Rose Coffee Roasters
Sources: Rose Coffee Roasters (website, rose-coffee.com)
Rose Coffee Roasters is a small, independent Swiss specialty roastery founded in Zurich in 2022 by Matt Winton (2021 World Brewers Cup Champion) and Frederic Brunner. The roastery positions itself around world-competition-level sourcing and roasting. In 2025, Rose underwent a major “Rose 2.0” relaunch, establishing a new dedicated roastery and community space in Zurich.
Team
- Matt Winton — Founder and head roaster/buyer. 2021 World Brewers Cup Champion (part of his winning blend used Hacienda La Florida, Ecuador). Previously repaired helicopters in Australia before pursuing coffee professionally.
- Sierra Yeo — 2022 UK Brewers Cup Champion. Joined the team as part of the Rose 2.0 relaunch.
- Gregor and Pablo — Core team members (roles not specified).
- Frederic Brunner — Co-founder at launch (no longer listed in current team).
Roasting
Rose roasts entirely on Stronghold S7X and S9X machines using renewable electricity — a differentiating sustainability claim. Roast style is “light development,” with a focus on sweetness and flavour over roastiness.
- Filter rests: 10–14 days post-roast (some lots benefit from 30 days)
- Espresso rests: 18–21 days post-roast
Processing Level system
Rose uses a proprietary Processing Level 1–5 scale published on every product. The scale indicates how much the processing method impacts the cup versus expressing terroir and variety:
- 1/5 — Pure terroir; classic washed or very low-impact naturals
- 3/5 — Moderate processing character
- 5/5 — Processing-dominant; heavily fermented naturals or fruit co-fermentations
This system reflects Rose’s preference for clarity and terroir expression. Most current lots sit at 1–2/5. This preference aligns with Kaiserblick’s washed and classic natural processing capabilities.
Sourcing philosophy
Rose sources through direct producer relationships wherever possible, with Matt personally visiting farms. Key ongoing producer relationships:
| Producer | Farm | Origin | Variety | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kai Janson | Elida Estate | Boquete, Panama | Geisha | Long-term relationship |
| Peterson Family | Hacienda La Esmeralda | Cañas Verdes / Alto Quiel, Panama | Geisha | Multiple plots purchased annually |
| Jose and Bibi Luttrell | Abu Coffee | Cañas Verdes, Panama | Catuai, Geisha | Annual lots |
| Fabricio Coronel | Hacienda La Florida | Sozoranga, Ecuador | Sidra, Catucai, Typica Mejorado | Contributed to Matt’s 2021 WBrC winning blend |
| Tamiru Tadesse | Alo Coffee | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Heirloom | Distributes Bensa/Sidama regional lots |
| Yusuf | Yusuf Washing Station | Nensebo, Ethiopia | JARC 74158 | |
| Oscar Hernandez | Finca Los Nogales | Bruselas, Colombia | — | Visited in person |
| Pepe Jijon | — | Intag Valley, Colombia | — | Named sourcing partner |
For Colombia lots not purchased direct, Rose uses The Coffee Quest as an importer partner (source of the El Jardin Pink Bourbon lot).
Current coffee catalogue (as of May 2026)
| Name | Origin | Variety | Process | Use | Price (100–200g) | Processing Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yusuf Natural | Nensebo, Ethiopia | JARC 74158 | Classic Natural | Filter & Espresso | From CHF 15 | 2/5 |
| El Jardin Pink Bourbon AW | Tolima, Colombia | Pink Bourbon | Anaerobic Washed | Filter & Espresso | From CHF 18 | 2/5 |
| Abu Catuai Natural #5140 | Cañas Verdes, Panama | Catuai | Natural | Filter & Espresso | From CHF 16 | 2/5 |
| La Florida Sidra CM Natural | Sozoranga, Ecuador | Sidra | Carbonic Maceration Natural | Filter | From CHF 27 | — |
| La Esmeralda Geisha Washed | Cañas Verdes, Panama | Geisha | Washed (cold ferm. + dark room dry) | Filter | CHF 49 | 1/5 |
| La Esmeralda Geisha El Velo Natural | Boquete, Panama | Geisha | Anaerobic Natural | Filter | From CHF 38 | 2/5 |
| The House Blend | Brazil / Colombia | Mixed | Natural & Washed | Espresso/Bialetti | From CHF 10 | 1/5 |
| The Bedtime Blend | Brazil / Mexico / Burundi | Mixed | Washed Decaf (Sugarcane & CO₂) | Espresso/Bialetti | From CHF 13 | 1/5 |
| Rose Tasting Pack | — | Various | — | Filter (sampling) | CHF 20 | — |
No El Salvador appears anywhere in the current or historical catalogue.
