8 November 2024 | 135 mins

Episode 135: Spotlight on Berlin's specialty coffee scene

Next week marks the 15th anniversary of the European Coffee Symposium (ECS), set in the effortlessly cool city of Berlin, Germany. Alongside ECS, Allegra is thrilled to be launching the Coffee & Hospitality Expo – two landmark events coming together in one of Europe’s most dynamic coffee capitals.

This gathering is an opportunity to dive into the latest market insights, create new business connections, and celebrate the exceptional people shaping the European coffee scene.

And, to get us excited for our trip to Berlin, today we’re exploring the city’s thriving specialty coffee scene and how it has evolved over the past decade. We’ll hear from some of Berlin’s standout specialty operators – Ralf Rueller, Founder, The Barn, Sophie Hardy, Co-founder, Annelies and Distrikt Coffee and Kresten Thøgersen, Founder, Father Carpenter.

Check out our guide to the city's best coffee hotspots on the COHO website.

Credits music: "30 and Alone" by Lexie in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective

Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

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Guests

Ralf Rueller

Founder, The Barn

Ralf Rueller is the Founder ofThe Barn – a boutique specialty coffee business with 11 locations across Berlin, Mallorca, Dubai and South Korea. The Barn is a leading specialty coffee roaster in Europe, selling beans to home consumers and wholesale customers around the world.

Sophie Hardy

Co-founder, Distrikt Coffee & Annelies

Sophie Hardy is the co-founder of Berlin specialty cafés Distrikt Coffee and Annelies. After moving to Berlin from the UK in 2011, Hardy left her science teaching career to pursue her passion for coffee. The team have also recently expanded their portfolio with Bertie, a bistro concept.

Kresten Thøgersen

Founder, Father Carpenter

Kresten Thøgersen is the founder of Berlin’s Father Carpenter. Originally from Australia, Thøgersen grew up around coffee, honing his skills in Melbourne’s vibrant café scene before moving to Berlin 10 years ago to create his specialty coffee roastery and café in Mitte.