Why Resilient Coffee Businesses Must Take Risks (Bram de Hoog) - EP1128 Part 3 of 5 (Map It Forward)
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Episode Description
This is part 3 of a new 5-part series on The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, hosted by Lee Safar. Our guest on the podcast for this series is Bram de Hoog, co-owner of Paso Paso Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee roastery based in Hanover, Germany.
The theme of this series is alternative trade models and farmer engagement in the consuming market.
How do you build a resilient coffee business when the decisions that create long-term stability also require taking significant financial and operational risks?
In this episode, Lee and Bram explore the relationship between risk and resilience, and how Paso Paso has approached building a business that can withstand volatility across the coffee supply chain.
Bram explains why taking risks has been fundamental to establishing Paso Paso. From purchasing roasting equipment and green coffee inventory to investing in branding and customer relationships, the business has deliberately committed capital to assets and activities that support its long-term independence.
For the five coffee farming families who collectively own most of Paso Paso, those risks began with investing in a company on the other side of the world.
But Bram argues that resilience depends on more than financial investment. The relationships connecting producers, the roastery, and wholesale customers are even more important.
Paso Paso works to create predictable supply for coffee shops through consistent quality, pricing, service, and long-term relationships with the same farming families. Approximately 70% of its business is wholesale, making customer retention and commercial reliability central to its operating model.
The conversation also examines what resilience looks like inside the roastery itself.
Bram approaches coffee roasting as food manufacturing, prioritising operational efficiency, backup equipment, reliable packaging supplies, and insurance rather than relying solely on the romanticised image of artisanal roasting.
Lee and Bram then discuss how Paso Paso has navigated rising green coffee prices, currency fluctuations, and broader market volatility.
Bram explains that the company is working towards paying $5 FOB for its green coffee while simultaneously reducing production overheads as volumes grow. With the roastery currently operating at approximately 30% capacity, improving efficiency is helping the business absorb higher purchasing costs.
Finally, they examine the customer side of resilience.
Bram argues that a coffee business cannot build lasting commercial relationships unless its customers are also able to operate profitably. For Paso Paso, that means making sure wholesale coffee shops can earn sustainable margins on the coffee they purchase, alongside receiving dependable service and consistent quality.
This episode offers a practical perspective on building resilient coffee businesses by aligning financial decisions, operational capabilities, supplier relationships, and customer profitability.
Connect with Bram de Hoog and Paso Paso Coffee:
Paso Paso Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paso_paso_coffee/
Bram Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bram_dehoog/
Bram LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdehoog/