The Greek company that, for ten years now, has managed to be recognized internationally for the quality and taste of its coffee opens its doors to us.

In 2003, three friends transferred their love for coffee to a small spot in Psychiko. Until they end up with the coffee company they would work with, they would enjoy many coffees. The way they perceived coffee began to be widely accepted. "This small shop, which did not exceed 15 square meters, started to become a neighbourhood store where people from different areas of Athens visited to try something different." From a takeaway coffee shop, they became a place to be for the city's coffee drinkers in a very short time. Influenced a lot by Great Britain, where the Micro roastery flourished, i.e. "Small machines inside the shops themselves that roasted coffee beans from different farms abroad. Every week they had a different farm, which was a huge change for people used to drinking a certain coffee." The three friends built heavily on this mindset, wanting to give the consumer something different every time. "The idea of roasting our coffee soon came to the table." In 2003, realizing such a thought was not easy. "There was, of course, a trend abroad, but until then, the micro roasteries in Athens were few enough to say that we will be able to get influences". So they travelled. They travelled extensively, from worldwide industry exhibitions to coffee tours in Great Britain and Berlin. "There, we learned about roasting and new technical methods for filter coffee or espresso. We saw new technologies in espresso machines and grinders." They made a bet then: "Instead of getting a ready mix from the domestic market, we said let's see what we can do ourselves."

And the name: KUDU

This energy started to spread from friend to friend, and more and more people wanted to put their coffee in his shop. The need to set up a company was now necessary. "We had to call it something. Studying the history of coffee, we came across the legend of Kaldi, who said that his goats ate some fruits in Ethiopia. In these mountains where Kaldi lived, we found that the KUDU lived, or otherwise, the Ethiopian antelope." And just like that, they had a name.

While talking, Nikos and I are walking around the different parts of the space. From training to the point where the beans are selected and roasted. Almost everywhere, there are KUDU paper bags ready to be delivered to the recipient who visits their shop to order their coffee. An e-shop that goes runs at high speeds.

Before all this happened

He has memories of himself and his family enjoying and searching for coffee from long ago. "We grew up with Italian influences since my father studied for many years in Italy. Ever since I was very young, even when my mug was chocolate, I remember my parents asking me if I wanted cinnamon in my coffee." It was in the coffee. Literally, "Inside the house, we had grinders, so every day I smelled coffee." Going into adolescence, most of his friends drank frappes ", which was the trend of the time", while he ordered espressos.

Ten years of development

In 2013, KUDU Coffee was the new acquisition of the Greek micro-roastery. And it had, from the beginning, a tremendous dynamic. Ten years since the first day of its creation and "We have exceeded 200 spots that prefer KUDU for their customers". All these years, they have been careful to serve their coffee in places that can support and highlight it. "We think that the part called piazza can fit a shop, and in the wider area of the Municipality, there can be 2-3 more spots".

The choice is tough. "Unfortunately, we're getting to the point where we don't accept new associates when they're close to an existing one." If now, two new shops appear at the same time in nearby places, then "we will choose the one that can take but also give us a surplus value. That is if we see a job, a passion and a consistency in what we say to his team". The training lasts about a week. Everyone is trained. "Mandatory. No one starts before being trained, and that's because, essentially, we're a company that doesn't have salespeople. This means that all our points are our sellers. Therefore, the places we are located must be able to strengthen and also spread our reputation". They choose the points. They select their teams. "A lot of our customers they're in contact with each other; they go to each other's stores." Many customers ask him where to drink coffee while they are there. When KUDU is not around, Nikos will always suggest "One of our fellow competitors".

The farms

"Besides our three main blends, which go to the wholesale sector, in recent years, we have been working steadily with 25-30 farms from abroad that are constantly being recycled." In a few days, he travels to Colombia to see new farms. "It is a country where the specialty is flourishing. Lots of new farms, treatments, and ways to plant fruit and harvest."

He doesn't have a favourite farm. "But I have favourite countries. I love farms from Central American countries such as Panama, and El Salvador, which have more floral aftertastes and aromas and African countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia". In expertise, now, he chooses European countries. "The coffee shops and the cultures behind the people who run the chains or small individual shops mostly come from Europe." But, for Nikos, the mecca of coffee in New York, New Zealand and Australia. "These are the three vast countries that question coffee."

The auctions

"From the beginning, we started to "beat" varieties of coffee in auctions". This has the advantage that they can take the whole variety of a farm at once and therefore have it exclusively. "On the other hand, if, for example, the whole variety is 300 kilos and nothing else, you don't know who to serve first. Especially when we have such a strong shop running alongside our wholesale."

Myths and Truths about decaf

"If we take out the quality factor and say we have the perfect result there, there are two ways to decaffeinate coffee: The first is by chemical means and the other by natural means. By chemical means, it is mainly done with dichloromethane, which intervenes in coffee pools and helps to eliminate caffeine. And just because the word "chemical" comes in, we cannot say that it is a healthy way. However, it is not harmful to health. The chemical way is currently 99% used in commerce, mainly due to cost. The natural coffee decaffeination process occurs in large water tanks with very high pressure that pours water and continuously rinses the coffee. This water that remains they cannot throw it away because it pollutes the subsoil a lot, and they will have a problem with their crops. So they wash it and clean it of caffeine, which comes at a significant cost. This second coffee decaffeination process is called the water process, and it is the one we use and other Greek companies. This coffee comes out in the flavour and is more expensive than espresso."

KUDU abroad

Before covid, their coffee travelled to be offered in 10 countries. "We are about halfway through as the Arab countries have had to stop due to import rules imposed by covid." Today, the Antilope badge can be found in Berlin, Bucharest, Luxembourg and London. They want to expand their list, so they travel to international competitions. This year the World of Coffee will take place in Athens, and it will be the third time they will participate. "It's in June, and we're looking forward to it."

In their plans, there is the opening of a store abroad and the "opening of our clientele in the province".

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