The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD

Advertising Sponsor
Want to join our Map It Forward Monthly Community Discussion Group? Head to https://patreon.com/mapitforward to join the community by signing up for the "Roasted Coffee" tier for 20 USD per month. Find other like-minded people in the coffee industry. This community is open to all stakeholders in the coffee industry

Episode Description

This is part 5 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective.

The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains.

What would success look like for a coffee supply chain built around shared risk, regenerative agriculture, and long-term commercial partnerships?

In the final episode of this series, Felipe and David explain how they intend to measure the success of The Common Ground Collective over the next five, ten, and twenty years.

David reflects on how becoming a production partner has changed his understanding of coffee supply chains and why he believes meaningful relationships between producers and roasters require more than traditional sourcing arrangements.

Both founders explain that their ambition isn't necessarily to build an increasingly large organisation, but to explore whether their approach could become an adaptable model for other farmers, roasters, and exporters.

The conversation explores the potential for regenerative agriculture to improve farming systems, the importance of commercial stability, and the opportunity to encourage younger generations to pursue careers in coffee production.

David also shares how Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters is working toward sourcing 100% of its coffee from regenerative or agroforestry systems by 2030, compared with the approximately 60% he reports today.

Felipe discusses the financial and agricultural measures they're developing to assess the project's performance, including production yields, costs, coffee quality, and how farming practices can influence the final cup.

The series concludes with both founders reflecting on what they hope future generations will take from their work and why creating alternatives to existing coffee supply-chain models matters for the industry's long-term future.

Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective:

The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/

FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/

Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/

Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b

David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

***************************************

About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]

Advertising Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business.

Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com

Episode Description

This is part 4 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective.

The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains.

What problems could be solved if coffee producers and roasters took greater responsibility for the entire supply chain?

In this episode, Felipe and David explore how The Common Ground Collective could address the disconnect between coffee producers and consuming markets, improve access to investment for long-term agricultural development, and create stronger commercial relationships between farmers and roasters.

Felipe challenges the way specialty coffee communicates value, arguing that the industry relies too heavily on repetitive technical information while missing opportunities to explain the people, farming practices, and decisions behind the coffee.

David introduces the idea of looking at coffee's qualities rather than focusing exclusively on cup scores, including soil health, farm viability, and the conditions required to produce the final product.

The discussion also explores how shared ownership could change purchasing decisions, encourage roasters to take greater responsibility for the coffee they produce, and create more meaningful relationships with consumers.

Felipe explains how regenerative farming systems may also change the economics of production by reducing dependence on purchased agricultural inputs and directing more spending toward local labour and farm management.

They conclude by considering why the value proposition for coffee consumers needs to evolve if the industry wants to build sustainable businesses over the long term.

Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective:

The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/

FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/

Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/

Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b

David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

***************************************

About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]

Advertising Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world, farm to roastery, direct. New office now open in the UK.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/
WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523

Episode Description

This is part 3 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective.

The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains.

What changes when coffee farmers, exporters, and roasters begin working together before the coffee is even grown?

In this episode, Felipe and David explore how The Common Ground Collective could fundamentally change the way their supply chains operate, from production planning and financing to pricing, traceability, and risk management.

David explains how becoming involved at the farm level gives roasters an opportunity to participate in decisions about production, quality, investment, and market access much earlier than traditional sourcing relationships allow.

Felipe discusses the importance of predictable business relationships, building slowly with aligned partners, and creating a stronger value proposition for consumers through regenerative agriculture and greater transparency.

The conversation then turns to one of the most significant aspects of their proposed business model: determining coffee prices using actual production costs and business fundamentals rather than relying primarily on movements in the C market.

They also explain their plans to track financial performance, share profits, and navigate the practical challenges of international coffee trade.

Finally, Lee, Felipe, and David consider what happens when things go wrong, including crop losses, extreme weather, and the financial consequences of sharing risk across producers, roasters, and farm workers.

The Common Ground Collective remains an evolving experiment, but its founders are working toward a supply-chain model built on shared responsibility, greater predictability, and long-term commercial relationships.

Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective:

The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/

FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/

Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/

Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b

David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

***************************************

About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]

Advertising Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business.

Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com

Episode Description

This is part 2 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective.

The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains.

What happens when a coffee roaster becomes a partner in growing the coffee rather than simply buying it?

In this episode, Felipe and David explain how The Common Ground Collective is being developed as a 15-year partnership built around shared investment, shared production risk, regenerative agriculture, and the potential to share returns from both green and roasted coffee.

They take us inside their initial 2.5-hectare agroforestry project in Brazil, where approximately 4,000 coffee trees per hectare are being grown alongside more than 1,500 trees representing 20 different species.

