The best coffee born from family passion

Roasting coffee is an art, a bit like painting a picture," say the owners of Gdańsk Coffee Roastery. Where did the idea for starting the company come from? How do they divide their responsibilities? Get to know the passion of Anna and Dawid Banaczek.

Who came up with the idea of ​​founding Gdańsk Coffee Roastery, and where does such a passion in a family, which many of us associate with sports, come from?
(A.I.B.) Dawid was the originator from the very beginning. He has always been a professional athlete, a football player, and a coach for our family. Our first joint business was a football academy. This direction, in my opinion, seemed quite natural. Moreover, our academy was very successful, so it's no wonder that initially Dawid's idea surprised us slightly.
Where does Dawid's passion for coffee come from? I really don't know. When Dawid was training in roasting techniques in the initial phase of preparations, I thought it was just a temporary distraction, a new hobby. However, with each passing month, the concept took on real shapes, and we became increasingly convinced of this idea.

(D.B) My adventure began with hobby roasting coffee for domestic use. The first roaster course I took in London got me so into the subject of coffee that I started developing at a professional level. The training was attended by a small group of people from different continents. Searching for flavors and playing with coffee unexpectedly turned into creating a company in a new industry for me. Today, I have immense satisfaction when I see that the demand for a product that we have created from start to finish is constantly growing.

From the beginning, did you know that you would want to handle everything yourselves?
At the start, it is very important to refine every detail of the product that will be ours from start to finish. That's why we wanted the choice of each bean, packaging, and label to be thoughtful and done together. However, looking ahead, Gdańsk Coffee Roastery will need a lot of hands to work. We already employ several people to help with packing and sales.

Is working on roasting coffee difficult? What does it actually involve?
(D.B.) Roasting coffee is an art, a bit like painting a picture. The roasting process involves many factors. From choosing good quality green beans, through selecting the right roasting profile to finishing the entire process at the right moment to "extract" the full potential from the bean. This means that there is no single simple recipe, and each roaster has their own, characteristic style.

Does your daughter, Laura, also help you? Where does her interest in coffee come from?
(D.B.) The production process is complex. It includes many creative elements. Laura has an artistic soul; she is a student at a ballet school in Gdańsk. Her sensitivity and resourcefulness enchant us. Together with my wife, they make a great duo that creates the image of the products. Laura has great ideas for graphic label designs but also the imagination to compose flavors.

What are your holidays like? Do you nurture any special Christmas traditions? Holidays in our family are very traditional. It's a time for meetings with loved ones. Of course, there's not only borscht and a Christmas tree smelling in our house but also gingerbread coffee. Guests gladly drink coffee with us, discovering new flavors and brewing methods. Coffee is practically obligatory and expected on our table, especially during the holidays.

Dominika Wierzba/KomunikujMY interviewed Anna and Dawid Banaczek.