Yiannis Taloumis
Founder, CEO, Quality Control Manager
(research for quality coffee & controlling roasting process)
Taf Coffee
Athens, Greece
What other coffee jobs have you had?
I did not have any other jobs, my whole career is focused on coffee. I started the family business and evolved it.
What’s your favorite part about working in coffee?
My favorite part about working in coffee is the research done to find the best coffees and the creation of unique taste profiles.
Where do you ideally see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years I would like to have my sons running the company with the same passion that I have now. I would like to share my time between a small coffee farm and some Taf espresso bars and retails shops located in cities with different coffee cultures, serving high-quality coffee, and raw vegan food.
Who and what inspires you?
My family inspires me, a small group of very close partners as well as all the experiences acquired during my trips to coffee producing countries and coffee consuming countries.
What are you drinking right now?
Right now I am drinking a coffee from a small farm in Colombia with a size of 2 hectares. We named the coffee Rosalbina “ Rosalbina is the name of the coffee producer 70 years old who continues to grow coffee with passion. The coffee is juicy with sweetness similar to panela and very balanced.
Crazy/memorable coffee experience you’d like to share?
During my last visit in Guatemala Huehuetenango in the farm Esperanza I did not have roasted coffee beans with me and I really wanted to drink some coffee. The owner of the farm, Aurelio Villatoro took some coffee beans from his warehouse. The coffee beans were with the parchment from the lot Campamento Alto Villaure, located in highest area of the farm. We took out the parchment with our hands and we roasted the coffee beans using a home popcorn machine that Aurelio had. This unconventional way of roasting revealed a great result in the cup to our surprise!
What do you do when you’re not doing coffee?
I like to share my free time with my family.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?
If I have to confess something which is very interesting and may surprise some people it is that right now I am also working on the ibrik coffee (for us Greeks, traditional coffee) and how I can evolve this long coffee culture which was the first brewing method in the history of coffee and from which all the other brewing methods came. I am suggesting a new taste profile and so far regular ibrik coffee consumers are really impressed by that. This concept can be really impressive.
