THE HERMANOS STORY
Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters is our story as two brothers, Victor & Santiago, originally from Colombia and our passion for speciality coffee. Having worked extensively in the food and hospitality industry in the UK and Colombia, we decided to launch Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters – an expression of our passion for Colombian coffee and the joint vision to bring a unique Colombian coffee experience to the UK. All our coffee is Colombian Arabica speciality grade and we carefully select the best coffee beans and hand roast each batch (medium – light roasts) to ensure that you get the perfect cup. In line with what many call the 3rd wave of coffee, our focus is on the quality of the coffee beans, experimenting with new preparation methods, communicating the story behind the beans and the farmers, and sharing that knowledge and experience with our customers.
ORIGINS
Having spent many years in the UK, Santiago moved back to Colombia in 2013 to work there and be closer to the family. While in Colombia, he also decided to reconnect with his country and culture and travelled across the different regions – including Zona Cafetera (the coffee region). During this time, Victor joined him from the UK and they both visited many coffee farms across Salento, Pereira, Armenia, Manizales and developed an in-depth understanding of the coffee industry by speaking directly with the farmers. These visits really inspired them and planted the first seeds of what would eventually become Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters. During their time in Medellin, they also undertook training in coffee roasting and brewing at the Laboratorio de Café in Medellin. Equipped with the knowledge and the right tools, it was time to convert the passion for coffee into a sustainable business.
THE EARLY YEARS
In Nov 2015 Santiago returned back to the UK, and by April 2016 Victor and he had bought their first small batch roaster ‘La Hermosa’ (which they proudly still use today and is displayed in one of the shops). Following months of perfecting the roasting technique and applying all that they had learnt, they launched an online-only business by the name of Zona Cafetera. The early years were difficult to get the business going, but the feedback from everyone who tried the coffee was amazing. Inspired by this, they decided to convert this passion into coffee shops where they could share it with others. Back to the drawing board and with the help of family and friends, they decided to rebrand the business into something more meaningful and which truly represented their story - Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters was formally launched in 2018 as a pop-up in Walthamstow.
MORE RECENTLY
Building on their successes, Hermanos began to launch other shops across London and started to build their reputation for bringing the best of Colombian coffee to the UK. They bring the culture of coffee and Colombia into the design for each shop, with the hope of transporting you to Colombia as you drink your coffee. Staying true to their philosophy and vision, they also visit Colombia regularly to participate in coffee fairs, meet new farmers and source new coffee beans. Hermanos symbolises not just their relationship, but also the brotherhood and connection developed with the coffee farmers and the broader coffee industry in Colombia. The objective was to ensure that the farmers they rely on to provide them with truly exceptional beans should get a fair price and their support for innovating in coffee production. In 2019 they also invested in a fully-electric Giesen coffee roaster that would match their growing need to roast more coffee. Today, you can enjoy a great cup of Colombian coffee when visiting any of the shops or also buy your own bag of freshly roasted Colombian coffee beans in shop or online to prepare your own brew at home.
ORIGINS
Building on their successes, Hermanos began to launch other shops across London and started to build their reputation for bringing the best of Colombian coffee to the UK. They bring the culture of coffee and Colombia into the design for each shop, with the hope of transporting you to Colombia as you drink your coffee. Staying true to their philosophy and vision, they also visit Colombia regularly to participate in coffee fairs, meet new farmers and source new coffee beans. Hermanos symbolises not just their relationship, but also the brotherhood and connection developed with the coffee farmers and the broader coffee industry in Colombia. The objective was to ensure that the farmers they rely on to provide them with truly exceptional beans should get a fair price and their support for innovating in coffee production. In 2019 they also invested in a fully-electric Giesen coffee roaster that would match their growing need to roast more coffee. Today, you can enjoy a great cup of Colombian coffee when visiting any of the shops or also buy your own bag of freshly roasted Colombian coffee beans in shop or online to prepare your own brew at home.