The Story
Coffee Circle emerged from an unlikely origin story: three management consultants—Martin Elwert, Moritz Waldstein-Wartenberg, and Robert Rudnick—traveled to Ethiopia in 2009 for charity work . They returned with what seemed like an audacious idea: completely restructuring the coffee supply chain . The company was formally established in 2010 “in the spirit of discovery and change” , at a time when terms like “social business” barely existed and online coffee sales were uncommon.
Coffee Circle has built methodically since those early days, establishing their own roastery in Berlin-Wedding in 2016 and opening their first café in 2019 . The Wedding location became one of the first specialty coffee shops in the northwestern inner area of the city . The company now operates five cafés throughout Berlin plus an online operation that ships throughout Europe . Coffee Circle achieved B-Corporation certification in 2016 and currently employs over 100 people from more than 25 countries .
Sourcing & Relationships
Coffee Circle’s sourcing model operates through strict criteria that go beyond conventional certifications, with every package displaying complete farm-to-cooperative traceability . Team members visit producer partners annually, and payment structures guarantee premiums averaging 88% above world market prices—higher than Fairtrade minimums . As founder Martin Elwert explains: “Paying high prices because someone is poor, that’s not motivating for farmers. But paying premiums for exceptional quality? That creates dignity.”
Through their Coffee Circle Foundation, the company invests €1 per kilogram of coffee sold in coffee communities worldwide, funding projects in water, sanitation, hygiene (WaSH), and sustainable coffee cultivation . Their transparency extends beyond typical marketing: QR codes on packages link to actual project reports showing exactly where that €1 goes—buy Limu and you’re funding water infrastructure in Southwest Ethiopia, choose Lake Kivu and you’re supporting farmers facing conflict in Eastern Congo . The company reports investing €2.5 million through coffee sales alone, with another €2 million from partnerships with organizations like Welthungerhilfe, benefiting over one million people through clean water systems, schools, and processing equipment .
Roasting Philosophy
Coffee Circle’s roasting philosophy deliberately challenges specialty coffee orthodoxy—while the industry often celebrates exclusivity, light roasts, and precise brewing parameters, Coffee Circle embraces accessibility, discovering that inclusivity serves both commercial and social missions . As Elwert observes: “We realized that specialty roasters buying tiny volumes are essentially cherry-picking. A cooperative produces five containers, and specialty buyers take maybe 10% of the highest grades.”
Head roaster Hannes Fendrich manages daily operations with meticulous attention, ensuring that Ethiopian heirlooms from 2,200 meters elevation, Colombian beans from Sierra Nevada, and micro-lots from Congo each receive their own specific temperature curve and timing . Walking into their Wedding roastery, visitors encounter aromas of chocolate, stone fruit, and sometimes caramel from beans tumbling in their drum roasters . The company emphasizes daily roasting for peak freshness , with roasters working to “roast all varieties to perfection” while maintaining their commitment to making specialty coffee approachable rather than intimidating.
What to Try
Limu coffee comes from the highlands of Ethiopia’s Limu region and represents one of the first coffees Coffee Circle ever imported, continuing to inspire with its quality . This multi-faceted coffee delights with sweet and fresh initial notes followed by full-bodied dark chocolate aromas from the natural essence of the coffee cherry . The roasters develop Limu for approximately 16 minutes at 203°C to bring out its fine nuances .
Lake Kivu offers a gentle aroma of caramelized almonds with nutty notes, sweet caramel hints, and nuances of fruity red berries, blending vibrant freshness with spice . This Congolese coffee comes from their partnership with Rebuild Women’s Hope (RWH), a female-led cooperative committed to strengthening women’s voices and economic independence in Congo . The medium roast ensures harmonious balance enjoyable both pure and with milk alternatives . Coffee Circle also offers Yirgacheffe with its characteristic vanilla and ripe berry notes, representing their commitment to tasting many different highland coffees annually while maintaining direct relationships with farmers .