In this episode, we are not only joined by our first coffee-farming guest, but also someone who is growing specialty coffee in South Africa! Des Wichmann is busting all kinds of preconceptions about coffee farming, successfully growing specialty lots at sea level in KZN on Mpenjati estate. While there is  a lot to learn about coffee farming in this episode, there may be even more lessons about entrepreneurship. Des has taught himself how to grow, pick, process, and even roast coffee, without a big community of coffee farmers around him. Listening to him talk about how he has experimented ..read more

In this episode of the Cape Coffee Beans Podcast, we are joined by Winston Thomas, South African Barista Champion and previous podcast guest. We are also joined by Leigh Wentzel, Winston's co-founder at Cedar Coffee Roasters. In this episode, we get to know both founders a little better and dive into the story of how Cedar got started. Winston & Leigh explain their ambitions for Cedar, as well as how they plan to grow a slightly different, second-generation South African specialty coffee business. We touch on everything from their approach to coffee to their go-to-market strategy. It's a ..read more

In this episode, Joel Singer, founder & owner of Origin Coffee Roasting is back to talk to us about a very special coffee from Ethiopia. Grown by Gemeda Elias Dube, this coffee won 19th place at the first annual Ethiopian Cup of Excellence competition. This episode isn't just about that coffee though; you'll learn about what the Cup of Excellence competition is, how coffees are selected, and why the CoE award is so important. We also talk quite a bit about what makes Ethiopian coffee so special. If you'd like to try this coffee, and you're reading this or listening to the episode not long ..read more

This episode is all about a very special coffee, from a very special estate, of a very special variety. For their 10th anniversary, Rosetta Roastery is celebrating with a Rosetta Reserve coffee release: a Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha Natural. This is an incredibly unique coffee and an extremely rare tasting opportunity, not only from a South African perspective, but also on a global scale. In this episode, Rob educates us about the Hacienda La Esmeralda estate, the Geisha variety and how they chose the particular lot that they brought in. Rob describes some of the history of this celebrated c ..read more

Find out what coffee makers, grinders, accessories & roasters are most popular with South African coffee lovers. In this episode I go through the CCB Coffee Awards 2020 and talk about why some of the winners are so popular with our customers. I also talk about some of the runners up and products that didn't quite make it but are well worth a look. You can listen to this episode on its own to find out what items were most popular at Cape Coffee Beans in 2020, but you may also enjoy reading the accompanying blog post. If you want to learn more about any of the specific products, you'll find ..read more

In this episode of the Cape Coffee Beans Podcast, I speak with Winston Thomas, 3 time South African Barista Champion (at the time of recording) and arguably the best known barista in the South African specialty coffee scene. Winston has an amazing story to tell. He went from knowing little about specialty coffee to being crowned best barista in the country three times in just a few years, through incredible hard work, passion and dedication. He shares his story, as well as some interesting perspectives and tips for both home brewers and professional baristas. He also shares his thoughts on wh ..read more

Tune into this episode of the Cape Coffee Beans Podcast to hear Jake's amazing story. From wine-making to trapeze-walking, Jake has a truly unique background. He's also a unique character with quite a unique coffee story! He offers some really interesting perspectives on the industry, on coffee roasting, coffee blending and coffee sourcing. He also has some amazing anecdotes to share. You may laugh. You may cry. You certainly will be entertained. Download this episode to get to know Tribe. If you'd like to support Tribe, please buy some of their coffee beans on our site. You can further suppo ..read more

Join me for a fantastic conversation with Wayne Oberholzer about specialty coffee, the South African coffee scene and his amazing story. Learn how he went from training to be a pilot to winning South African Barista Championships, and then travelling around the world consulting on coffee. This was a truly enjoyable chat with some walks down memory lane to the days when Wayne's company, The Portland Project, got started. If you'd like to support The Portland Project, please do buy some of their lovely coffee beans at Cape Coffee Beans. You can also use their affiliate link when you make equipm ..read more

Meet Regardt van Tonder, one of the founders of Legado Coffee Roasters. In this episode you'll get to know all the intriguing details of how Legado got started. It's quite a story! Regardt is a great guy, a passionate coffee lover and a savvy businessman. There is a lot to glean from this episode on many fronts. You will also probably enjoy hearing how Legado's story overlaps and intertwines with the stories of some of the other coffee roasting businesses that we work with. I would highly encourage you to try Legado's coffee, so if you'd like to support them, you can buy some of their coffee ..read more

In this episode of the Cape Coffee Beans podcast, you'll learn about how Jono Le Feuvre & Rob Cowles have built a world-class coffee business. We talk at length about how they approach everything from sourcing to roasting and even staff training. They offer really valuable perspectives on how to run a high end cafe and focus on excellence in every part of the operation. You'll also learn a bit more about Rob & Jono's history and how Rosetta Roastery has evolved over the years. The goals have remained the same, but the way they interact with the market has changed. If you'd like to su ..read more