OR Coffee Roasters
Sources: OR Coffee Roasters (website)
OR Coffee Roasters is a Belgian specialty coffee roaster and training centre founded in 2001 by Tom Janssen and Katrien Pauwels. With over 25 years of roasting experience, OR is one of Belgium’s most established specialty roasters. The roastery is based in Westrem (Ghent area); the brand also operates four coffee bars in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, and Westrem, plus the OR Academy barista school.
OR sources 100% Arabica specialty coffee only and operates on a direct trade model, buying from producers without middlemen in 9 of its 11 origin countries.
Venues and operations
| Location | Type |
|---|---|
| Westrem (Ghent area) | Roastery + coffee bar |
| Ghent | Coffee bar |
| Brussels | Coffee bar |
| Antwerp | Coffee bar |
| Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Westrem | OR Academy barista training |
Direct trade relationships
OR has multi-year direct relationships with producers in: Brazil (Dutra family, Pedra Bonita), Peru, Colombia, El Salvador (Carlos Mendes, Los 3 Potros, Ataco), Costa Rica (Luis Campos; Matías Monge), Honduras (Cafesmo cooperative), Ethiopia (Tsegab, Heleph Coffee), Burundi (Ephrem, Munkaze), and Rwanda (Abdoul).
Kenya and Guatemala are sourced via trusted importers — explicitly noted as an exception to OR’s standard model.
OR’s policy: no buying without a first visit to the origin. Long-term annual commitments with producer feedback even in off-years.
El Salvador — existing supplier
OR has bought from Carlos Mendes of Finca Los 3 Potros in Ataco (Ahuachapán, western El Salvador) since a first visit in 2018. Carlos is a lawyer with a family coffee background who regrowed his plants and focused on quality. His specialty: natural processing (unusual for El Salvador at the time). He also produces honey-processed lots.
Carlos Mendes won the Cup of Excellence and has stayed on the shortlist — a quality signal OR explicitly values. The lot is positioned as a premium single-origin espresso coffee.
Kaiserblick would enter as a second/alternative Salvadoran supplier. Key differentiation: Kaiserblick farms are in Apaneca-Ilamatepec (different region from Ataco), offer washed and honey processing alongside naturals, and different varieties.
Organic certification
OR does not require organic certification. Their position: many producers grow sustainably without being able to afford formal certification, and OR prioritises quality and sustainability practices over labels. Certified producers (e.g., Dutra family in Brazil) are supported but certification is not a purchasing gate. No certification barrier for Kaiserblick (contrast: Coffee Pirates Vienna, which requires EU BIO for its full catalogue).
B2B and wholesale
OR serves three B2B segments:
- HORECA: cafés, restaurants, hotels; espresso machines, grinder supply, barista training, personalised ordering portal
- Office: fully automatic machines, Nespresso-compatible capsules, freshly roasted delivery
- Private label: custom blends, roasting, packaging, and branding for third-party brands
Wholesale covers Belgium and French-speaking markets (Rabie manages Brussels, Wallonia, and France). OR ships to the broader European market.
Team
| Name | Role | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Janssen | Co-founder, Q-grader, sourcing | — |
| Katrien Pauwels | Co-founder | — |
| Wouter | General Manager | wouter@orcoffee.be |
| Quinten | Head Roaster, Q-grader | — |
| Rabie | Account Manager (FR: Brussels, Wallonia, France) | — |
| Nianthe | Administration | administration@orcoffee.be |
| Chanya | Packaging | — |
General: +32 9 3363736, weekdays 09:00–16:00.
Fit for Kaiserblick
HIGH fit. Key factors:
- Active El Salvador buyer — already sources from El Salvador; Carlos Mendes (Ataco, natural) is the current supplier; OR understands and values Salvadoran origin
- No certification barrier — no EU organic requirement
- Direct trade philosophy aligned — OR’s model mirrors Kaiserblick’s approach
- Site visit expected — OR will not start a relationship without visiting; account for this in WoC 2026 outreach timeline
- Belgian base + French reach — Rabie covers Brussels, Wallonia, and France; core Kaiserblick export geographies
- Differentiation path — different region (Apaneca-Ilamatepec vs. Ataco), different processing options (washed/honey/natural), different varieties
WoC Brussels 2026 (June 25–27): As a Belgian roaster, OR is a natural attendee and should be a priority WoC meeting target. Primary contact: wouter@orcoffee.be.
OR Academy
OR Academy offers barista education across all levels — from one-day home barista workshops to multi-day professional barista training programmes. Locations: Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Westrem (roastery). Contact: training@orcoffee.be.
Contact
- Website: orcoffee.be
- General Manager: wouter@orcoffee.be
- Administration: administration@orcoffee.be
- Phone: +32 9 3363736 (weekdays 09:00–16:00)
- Training / OR Academy: training@orcoffee.be