Wow, July! It has been a busy time with various coffee meet ups, including World of Coffee in our home city of Copenhagen! We have spent time with old friends and explored new opportunities, always great when so many people come together! This month we are really excited to share with you coffee from Meron, who are based in Romania! Enjoy their coffee, learn a bit about them and as always, thank you for being a part of Bean Bros!
Tell us a little about the team and your passion for the industry.
At Meron Coffee, our diverse and passionate team includes experienced roasters like Alex Halchias, skilled baristas like Cristian Oltean, who has won numerous championships in latte art and barista competitions, knowledgeable coffee trainers, and creative marketers. Our Operations Department, with each member bringing unique expertise and enthusiasm, and people who contribute to the collaborative and innovative spirit that defines Meron Coffee.
What achievements make you proud?
- Establishing Meron Coffee as a renowned name in the specialty coffee community, both locally and internationally.
- Opening 23 locations in 9 years.
- Launching our own bakery in 2023, emphasizing that quality lies in the details.
- Collaborating with top coffee producers and perfecting our roasts.
- Participating in national and international Coffee Festivals.
- Winning barista championships.
- Launching Meron Gallery, a unique art and coffee space in Transylvania.
What else is integrated into your business?
- The Roastery: We roast coffee to perfectly highlight its profiles and characteristics, sharing the farmers' stories in all our communications.
- Cafés: Our coffee shops are hubs for coffee lovers, each offering a unique vibe that reflects our dedication.
- Bakery: Inspired by simplicity and craftsmanship, our French-inspired, Nordic-influenced products are elegantly simple yet rich in flavor.
- Training Programs: We provide barista training and coffee education, focusing on industry development and helping other businesses serve and prepare good coffee.
- Meron Gallery: Combining coffee and art, this space showcases local artists, enriching the culture of our coffee shop reflecting our belief that art and creativity are essential to the human experience. Curated by Crina Ciocian, it emerged as we expanded our Roastery.
Please let us know the meaning of your name.
As technology advances and communication becomes more superficial, Meron strives to be a place where people can find balance and connection. Inspired by the Greek word "μέρα" (pronounced méra), which means "day," we aim to create a space where people can find inspiration for the entire day.
How is the coffee community in your area and what part do you like to play?
Meron Coffee is a vital part of the coffee community in Romania and Budapest, dedicated to quality, education, and cultural integration.
Romania's coffee scene is growing, with specialty coffee shops and roasteries emerging in cities like Cluj-Napoca, Bucharest, and Timișoara. Coffee festivals, barista competitions, and educational workshops are becoming more common, promoting a culture of learning and excellence.
As a key player in the coffee scene in Romania and Budapest, Meron Coffee actively engages the community by:
- Hosting events and workshops for coffee enthusiasts.
- Collaborating with local businesses and artists.
- Promoting a culture of sharing and learning.
We provide comprehensive training for baristas, from basic brewing to advanced latte art, collaborate with local businesses and artists for unique experiences, focus on high-quality coffee by sourcing the finest beans, and innovate with new brewing methods and flavors to keep our offerings exciting.
Great selection for this month, for each of the coffee being featured please could you share some detail?
Ethiopia Sidama Alo | Anaerobic Natural Heirloom
Tasting notes: Acacia, Melon, Red Grapes, Tangerine, Dried Apricots
Grown at 2350 meters at Alo Washing Station and harvested by hand, this heirloom variety undergoes meticulous drying on 165 African beds for 18-22 days. Once dried, the coffee is stored in jute bags at the washing station's warehouse before moving to a larger facility in Bensa. This exceptional coffee, which requires no water for its natural anaerobic fermentation process, promises a unique and complex aromatic profile.It is ideal for those seeking a coffee with floral and fruity aromas.
Colombia La Dinastia | Washed Pink Bourbon
Tasting notes: Blackcurrant, red fruit, orange blossom, hibiscus
An elegant Pink Bourbon Washed coffee from Wilder Lazo at Finca La Dinastia, grown in the Vereda El Jardín region of San Adolfo, Huila, at an altitude of 1,450 meters. This Pink Bourbon would taste the usual: floral, fruity, hints of spicy, velvet mouthfeel. That’s why before washing, the coffee goes through a relatively short fermentation, submerged in water. This highlights especially the intrinsic body of the Pink Bourbon.
Indonesia Koerintji Barokah | Natural Anaerobic Adung Sari and Sigarar Utang
Tasting notes: Rum, Tropical Fruit, Blackberry, Dried Fruit
Grown by 320 members of the Cooperative at altitudes between 1400 and 1700 meters, on the fertile vulcanic soils of of Mount Kerinci in Sumatra. This coffee includes the Andung Sari and Sigarar Utang varieties, and is naturally anaerobically processed for a boozy, fruity cup profile.These coffees are distinguished by their full body, earthiness, and low acidity. Its tasting profile reveals aromas of rum, tropical fruit, blackberry and dried fruit.
Any closing remark you would like to make to our subscribers...a message of hope, joy, humor...or even how you want them to remember Meron?
Fall in love once more with what truly matters to you. Don't settle. Neither for coffee that isn't specialty, nor for a life that doesn't fulfil you daily.
Drink black and stay bold.
