Enhancing Efficiency at Nordic Approach's Coffee Lab
Nordic Approach has been a key part of the ROEST company journey since 2018, starting as a pilot customer and recently reaching a remarkable milestone of roasting 20,000 batches on one of their two ROEST sample roasters. To explore how this innovative machine has transformed their lab operations, we sat down with Espen Stokkan Smith, Lab Manager at Nordic Approach, for an inside look.
Nordic Approach is a leader in sourcing and trading green coffee worldwide with a focus on quality, transparency, and impact across the value chain. They provide roasters with ethically sourced specialty coffee from 10 different origins. The coffees on their offerlist include a wide range of flavor profiles, varieties, and processing methods, so having some thoughts on how to roast them can be essential.
Espen joined the team in 2019, as an intern. Over time, he became a permanent hire, eventually stepping into the role of Lab Manager. “My role is the hub between sales and procurement,” shares Espen. His tasks range from quality control cupping to overseeing the entire process from pre-shipping samples to arrival samples, ensuring quality is upheld at every stage, not to mention managerial and administrative tasks such as inventory and stock management, hiring, and emails. Espen’s workday is busy, and it's essential to have an efficient workflow to stay on top of everything!
Espen Stokkan Smith using the ROEST L100 Plus in the lab.
The need for an advanced sample roaster
Nordic Approach was an early adopter of the ROEST sample roasters, thanks to the company’s drive for innovation and the latest technology. Espen notes, “We used to work with the older Probat roasters, but with such a diverse range of coffee products, having more precise data during roasting is essential. The ROEST sample roasters fulfilled that need.” ROEST’s ability to provide detailed data into the behavior of different types of coffee, from washed Kenyan to natural Brazilian, has been a game-changer for their lab. The flexibility and precision allowed them to roast varying batch sizes, easily adjust profiles, and improve processes.
Data-driven roasting and improved workflow
One of the standout features for Espen is the ROEST L100 Plus’ data collection through the five temperature sensors. “Being able to track air temperature, bean temperature, or power input makes it so much easier to design profiles,” he explains. The ability to adjust profiles in real time based on a specific coffee being roasted has streamlined the lab’s daily roasting routine. He also likes features such as the web portal’s interface and first crack detection, but the sensors are his favorite.
Beyond internal use, Espen has found that the ROEST’s detailed roast logs are helpful when customers encounter challenges with the coffee. “If customers are having trouble selling certain lots or they received their coffee and it’s not tasting the same as the sample, we can use the data to help customers by giving suggestions on how to adjust their profiles. Such as try higher/lower charge, put more energy into the beginning of the roast, etc.”
With the lab roasting up to 120 samples a day, workflow efficiency is paramount. Espen emphasizes how the ROEST sample roaster allows them to roast batches back-to-back without the downtime typical of more manual roasters. This allows the lab team to focus on other tasks, such as packing and data registration, while the machine handles much of the work up to the first crack.
Performance and reliability: 20,000 batches strong
Nordic Approach recently hit a significant milestone–20,000 batches roasted on one of the ROEST sample roasters. Espen reflects on the journey, praising the reliability and durability of the roasters. “It’s ridiculously robust. We haven’t always been as diligent with maintenance as we should have been, but it’s kept going strong,” he says. The ROEST office being nearby has also helped resolve any minor issues quickly. However, Espen notes that these are few and far between. “Chatting with your team while getting it fixed, learning how to maintain or repair it, or getting a little more behind the scenes or info on the machine– that's always fun.”
Ease of use and training
Training a new team member or intern on the ROEST sample roaster has been a seamless process, thanks to its intuitive design. “The machine does most of the work until first crack. Teaching someone to monitor the end stages and the final color of the roast is fairly easy,” says Espen. The first crack detection feature, a favorite among users, has made it easier for new operators to handle roasting multiple batches without constant supervision.
Eliza Modzelewska, Lab Assistant, and Espen Stokkan Smith, Lab Manager, weighing out samples for roasting. (Pictured left to right)
Seasonable adjustments and profile tweaks
While Nordic Approach generally uses two to three standard profiles for sample roasting, they frequently make adjustments based on environmental factors and the type of coffee being roasted. “As we move from winter to summer, and vice versa, the roaster behaves differently, so we tweak the profiles,” explains Espen. For instance, depending on the harvest seasons, they adjust the profile to accommodate the bulk of their roasts for that session, whether it’s Ethiopian or Brazilian coffee.
Espen also highlights the ROEST sample roaster's versatility when roasting different coffee processing methods. For instance, “the current profile for natural coffee beans ends up consuming too much energy during the first crack, with a very high rate rise and going very quickly. So we have separate profiles for naturals at the moment and washed. And then Rwandan coffees are also a little tricky to roast, so they get their own profile.”
Conclusion: a reliable partner in the coffee lab
After years of using the ROEST sample roaster, Espen and the Nordic Approach team are thrilled with its performance. “It’s a versatile tool that has helped us maintain consistency and improve efficiency in our daily operations,” he concludes. As Nordic Approach continues to source and roast some of the world’s finest specialty coffees, their collaboration with ROEST remains a cornerstone of their lab’s success.
Try Nordic Approach’s standard profile
Currently, the Nordic Approach lab team uses a BT/power profile for a 130g sample. Copy the profile, download it to your machine, and try it out yourself!
Nordic Approach's current standard roasting profile is a BT/power profile for 130g samples.