Felipe explains the importance of building healthy soil, restoring biological systems, and creating productive agroforestry systems that can also be managed efficiently.

The conversation also introduces a significant aspect of their model: from the first productive harvest, the farm team is expected to receive 40% of the crop, while Felipe and David share the remaining 60%.

They discuss the financial realities of a long-term farming partnership, their intended sales channels in Brazil and Ireland, and why creating alternative approaches to production and pricing could help coffee businesses manage future supply and market volatility.

The project remains a working experiment, but its founders believe it could provide valuable lessons for the wider coffee industry.

Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective:

The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/

FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/

Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/

Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b

David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

***************************************

About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]

Advertising Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Cropster, technology built by coffee people to help coffee businesses manage more of their workflow, from contracts and costs to inventory, roasting, quality control, fulfillment, and café intelligence. Learn more at: https://hubs.la/Q04w4bKG0

Episode Description

This is part 1 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guests on the podcast for this series are Felipe Croce from FAF Coffees in Brazil and David Bray from Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters in Ireland, co-founders of The Common Ground Collective.

The theme of this series is A New Way of Building Coffee Supply Chains.

In this first episode, Felipe and David explain how their collaboration began, what motivated them to explore a different approach to coffee production and trading, and why regenerative agriculture and agroforestry sit at the centre of their thinking.

David shares how his experiences in Brazil, combined with growing concerns about coffee price volatility and climate risk, led him to contact Felipe. Felipe explains why FAF Coffees has been exploring new farming systems and why the opportunity to collaborate with a roaster interested in long-term relationships was particularly compelling.

Together, they discuss moving beyond transactional producer-roaster relationships, building greater stability into coffee trading, and creating supply chains that work for everyone involved.

This conversation introduces the thinking behind The Common Ground Collective. In part 2, we'll explore how the initiative is intended to work.

Connect with Felipe Croce, David Bray, and The Common Ground Collective:

The Common Ground Collective: https://www.instagram.com/thecommongroundcollectivecgc/

FAF Coffees: https://www.instagram.com/fafcoffees/

Blue Butterfly Coffee Roasters: https://www.instagram.com/bluebutterflyireland/

Felipe Croce: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felipe-croce-42180829b

David Bray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-bray-53731b6b/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

***************************************

About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]

Advertising Sponsor
Want to increase your brand awareness in the coffee industry? Advertise on this Map It Forward podcast. Email [email protected] and start the conversation today.

Episode Description

This is part 5 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany.

The theme of this series is alternative trade models and farmer engagement in the consuming market.

Coffee businesses frequently describe regulatory compliance as expensive, complicated, and frustrating. But can the requirements that create additional work also provide opportunities to build stronger businesses and more transparent supply chains?

In this final episode, Lee and Bram examine how coffee roasters and importers can approach compliance as something more than an administrative burden.

Bram explains why Paso Paso has made regulatory preparedness an important part of its operations, particularly given its unconventional ownership structure, which brings together coffee farming families from producing countries as shareholders in a German roasting business.

The conversation examines European supply chain regulations, including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and packaging requirements intended to improve consumer safety and reduce environmental harm.

Bram describes how Paso Paso's existing relationships with its producer-shareholders have enabled the company to collect information about where its coffee is grown and prepare documentation relating to deforestation requirements.

They also discuss Paso Paso's packaging decisions, including its use of laboratory-tested mono-material plastic bags designed to simplify recycling and avoid certain harmful substances.

For Bram, this preparation is not simply about meeting legal obligations. It is also about protecting customers, reducing uncertainty for wholesale partners, and demonstrating that the business takes its responsibilities seriously.

The discussion distinguishes mandatory regulatory compliance from voluntary certifications and explores why small businesses can simultaneously support the objectives of legislation while questioning the costs and bureaucracy associated with implementation.

Lee and Bram consider how regulation can encourage greater accountability and transparency throughout the coffee supply chain, even when its implementation creates substantial challenges for businesses with limited resources.

As the five-part series concludes, Bram reflects on what he hopes Paso Paso will contribute to the coffee industry in the years ahead.

His ambition is not necessarily to build a large company, but to demonstrate that alternative approaches to ownership, trade, and business relationships are commercially possible and to encourage other businesses to consider how they operate.

Bram closes with a message for entrepreneurs: build a business you can be proud of, not simply because of its appearance or profitability, but because of the positive role it plays in the lives of employees, suppliers, customers, and the wider community.

This episode concludes a series examining what it takes to build a responsible coffee business through farmer ownership, direct relationships, resilient operations, sustainable pricing, and regulatory preparedness.

Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee:

Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/

Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/

Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

***************************************

About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]

Advertising Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business.

Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com

Episode Description

This is part 4 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany.

The theme of this series is alternative trade models and farmer engagement in the consuming market.

