Tim Wendelboe runs his own roastery and espresso bar in Oslo, Norway where he imports, roasts and serves high quality coffees. Tim has won multiple international barista competitions and is known for his ability to create great taste. In this episode, we trace Tim’s career starting as a barista, moving into coffee roasting, and then starting his own Farm, Finca el Suelo, in Columbia where he practices biological coffee farming. We also discuss how Tim works closely and transparently with farmers to improve their coffee quality.
- 8:30 Positively influencing great taste in coffee
- 15:30 The Tim Wendelboe coffee shop experience
- 18:00 How Tim works with farmers around the world
- 27:30 Adventures in biological coffee farming in Columbia
- 43:20 Sustainability and transparency
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Episode Transcript
Analisa Winther, Nordic FoodTech Podcast Host 2:27
So, I want to start a little bit with your startup journey of how you even got into coffee and, you know, like where you began versus where you are now, just so we get some context. So, how did you get started?
Tim Wendelboe 2:40
It’s kind of a standard story in coffee. I just fell into it, I guess. But I started right after high school actually. I just needed a job. And back then, you know, we didn’t have internet, so I kind of just wandered the streets to look for vacancies in the windows of stores and cafes and bars and stuff. And then there was one coffee shop that needed people. That was when coffee shops were brand new, like it was, I think the second year of the modern coffee shops in Oslo, and I didn’t even know what it was. So, I just thought I applied for a job at a normal café, but it turned out to be one of the first coffee shops in Oslo. And, I got the job and kind of fell in love with coffee. I didn’t really drink coffee before I started working there. So, it was kind of a journey.
Analisa Winther, Nordic FoodTech Podcast Host 3:34
Do you remember your first cup of coffee?