The Story
Simple Kaffa was established in 2011 in Taipei, tucked into a basement space that made it deliberately difficult to find — a hidden room for people who already knew what they were looking for. That selectiveness was not an affectation. It reflected the seriousness of what founder Berg Wu was building.
In 2016, Berg Wu stood at the World Barista Championship in Dublin, Ireland, and won. He became the 17th World Barista Champion and the first from Taiwan — using a Geisha variety from Finca Deborah in Panama’s Volcan region as his competition coffee. The win was the culmination of a journey that began in 2008, when Berg watched the WBC in Denmark and felt something shift in him. He had studied engineering in college and graduate school. He turned that analytical mind toward coffee instead.
The 2016 championship transformed Simple Kaffa from a notable Taipei specialty destination into one of the most recognized roasters in Asia. It brought international attention to Taiwan’s specialty coffee scene at a moment when that scene was already developing significant depth and ambition.
Sourcing & Relationships
Simple Kaffa sources competition-grade coffees with the same rigor applied to WBC preparation: every coffee must be fully traceable, exquisitely documented, and capable of performing at the highest level. The focus on Geisha varieties — particularly from Panama’s Volcan and Boquete regions — reflects Berg’s competition background, though the sourcing program extends to exceptional lots from Ethiopia, Colombia, and Kenya.
Direct trade relationships are non-negotiable at this level of quality. Berg’s team visits farms in person and maintains ongoing relationships with producers whose coffees have earned a place in the lineup.
Roasting Philosophy
Roasting at Simple Kaffa is calibrated to serve the coffee, not the roaster’s preference. The profiles are light to medium, designed to preserve the aromatic complexity and distinctive character that makes competition-grade Geisha and natural-process coffees worth sourcing in the first place. Heavy-handed roasting would erase the qualities that differentiate a Finca Deborah Geisha from any other washed Central American — and that would defeat the purpose of sourcing it.
What to Try
The Finca Deborah Geisha — when available — is the definitive Simple Kaffa experience, the same origin that won Berg Wu the world championship. The Competition Series releases document the ongoing development of the sourcing program through a competition lens. For a more accessible entry point, the seasonal single origins offer the same sourcing rigor at more approachable price points.