What is the real difference between operating a wholesale coffee roastery and a retail coffee roastery, and why does understanding that distinction matter so much for profitability?

In this episode, Lee and Bram examine the financial and operational differences between these two business models, including how they approach production, staffing, pricing, cash flow, and business growth.

Bram explains that wholesale roasteries primarily supply other businesses, particularly coffee shops, hotels, and restaurants. Retail-focused roasteries, by contrast, sell directly to consumers through their own cafés, retail locations, or e-commerce operations.

While both models involve roasting and selling coffee, their cost structures and commercial pressures can be very different.

Wholesale roasteries are particularly exposed to fluctuations in green coffee prices and the financing costs associated with holding inventory. Retail operations, especially cafés, face greater pressure from staffing costs, foot traffic, and day-to-day operational demands.

The conversation also explores the limitations of small in-store roasting operations. Although attractive as a business concept, combining a small roaster with a café can create production inefficiencies and limit growth without changes to equipment, staffing, and the operating model.

Lee and Bram then discuss one of the most important differences between wholesale and retail pricing: in wholesale, both the roastery and its business customers must earn a viable margin.

Bram explains why a 20% wholesale retail margin may be insufficient for specialty coffee shops, and why discounts in the range of 30% to 50% are more commercially realistic in many circumstances.

They also examine payment terms and the cash-flow risks associated with extending credit to wholesale customers, compared with receiving immediate payment from consumers.

The second half of the episode focuses on scaling.

Paso Paso currently operates with approximately 70% of its sales through wholesale and 30% through e-commerce and direct sales. Bram explains why this balance supports production efficiency while allowing the company to participate in the higher-margin direct-to-consumer market.

He introduces the concept of peak profitability: the point at which a business is making the most effective use of its existing capacity before further growth requires significant investment.

For Paso Paso, Bram estimates that its current operation could produce approximately 6,000 kilograms of roasted coffee per month without fundamentally changing its infrastructure.

Beyond that point, expansion would likely require larger premises, additional equipment, more employees, and new investment, temporarily reducing profitability before the next phase of growth.

The conversation concludes by exploring why some wholesale roasteries eventually move into retail to capture more value, and why that decision requires an entirely different commercial strategy rather than simply opening a café or launching an online store.

This episode offers an important perspective for anyone operating, developing, or investing in a coffee roasting business: understanding which business model you're building is fundamental to making informed decisions about pricing, profitability, and growth.

Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee:

Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/

Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/

Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

***************************************

About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]

Advertising Sponsor
Want to join our Map It Forward Monthly Community Discussion Group? Head to https://patreon.com/mapitforward to join the community by signing up for the "Roasted Coffee" tier for 20 USD per month. Find other like-minded people in the coffee industry. This community is open to all stakeholders in the coffee industry

Episode Description

This is part 3 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany.

The theme of this series is alternative trade models and farmer engagement in the consuming market.

How do you build a resilient coffee business when the decisions that create long-term stability also require taking significant financial and operational risks?

In this episode, Lee and Bram explore the relationship between risk and resilience, and how Paso Paso has approached building a business that can withstand volatility across the coffee supply chain.

Bram explains why taking risks has been fundamental to establishing Paso Paso. From purchasing roasting equipment and green coffee inventory to investing in branding and customer relationships, the business has deliberately committed capital to assets and activities that support its long-term independence.

For the five coffee farming families who collectively own most of Paso Paso, those risks began with investing in a company on the other side of the world.

But Bram argues that resilience depends on more than financial investment. The relationships connecting producers, the roastery, and wholesale customers are even more important.

Paso Paso works to create predictable supply for coffee shops through consistent quality, pricing, service, and long-term relationships with the same farming families. Approximately 70% of its business is wholesale, making customer retention and commercial reliability central to its operating model.

The conversation also examines what resilience looks like inside the roastery itself.

Bram approaches coffee roasting as food manufacturing, prioritising operational efficiency, backup equipment, reliable packaging supplies, and insurance rather than relying solely on the romanticised image of artisanal roasting.

Lee and Bram then discuss how Paso Paso has navigated rising green coffee prices, currency fluctuations, and broader market volatility.

Bram explains that the company is working towards paying $5 FOB for its green coffee while simultaneously reducing production overheads as volumes grow. With the roastery currently operating at approximately 30% capacity, improving efficiency is helping the business absorb higher purchasing costs.

Finally, they examine the customer side of resilience.

Bram argues that a coffee business cannot build lasting commercial relationships unless its customers are also able to operate profitably. For Paso Paso, that means making sure wholesale coffee shops can earn sustainable margins on the coffee they purchase, alongside receiving dependable service and consistent quality.

