In this round table discussion the roasters talk about the highs & lows and what it takes to launch a new roastery in 2022.

Guest speakers:
Rob Clarijs at A Matter Of Concrete (Netherlands)
Jimmy Dimitrov at Sweven Coffee (England)
Jorge & Caudia at Orbita Coffee (Spain)
Stephen Houston at Lucid Coffee Roasters (Northern Ireland)

As the name suggests, the founder Rob Clarijs is very proud of being in the Van Nelle Factory, a UNESCO World Heritage concrete monument that was once the biggest coffee roastery in the Netherlands-An incredible heritage to start from! After launching numerous brands and competing around the world (and winning Coffee Masters London 2019), Rob finally started his own roastery and is already making a lot of noise!

After spending more than a decade as a consummate coffee professional and competing in the UK Barista Championships & Coffee Masters, Jimmy Dimitrov opened his own cafe in Bristol. With Sweven’sperception for execution of quality, excellence and dedication to craft, it seemed almost inevitable that roasting would follow and sure enough, from March this year they are offering the finest and most dynamic coffees they can possibly source.

The young team of Claudia Sans and Jorge Verdú Añon started Orbita with the support of a very established coffee company in Barcelona. This background allows them to focus on offering just three origins on their menu in order to control each roast profile and to explore each coffee more thoroughly. Their mission is to rotate coffees constantly (like an orbit!) to give you a deeper appreciation of specialty coffee. A really great concept!

Lucid is so new that we don’t actually have enough information at time of printing this but what we already know is that founder Stephen Houston is former head roaster at Bailies Coffee Roasters, a 2019 Irish Aeropress Champion and 2017 & 2019 Irish Brewers Cup Champion. If that doesn’t make an exciting roaster then I don't know what does! As we speak he is putting the final touches to his new roastery and we're so pleased to have the honour to be the first to feature his coffee.