In this episode of the Cape Coffee Beans Podcast, I interview Henlo van der Westhuizen about his South African espresso-machine manufacturing startup. We talk about how Henlo got started and his unique approach to designing coffee equipment. You can learn more about Henlo's espresso machines on our website.

In this episode of the Cape Coffee Beans Podcast, we interview Jason Zeeman, the co-founder of the South African Specialty Coffee Expo. We talk about Jason's background in the music industry and how his love of coffee was born. We also learn how he came up with the idea for a Specialty Coffee Expo and how he organised the first event. Jason and Phaedon also discuss how the Specialty Coffee Expo has evolved, and what it is about the expo that has won over the industry and so many coffee lovers. Whether you've attended one of these events or not, you will definitely enjoy learning a bit more about this special entrepreneurial venture in the South African coffee space. You can find out more about the Specialty Coffee Expo, including upcoming event dates at https://www.specialtycoffeeexpo.co.za/ If you are listening in the run-up to the 2024 Cape Town Specialty Coffee Expo, you can get 20% off your ticket by using this link (Ts & Cs apply).

In this episode of the Cape Coffee Beans Podcast, we chat to Kyle Sinclair, one of the founders of Mylo Coffee Company, the designers of Mylo Speciality Grinders. Tune in to hear Kyle's story, from passionate coffee drinker to equipment supplier. We discuss what goes into a great coffee grinder, and how Mylo went about designing its hand-grinders. We dive deep on questions like burr geometry, the impact of grind consistency on flavour, and the other factors that influence the flavour of the coffee in your cup. You can find Mylo's amazing hand grinders on the Cape Coffee Beans website and also purchase them in-person at our store.

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, rolled up his sleeves and just learned through experience is quite inspiring. You may be able to find Mpenjati coffees to try at Cape Coffee Beans, at certain times. You can also learn more about Mpenjati on the company's website. You can even visit if you're in the area. Unfortunately, we were not able to find the article written by Dylan Cummings that was mentioned in the episode. Here is a link to the documentary about growing coffee in LA that was mentioned from Vice (Munchies).

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 fascinating conversation both from an industry perspective and from the perspective of the consumer. If you'd like to support Cedar by buying some of their coffee beans, you can find their full range available at Cape Coffee Beans. You may also enjoy listening to the previous episode with Winston Thomas.

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 longer after recording (in February 2021), you should go to the Origin Coffee Roasting HQ on Hudson Street in Cape Town, or buy a bag at Cape Coffee Beans. You can also read more about the Cup of Excellence competition on their website, including specific information on this lot. You may also enjoy reading about the first Ethiopian CoE competition which took place during the COVID-19 lockdown at Barista Magazine Online!

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 coffee, and what makes it so special. Whether you get to try this coffee or not, this is a good opportunity to learn more about some of the best coffee in the world. You can buy a bag of this coffee here, but it will only be available for a limited time following the release of this episode.

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 links to all of them included in the post.

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 where the industry is going. You can find Winston on Instagram. You can also support him by using his affiliate link when shopping at Cape Coffee Beans.

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 support them by buying equipment after clicking their affiliate link.

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 equipment or accessory purchases on the site and they will earn a small commission!

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 beans on our site. You can further support them by using their affiliate link when purchasing equipment or accessories at Cape Coffee Beans.

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 support Rosetta Roastery, please buy some of their coffee beans. Many consider their coffees to be among the best you'll find in South Africa, and we certainly agree! You can further support Rosetta Roastery by clicking on their affiliate link when purchasing equipment or accessories at Cape Coffee Beans.

Get to know the full history of Quaffee, one of Cape Town's hidden coffee gems. In this episode, I interview Warren Machanik, founder and owner of Quaffee, and he shares his full story from how he got into to coffee, to how it became a hobby and eventually the business that we know and love. We dive deep not only into the history of Quaffee, but also into the particulars of how Warren thinks about sourcing. We talk about Warren's love affair with Colombian coffee and much more. If you'd like to support Quaffee, and try their amazing selection of extremely quaffable specialty coffees, please purchase some at Cape Coffee Beans. We deliver everywhere in South Africa. Just visit Quaffee's collection page at CCB! You can further support Quaffee by using their CCB Affiliate link when purchasing equipment or accessories.

In this episode, I interview Jonathan Robinson of Bean There, getting to know him, his coffee company, as well as the unique aspects of their approach. This episode focuses quite a bit on the question of sourcing, touching on topics like Fairtrade, organic certifications and the value of direct relationships with coffee producers. If you love coffee, particularly African coffee, I have no doubt that you'll enjoy this episode. If you'd like to support Bean There, and try their amazing selection of single origin African coffees, please purchase some at Cape Coffee Beans. We deliver everywhere in South Africa. Just visit Bean There's collection page at CCB! You can further support Bean There by using their CCB Affiliate link when purchasing equipment or accessories. If you enjoy the show, please do leave us a review and share this episode with your coffee-loving friends!