This episode offers a practical perspective on building resilient coffee businesses by aligning financial decisions, operational capabilities, supplier relationships, and customer profitability.

Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee:

Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/

Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/

Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

***************************************

About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]

Advertising Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by CoffeeListings.com, by Map It Forward - the marketplace where the coffee world does business.

Find or list coffee, equipment, services, jobs, businesses, wanted ads, and other opportunities across the global coffee industry. www.coffeelistings.com

Episode Description

This is part 2 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany.

The theme of this series is alternative trade models and farmer engagement in the consuming market.

In this episode, Lee and Bram explore what it actually takes to manage direct relationships with coffee producers and import coffee into the consuming market.

Paso Paso is owned by Bram and five coffee farming families based across Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Unlike conventional direct trade arrangements, the farmers are both suppliers and shareholders in the German roasting business.

Bram explains how they established this ownership structure, the legal processes involved, and why their operating agreements require transactions to deliver economic benefits to both the farms and the roastery.

The intention isn't to pay unsustainably inflated prices for green coffee. Instead, Paso Paso's producers aim to benefit twice: first by selling coffee profitably to the roastery, and again through the growth and potential profits of the business they collectively own.

A particularly important part of the conversation focuses on communication between origin and the consuming market.

Bram explains why direct feedback about how coffees perform commercially is essential for building lasting relationships. Rather than simply replacing a coffee or switching suppliers when something doesn't sell, Paso Paso works with its producer partners to understand the problem and identify alternatives.

But direct relationships also create financial and operational challenges.

Bram shares the reality of managing excess green coffee inventory, including Paso Paso's approach to selling surplus stock through its 'After Party' offering.

He also explains why financing and storage have historically represented approximately 20% of Paso Paso's green coffee costs, and how importing their first container independently from Costa Rica allowed them to reduce costs by approximately 16%.

The discussion explores how Paso Paso is beginning to use internally generated funds and shareholder loans to finance coffee purchases, potentially reducing its dependence on external financing.

This is a practical examination of direct coffee trade, from legal ownership and producer feedback to inventory management, capital requirements, and international logistics.

It also raises an important question for the coffee industry: how much of the difficulty associated with direct importing comes from the physical movement of coffee, and how much comes from financing the transaction?

Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee:

Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/

Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/

Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

***************************************

About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]

Advertising Sponsor
This episode is brought to you by Arcadia Green Coffee, Colombian coffee exporters taking fresh green coffee from Colombia to the world, farm to roastery, direct. New office now open in the UK.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadiagreencoffee/
WhatsApp: https://wa.me/353877871523

Episode Description

This is part 1 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany.

Three years after Bram first appeared on the podcast to introduce Paso Paso's alternative business model, he returns to explain how the business has developed, what they've learned, and whether their approach to coffee trading and roasting is proving commercially viable.

Paso Paso operates differently from most coffee roasteries. Five coffee farming families collectively hold 75% ownership of the company, while Bram holds the remaining 25%. The roastery exclusively purchases coffee from those farming families, creating a business structure in which producers participate in the consuming market and share in the value created through roasting and selling their coffee.

In this first episode, Lee and Bram explore what happens when a former green coffee trader applies the principles of international coffee trading to operating a roastery.

Bram explains a fundamental difference between traders and roasters: traders typically seek to secure buyers before committing to coffee purchases, while many roasters purchase inventory before knowing exactly how they will sell it. At Paso Paso, that distinction has shaped a business built around long-term relationships, detailed demand forecasting, and planning coffee purchases 12 to 18 months in advance.

The conversation also explores how Paso Paso has grown to supply approximately 40 coffee shops regularly, why securing long-term customers is different from securing individual orders, and how hundreds of small wholesale transactions contribute to a more predictable business.

Lee and Bram also revisit one of Paso Paso's earliest and most significant investments: branding. Bram explains why the investment has paid off, how packaging influences purchasing behaviour, and why Paso Paso deliberately makes the producer's name the most prominent element on its coffee bags.

Rather than continuously introducing new producers and coffees, Paso Paso aims to help customers develop lasting recognition of the farming families behind its products.

This episode examines how ownership, procurement, branding, and customer relationships can work together to create a different kind of coffee business, and what other roasters and traders can learn from the model.

Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee:

Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/

Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/

Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/

If you found this episode valuable, make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast and follow along for the rest of this 5-part series.

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About Map It Forward

The Daily Coffee Pro is produced by Map It Forward, supporting coffee professionals globally across the supply chain.

Website: https://mapitforward.coffee

Mailing list: https://mapitforward.coffee/mailinglist

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

‘The Coffee Report’: https://www.patreon.com/mapitforward

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mapitforward.coffee/

CoffeeListing: https://www.CoffeeListings.com

Contact: [email protected]