steady hand.
Their dedication to quality (and patience with coffee lovers like me) is unmatched.
My gratitude is as great as my love for coffee! and that says a lot.

Who or what Triggered you to dive into roasting? 🙂

Honestly, I just wanted to always have plenty of great coffee around.
And since other people started liking it too, I had to roast more and more.
I don’t like compromises, and I’m my own toughest customer, but it seems to work for everyone else.

What do you wish someone would’ve told you when you were first starting out in coffee?

When I was getting into coffee, I had a million questions about basically everything.
Looking back, I’m actually glad no one gave me quick, simple answers.
It forced me to explore things on my own and enjoy the process itself.
If I could talk to my past self, I’d probably say this: trust what you sense in coffee and stop buying so many brewing toys.

Over the years, what’s the biggest change you’ve seen in coffee?

The biggest change I have noticed over the years is the price on the C market.
Seriously speaking, I am not sure if it is the industry that is changing or just my perspective.
I am concerned that it is now easier to sell coffee through brand design than through the stories of the people who grow it on the other side of the world.

Who inspires you in the world of coffee?

I’m not inspired by specific people, but by certain attitudes you sometimes come across.
Honesty and the pursuit of excellence as a way of living, not a finish line.
Anyone who genuinely cares about the people around them is inspiring to me, whether it’s their team, their customers, or the producers.

Which elements of coffee continue to bring you joy or unexpected discoveries?

The greatest joy for me is a coffee I drink in the morning that’s warm, sweet, and balanced.

We’ve reached a point where we need to decide whether to continue the subscription.
Do you have any ideas on how we can maintain what we offer without raising the subscription price or reducing what we pay our coffee roasters each month?

Sounds like a physics problem.
So I’ll approach it the same way.
p - price
q - quality
c - cost
v - sales volume
The formula shows that in order to keep p (price) at the same level when c (cost) increases, we can either reduce quality or increase sales volume. ;p

“Coffee isn’t a product.
Coffee is about people.
Enjoy! ;)"

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!