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What are your favorite taste notes?

JOHAN: My approach to coffee, especially to espresso, is very specific. I look for the ‘roundness' of the product’s flavor and its overall aroma. For me, a beautiful coffee has a balance between acidity and bitterness, with notes of toasted almond and light touches of chocolate. After 5 minutes, I should notice the coffee’s wonderful aftertaste. That to me is the perfect espresso. 

I call this the Mediterranean approach: roundness in flavor with a complex and long-lasting finish. My go-to is usually a medium-dark roast.

How has globalization altered the flavors inside our coffee mug?

JOHAN: Globalization has helped us find new flavors and create unique ways of drinking coffee. It is helping our industry discover specific brewing recipes from across the world. Because of globalization, not only do we get to learn about coffee’s origins, but also the ways people consume coffee. In that sense, it has helped us tremendously as an industry. 

As a roaster who is also a coffee farm owner, what do you think about programs such as Fair Trade / Rainforest Alliance?

JOHAN: I think these programs are wonderful and do lots of good. However, coffee today has more than 32 certifications, which could be a bit confusing or overwhelming for the consumer. They might not know exactly what each certification stands for, and, unfortunately, these certifications can be seen as stamps on a bag that help drive revenue. So the question is: do they really help carry out the mission of bringing awareness to the problems within the coffee industry? I’m not sure. The situation appears to be far more complex. 

During my 2010 coffee tour of Latin America back, I wanted to study how coffee was sourced before it arrived at the port for export. I was fortunate enough to go to places like Nicaragua, Honduras, and Brazil to follow certification procedures. When I shadowed inspectors on the farms, I was very happy to see the amount of care and attention to detail involved in the certification process. It gave me hope that there are good people in the farming world.

What are the biggest challenges you find within the coffee trade today?

JOHAN: The biggest challenge from a farming level is the speculation of price. I think it's very unfortunate that Wall Street can dictate the price of coffee. From a roasting level, the biggest challenge is finding consistent partnerships with companies. It’s a crowded and competitive market.

How do you formulate unique coffee blends for your clients?

JOHAN: I used to sit down with chefs and spend hours trying to understand what they’re looking for. But two years ago, I decided that I am the coffee chef and that I know my industry. I have so much respect for chefs, but I wanted to say, “Let me cook for you. Let me play with my flavors.” 

Now, I sit down with chefs and offer them my formula. I always start with the same base component. I call it my “olive oil” because my grandmother’s cooking always starts with that. My olive oil is coffee from Brazil’s Minas Gerais region because I know I’m going to get the body and crema that I’m looking for. After that, it’s all a matter of adding some chocolate or fruit to the mix. I then present the first coffee to the chef or their team, and we’ll get feedback on what taste notes can be added.

What are the unique benefits of small-batch roasting?

JOHAN: Because we are a boutique roaster, we get to work with coffee micro-lots from around the world. We have the clientele that allows us to do so, which sets us apart from our competitors. We are not just a third-wave or artisanal coffee company, we are a boutique coffee company. This means we can work with wonderful micro-lots on special collaborations, and establish long-lasting partnerships. 

Having direct contact with coffee drinkers (end user), how does these interactions help you shape or adapt your business?

JOHAN: At Coperaco, we have been very consistent with our standard house blend, meanwhile creating a lot of single-origin batches or unique blends as well. But offering a consistent product to the consumer has always been very important to me. 

In our other businesses, like Stone Street, we have a very large presence in e-commerce. By doing so, we are able to understand the frequency of orders, but also the type of coffee a consumer likes. Because we have access to this information, we have an idea of what our next move should be in regards to taste. 

We originally thought that Amazon would remain the largest stakeholder in the e-commerce department, simply because you could have coffee delivered to your door the next day. But one competitive advantage we discovered about ordering directly from a roaster’s site is freshness. You get coffee straight from the roaster, and coffee drinkers who are becoming more educated on coffee roasting understand the importance of freshness. 

When I was working as a barista during my studies, I wanted to learn more about coffee. Now our operation in Brooklyn is no longer a mom-and-pop shop. We operate the largest coffee company in New York City, and Coperaco’s culinary approach to roasting has helped us establish long-lasting relationships with Michelin-star chefs and brands like De’Longhi. 

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