Wide Awake Coffee

We’re looking for passionate people to join our team. If the role speaks to you, find all details about the job description and how to apply on https://lnkd.in/e8ZrmEUj

We dive deep in our latest collaboration with @lamarzoccobelgium & La Marzocco to bring one of the top pioneers of espresso machines to our Espresso Bar: the Strada X. The first in Belgium, the Strada X, gives us full control over pressure, flow, and extraction. It lets us fine-tune each shot with accuracy and consistency. More room to experiment. More ways to highlight what makes each coffee unique and honour the work behind each coffee we serve. Come see it in action 🔥 or check out the full in-depth video on all the features and more on our YouTube channel 👀. Link in comment.

We’re happy to be releasing some of the best coffees of the year. Six new releases, each more exciting than the last. Paired with some new and old faces from our team at the Espresso Bar. Super Freak – Natural Anaerobic, JARC, Guji, Ethiopia. Expect heaps of florality and a touch of funk. Easy Rider – Semi-Washed Tabi, Ricardo Leguizamo, Huila, Colombia. Floral, sweet, and balanced. Anemone – Washed Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28, SL34, Murang’a, Kenya. Citrusy and vibrant. (Coming soon!) Wild Card – Hydro Honey Sidra, Nestor Lasso, Huila, Colombia. Intense, creamy, and fruity. (Coming soon this week!) Strawberry Fields – Natural Catuai, Caballeros, Marcala, Honduras. Fruity, complex, and syrupy. Juicebox – Washed Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28, SL34, Murang’a, Kenya. Bright, zingy, and tea-like. Brew them at home or taste them at the bar, these are the coffees we can’t stop talking about. Check them out online - website in the comment section.

Time for a refresh ✨ We updated the color palette of our labels and introduced a few series with a brand-new pattern.  The colors and patterns of our labels express the taste profile of the series. It’s a visual communication of the coffee’s identity. We hope you like the new look! Design by Camille Renard IG: @studio.zorro

Our new website is live. It’s got a fresh look, but more than that, it feels closer to who we are right now, as a team, and as a company in 2025. We’ve reworked it to better tell the stories behind each coffee, from how it’s grown by each producer to how it’s served by our teams in the bars. Have a look around. Let us know what you think! Find the link in the first comment.

New release: Cascara from La Piragua, Colombia. Cascara is the dried skin of the coffee cherry. Usually discarded, but when processed with care, it brews like a delicate, fruity tea. This lot is a Gesha variety grown by Alexander Vargas in Palestina, Huila. Expect stewed apple, quince, cherry tomato, and red oolong — clean, vibrant, and naturally sweet. Lightly caffeinated, super versatile, and now available in limited quantity.

In March, Damien, our Head Roaster, traveled to Kenya to deepen our sourcing relationships and better understand the country’s evolving coffee landscape. We visited Sucafina’s headquarters in Nairobi, along with partners in the Embu region, including the standout Ngaratua Estate. Kenya’s supply chain is currently undergoing major shifts due to new government regulations that limit companies to a single license type. This has forced some to restructure or scale back, but it’s also encouraging more direct trade, giving producers like Ngaratua greater autonomy and access to better prices for their high-quality coffees. Kenyan coffee is prized for its vibrant acidity, full body, and layered complexity, making it a favorite origin among many. Grown at high altitudes on rich volcanic soil, these coffees benefit from near-perfect conditions. The most common varieties are SL28 and SL34, developed by Scott Agricultural Laboratories for their exceptional cup quality and resilience. Coffees are also graded by bean size, with AA and AB being most common, AA representing the largest, and often most sought-after, lots. At Ngaratua, a family-run estate growing SL-series varieties, we were struck by their meticulous processing and dedication to quality. Their AA washed lot stood out with exceptional clarity, florality, and stone fruit sweetness. More broadly, we observed a renewed focus on infrastructure and quality improvements across the region, driven by rising prices and a move away from the traditional auction system. Going forward, our sourcing strategy will prioritize direct relationships with producers like Purity and Peterson at Ngaratua, ensuring traceability, quality, and fair pricing. Look out for their coffees rolling out this summer.

That’s a wrap on this year’s Belgian AeroPress Championship marathon. What a week. Amazing to see the coffee community come together — connecting, competing, and celebrating craft and creativity. Congratulations to Xavier from Alchemists Coffee Family for taking the win and earning the chance to represent Belgium at the World Championship in South Korea. Well done to Bing and Marlies for rounding out the podium with standout performances. Huge thanks to everyone who made this event possible — our judges, MCs, and regional hosts. And of course, we're grateful to our sponsors for their support: Sucafina Europe, Oatly, Lelit, Sage Appliances EU, Sovda, Brita Professional, and Alpro.

This week, we are hosting the Belgian AeroPress Championship. Find more information and data about how the coffee was roasted and the approach taken towards the competition regarding the coffee being used.