1. What got you interested in coffee roasting? Did it start as a passion for drinking coffee, to then making your own? Do you think your personal taste weighs in your products?

The origins of Helsingin Kahvipaahtimo can be dated back to the days when the founder Benjamin Andberg asked why his grandfather's coffee tasted so much better than the coffee served at home. This lit a spark that led to experimenting with roasting at the beginning of the 2000s and the founding of not just one but two successful roasteries. Every single product we sell is based on the founding principle that great coffee should be accessible to everyone. We are proud of our products and you can taste that in your cup.

2. Each Finn consumes 12kg of coffee per year, but where do these beans come from? Is Brazil still the main supplier for the raw product? Is it the best, for the kind of product Finns look for?

Brazil is the biggest supplier of coffee in the world and the percentage of Brazilian coffee in Finland is also significant. The success of Brazil is a result of good quality, stable supply and attractive prices. However, a wide variety of origins is represented in Finland, especially in the speciality coffee scene.

3. Regarding flavor profile, why do Finns like Arabica better? What level of roasting, and what is the main extraction method people use regularly? Has the general taste changed a lot through the years?

The taste of Arabica is considered more aromatic and nuanced. That might be a reason behind its prevalence in Finland. One interesting thing to note is that in Finland people are used to drinking very light roasts. There's a logical historical reason for that as Finland enjoys one of the softest waters in the world and soft water doesn't need dark roast to extract taste into brewed coffee. Nowadays people are demanding a wider variety of roasts to suit different tastes and that can easily be seen when looking at the shelves at supermarkets and cafes. But one thing seems to be stable. We drink most of our coffee as filter coffee at home and at work.

4. Chains like Starbucks make a profit on storytelling, selling an idea of traditional Italian coffee that even Italians don't agree on. How do these "big coffee" chains behave in Finland, are people positive towards it? How do professional coffee producers see these corporations?

For one reason or another Finland doesn't really have a lot of outlets of these international corporations. For example, Starbucks has only recently opened its first locations. Local chains have had much bigger a market share and their storytelling has not been that prominent. The big companies are of course competitors but also great benchmarks in both good and bad.

5. How is the weight of fair trade coffee products in Finland? We know of situations in Africa and South America on bad labor practices, so how do you seek for a supplier, being in another continent?

People are nowadays pretty aware of the problems in the coffee supply chain and they look for certifications. People also now that the certifications in and of themselves are not a silver bullet. They are one good means towards a better future. Our roastery sources most of its coffee directly from the farmers and more than half of the raw material is also certified. We want to do direct trade when it is advantageous to both parties.

6. How do Finns like trendy drinks, like cold brew? Novelties have their space, especially when it comes to serious roasting?

It looks as if the trendy drinks are more popular in big cities like Helsinki. That's, of course, to be expected. Most of the coffee is still drank as filter coffee, cappuccinos and lattes coming after that and the rest is a very small percentage. Compared to many countries, espresso itself is not very popular. My guess is that we Finnish people have a hard time giving up our hard-earned money for such a small amount of coffee.

Photo by Mike Kenneally on Unsplash