Name of business owners:
Mr. Ebrahim Saleh A K Al-Khulaifi
Mr. Essa Saleh A KH Al-Khulaifi
Name of competing roaster: Mr. Bharath Chandagalu Govidanayaka
When did your roastery start? And, as the owner, why a coffee roastery?
We started our Coffee roastery in 2016, Coffee is potential growing industry and we both partners passionate about Coffee, we believe that our roasting solution make our dream to achieve innovative range of product in the market.
Question for roaster: How did you learn to roast coffee?
I started as normal Barista and worked in different restaurants. During my profession in Empire Coffee, they realize my passion about coffee. So Empire owners provide best opportunity to learn about roasting coffee. Now I am leading head roaster and managing entire team in our company.
Checking on grades, scoring the green beans and coordinating with supplier in order to the best quality beans. Cupping is the major role after cupping and selection of beans coordinate with procurement team to order the green beans. During this process involvement of senior management for prior approval for receiving quantity and storing and maintain accurate temperature.
Checking the quality of beans on arrival and updating inventory. We will start roasting of small sample quantity for cupping process.
Initial stage we will check moisture of green beans get ready to setup batch of green beans and We will ensuring machine PPM maintenance in order to maintain accuracy and warm up the machine 40 minute. We start roasting following Giesen standard graph as per required profile.
Once completed roasting we will remove defective beans to maintain SCA score. Later we will put in to storage at least 7 days minimum for fermentation. Later will do Cupping again to updating the flavour notes.
What do you love most about the coffee roasting industry?
Aroma of the coffee making me best strength, Cupping is the best part being responsible roaster to identify best flavour notes. All the parameter while roasting beans and moreover explaining tutorial for the team sharing the knowledge about the beans.
In your opinion, is roasting more science or more art?
As per my knowledge coffee roasting is combination of Science and art.
Was there a particular cup of coffee that changed the way you think about coffee?
Every cup of coffee made with great passion and love.
What is your focus as a roastery? Wholesale to cafes? Do you roast just for your own cafe? Sell online?
We have our own Outlets, using our Coffee and we selling coffee in B2B Wholesale market in Qatar as well as online
May you please tell us a bit about your team? Who makes the wheels turn in your operation?
In our Roasting Unit, We have 1 head Roaster, 1 Assistant, 1 Head Barista to support/ check quality and 8 humans for help with packing & storage.
With all the different processing methods now available to roasters, is there a processing method that you enjoy working with? And why?
As a passionate coffee roaster, I enjoying all the processing method but I prefer choose medium profile with slow roast will make more accurate flavour notes as expected.
How have you seen coffee culture in your region grow over the last few years?
We are first kind of specialty coffee roasting in Qatar. Now if we looking the culture around 20+ coffee roaster and 2000+ coffee outlets in Qatar. Our focus to introduce innovative products in the markets and we guided many of roasting companies and restaurant in our region. We engage and serving many restaurants and B2B business in Coffee industry. We are very proud to be part Coffee industry for their successful journey in our region.
Where are you located and can people come visit you?
Yes people can visit our roastery and we located in Duhail, Qatar.
What makes your roastery stand out in a booming industry?
We always focus innovative products and taste in the market. Our main focus to serving best coffee to the people.
