Gothenburg, Sweden. Founded 2018 by Johan Ekfeldt. Gringo is a returning favourite in the Bean Bros family, and every time we work with them, they remind us why we keep coming back. Skilled team, big values, and a roaster who still turns on the machine every morning like it's the best job in the world. Because for Johan, it is!
The name came from the workers at Johan's own farm, Finca La Tierra, started calling him Gringo. It stuck. Eight years on, it fits better than ever.
How deliberately do you recruit for different backgrounds, and what does that mix bring to the way Gringo thinks about coffee?
When we recruit, we don't start by looking at someone's coffee background. The most important thing is finding people who are friendly, positive, and genuinely want to be part of the team. People who share our values, care about quality, and want to do their best for our customers.
That said, different experiences bring real depth. André's background in gardening gives him a natural feel for plants, seasons, and agriculture. Sanel brings his own cultural coffee traditions. Those differences broaden how we think about coffee, not just as a product, but as something connected to people, cultures, and farming.
This autumn, our son Petter returns to Gringo after several years of studies and practical training, including time at Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza in Brazil. He brings fresh ideas and hands-on experience from origin, which will shape how we continue to develop the company.
You've been running "Coffee & Vinyl" sessions on Sunday openings. Where did that idea come from?
Coffee & Vinyl is my own little passion project. Before I worked in coffee, and after spending five years at university studying literature, I ran a record store. Music has always been my biggest passion alongside coffee, so bringing the two together felt completely natural.
What I love about both coffee and music is that they invite people to slow down and pay attention, and hopefully listen more and talk less. We have a lot of friends with incredible vinyl collections who come in and play records, each bringing their own taste and perspective. That creates a special atmosphere. Every session feels a little different.
The crowd is quite mixed. Coffee enthusiasts, vinyl collectors, neighbours, families, students, and people who simply enjoy spending a Sunday morning in a welcoming environment. In many ways it has become a community event rather than a niche music gathering.
Nearly a decade on from buying Finca La Tierra in Colombia, what has surprised you most about what it takes to grow great coffee?
When we bought the farm, I think I underestimated how much of quality comes down to having the right team and enough skilled hands at every step of the process. Coffee is really a people business.
Weather is always a challenge. We recently had a hailstorm that damaged newly planted Sidra trees, and every year brings new conditions you have to adapt to. But weather is something all farmers learn to live with.
The bigger challenge has been labour. Finding people willing to pick coffee is difficult throughout Colombia today, and in Cauca it is particularly challenging. Since we focus on small micro-lots rather than volume, every cherry matters, and that requires pickers who understand what we're trying to achieve.
How much does the environmental footprint of roasting factor into decisions at Gringo day to day?
It's both a values statement and a practical consideration.
Our two main production roasters are Loring machines. They still use fossil fuel, but they are among the most energy-efficient roasters available and consume significantly less energy than conventional roasting systems.
We've also invested in a pellet-powered roaster from Nordre Roasters. It runs on renewable fuel rather than fossil gas and uses a combustion system that dramatically reduces emissions.
For us, sustainability isn't a single decision. It's a mindset that influences many small choices: energy use, transport, packaging, farming practices, and how we can create a business that is viable for the long term.
June's Selection
Kenya Karimikui AA - Washed Ruiru 11,SL28,SL34
We bought it when Petter visited Kenya and Sucafina in January, and it is the first coffee from the new harvest to arrive in Europe. The small region of Kirinyaga where Karimikui is located has traditionally been a tea-growing area, so most of the coffee farms are relatively young.
Tastenotes: raspberry, redcurrant,grapefruit
El Salvador El Limal - Washed Pacamara
I have personally worked with this family for almost 20 years, they are the most meticulous and hard working producers you can find. They are at their farms everyday. We have a long term commitment with them, and have since Gringo started 8 years ago, bought every single bean they have produced. This is their anaerobic pacamara, one of the finest examples of a anaerobic coffee you can find. No funk, just structured and complex fruit.
Tastenotes: apricot,peach,garden berries
Bolivia Roxana Chambi - Washed Red Catuai
This is our first-ever coffee from Bolivia. We selected this lot from producer Roxana Chambi after cupping coffees from across the La Paz region. The coffee offers a cup that beautifully expresses the character of its origin.
Tastenotes: grapefruit, nougat, redcurrants
Eight years in, does the name Gringo still feel right?
We're still very happy with the name. It has always sparked curiosity, conversations, and sometimes even a little debate, which is part of what makes it memorable.
The name came from my time in Colombia, where the workers on the farm started calling me Gringo. It was never meant as anything negative. It was simply how they saw me, an outsider trying to understand their world.
Eight years later it still feels right. In specialty coffee, no matter how much experience you gain, there is always more to understand.
For me, being a Gringo today means approaching coffee with humility and curiosity. We may roast the coffee and tell its stories, but we are still guests in a much larger world shaped by producers, pickers, mill workers, exporters, and countless others. The name reminds us not to take that for granted.
