Culainn and Lea are behind the Conscious roastery, who started their journey into the world of coffee in South America. Here they established relationships with a small number of producers, with whom they still work today. They were privy to all the skills involved in coffee production and saw how much work goes into producing a selection of coffee. Naturally, they became involved in the world of choice coffee - first learning how to grow, collect and process coffee, then perfecting their roasting skills and preparing delicious flat whites. With their backgrounds in design, research and international law, they aim to build a collaborative model with partners that provides better wages, contextual education and more opportunities for the people who produce coffee.
Why Conscious?
Conscious means being aware, reflective and making thoughtful decisions. Through awareness, we strive to deliver the best coffee for everyone. We do this practically by working closely with our partners at every stage of coffee production, from farm to cup, constantly learning, teaching and sharing. In this way, Conscious seeks to be an agent of progress and to strengthen the connection between people in a complex and chaotic world. From day one, we wanted to work with choice coffee because we see it as a way to work with marginalized producers to reshape and shape supply chains to be sustainable, fair and financially viable for all involved.
Access
They focus on building long-term relationships with each of their production partners directly and jointly developing opportunities. Paying high prices for their coffee (and being completely transparent about what they pay) is only part of the story; they take into account the specific needs of the producer and try to create tailored support - including investing in their production processes and providing training support to jointly improve quality and productivity year after year. In this way, they work to create a strong and resilient coffee supply chain.
They roast coffee in such a way that its natural qualities and the work that has gone into its production stand out. They begin by understanding the physical characteristics and unique flavor precursors of each coffee lot. They then carefully plan and fine-tune each roasting process to develop these flavors. It strives to achieve perfection through constant testing and iteration.