Origins covered: Ethiopia, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador. Geographic gap: Central America other than Panama is entirely absent.
B2B and wholesale
Rose has a dedicated B2B programme for cafés, bakeries, offices, and hospitality venues. Applications are made via the website (pages/b2b-login). Minimum order is 5 kg per delivery, in retail bags or wholesale kilo bags. Rose describes itself as open to long-term B2B partnerships with transparency and support.
Wholesale access is gated behind a B2B account application; no public pricing listed.
Retail and subscriptions
Rose offers two recurring subscriptions:
- Rise With Rose — Rotating mid-range single origins (filter or espresso), 1×200g monthly from CHF 18; includes Washed and Natural coffees from various origins
- Obsessions — High-end rare lots in 100g format (CHF 35/month), curated by Matt Winton; includes pre-releases and subscriber exclusives; predominantly Processing Level 1–3
Partners
- Stronghold Roasters — Roasting technology supplier
- Sibarist — Filter paper and brewing equipment (BOOSTER mesh inserts, B3 papers); collaborative development with Matt Winton
- Collective Bakery / ROOTS — Zurich café partners serving Rose coffee daily
- The Lobby Espresso Bar @ ON Labs (Förrlibuckstrasse 190, 8005 Zürich) — Pickup/retail location
Fit for Kaiserblick
HIGH fit. Key factors:
- No El Salvador in portfolio — completely absent across all current and mentioned historical coffees. Kaiserblick would be the first Salvadoran supplier; clear first-mover advantage.
- Swiss geography — Switzerland is within Kaiserblick’s priority export markets (DE/FR/BE/NL/AT/CH).
- Direct sourcing ethos — Matt visits all primary producers personally. Kaiserblick’s vertically integrated model (farm-to-export) matches this; a farm visit invitation would resonate strongly.
- Processing Level alignment — Rose prefers 1–3/5 (terroir-forward). Kaiserblick’s washed lots and classic naturals fit squarely in this range. Heavily fermented coffees are not a good match.
- Premium price acceptance — CHF 27–49 per 100–200g for filter; Geisha at CHF 49. Kaiserblick’s rare varieties (Bernardina, Pacamara, Sudan Rume) can command these prices.
- Accessible B2B minimum — 5 kg is a very small initial commitment; low barrier to starting a trial relationship.
- Importer openness — Rose uses The Coffee Quest for some lots, suggesting they are not exclusively direct-trade; they are pragmatic about sourcing channels.
- Competition credentials — The 2021 WBrC winning blend used Hacienda La Florida (Ecuador). A link to Kaiserblick’s specific lots (elevation, variety, processing) would speak their language.
- WoC Brussels 2026 — Rose will likely attend World of Coffee Brussels (June 25–27, 2026) as a Zurich-based roaster with international ambitions. Primary meeting opportunity.
Caution: Very small team and boutique volumes. Initial green coffee quantities should be modest (5–20 kg green trial lots). Rose sells 100–200g retail bags — they will need small but consistent micro-lots, not commodity volumes.
Contact
- Website: rose-coffee.com
- B2B applications: rose-coffee.com/pages/b2b-login
- Contact form: rose-coffee.com/pages/contact