Noooooooooo, Marjorie and Jörg do not have a new granddaughter! We are talking about an ancient lady who is constantly tormenting herself with the same work, while making loud, rather desperate-sounding noises. If you stand right next to her, you no longer understand your own word.
The “lady” is a coffee roaster made of cast iron whose owner affectionately calls “Emma”. We are guests at “Kaffee Fredo” in Neuenburg, have just had a wonderful breakfast and now let company director Gerhard Maier teach us the secrets of coffee roasting. The man speaks with passion. We are impressed by his competence and experience. Fascinated, we read the exotic names on the many coffee bags in front of us, while Gerhard Maier tells exciting stories and jumps confidently from region in the world to another.
I am particularly interested in the technology of the machine. Almost everything is controlled by hand and requires a lot of experience and sensitivity. Numerous parameters have an impact on the quality of the coffee. Even the weather. For example, it matters how much the air presses on the chimney. We were also amazed at the care the boss takes to ensure that there is no fire in the machine.
Where does this concentrated competence and passion come from? From an early age Gerhard Maier grew up with coffee because his parents owned a coffee roasting business. Even though he initially learned a completely different profession, this love of coffee led him back home after thirty years to start his own roasting business.
A few more comments about how this beautiful morning came about. Like many people, we have a vice. It’s called coffee. We like to drink (too) much coffee. We have no great aspirations. Not about life in general, not about everyday life in particular. One exception: coffee. After a long search, we discovered our brand two years ago, to which we have been loyal ever since. The rather sudden decision to contact the company was followed by an equally sudden invitation to visit it.