Lars Aaen Thøgersen: Coffee Insurrection Hero Chapter #39

Published by Tanya in Coffee Insurrection Hero · 4 January 2022
Tags: Lars_Aaen_Thøgersen, Interview, Löfbergs, Sweden, Era_of_we

1 - Introduce yourself: who are you, where are you from, where do you work and what’s your job.

My name is Lars Aaen Thøgersen. I am a coffee addict with a sincere commitment to lead coffee into a new and more sustainable direction. This is what my work as chief innovation and circular transformation officer at Löfbergs Group is all about.

2 - When and why did coffee become important to you?

In the late 90’s I got attracted by the Italian style of coffee. It was a real eye opener to me.

3 - Do you remember the first coffee you had that was more than “just a cup of coffee”?

I’ve had this feeling many times during life and my professional career. First, it was that feeling of enjoyment from experiencing that coffee could take many new formats. The third wave in coffee brought many new learnings into my life and for many years the barista was a real hero to me. Later, I got much deeper involved in the business side of coffee and I got to understand the industrial parameters and how we should strive to change these.

4 - What’s your favorite thing about going to work in the morning?

Going to work means working for change. This is my favorite thing. I have daily routines and I enjoy brewing my first cup of coffee when entering the office. But the real value lies in the fact that, together with our fantastic team, I am able to initiate and implement real change that benefits many people.

5 - What’s your favorite brewing method and why?

I do not have one favorite method. I enjoy the variety. Coffee is a rich and complex world.

6 - Which is the best coffee you ever tasted?

My best coffee ever, is every coffee I enjoyied in good company. Taste is really a variable for me. I appreciate the fruity but also complex character in some of the East African coffees, but over time I have repeatedly experienced the feeling that "this coffee must be the best I have tasted". Most often, it is related to the context in which the coffee is served, the company you are in, and also many other factors. Coffee is a social thing to me.

7 - Is there a country of origin that you tend to favor coffee from? Why?

No, not really. But if I really have to pinpoint particular ones I probably would aim for the traditional Kenyan varieties SL28 and SL34. Over time, these have become more difficult to get your hands on, especially because they are very fragile varieties that are sensitive to changes in climate and all major coffee diseases. The cup quality can be exceptional.

8 - Suggest us a roastery to check (not the one you working at/you use at work).

At a field trip to Colombia I was checking out the Pergamino Café based in Medellin. They roast and grow their own coffees and work with small producers across Colombia. I really enjoyed the coffees there.

9 - What’s the most important things you’ve learnt while working in the business?

That coffee is fragile and we need to take good care of it. We cannot just expect that coffee in good qualities will exist in just 10-20 years. With such a scarce resource in our hands, it is almost scandalous that we have not yet succeeded in a more circular use of coffee. When we brew and drink coffee, we use less than 1% of the coffee's total nutritional potential. It is not good enough, and we must focus on improving it.

There are plenty of opportunities in the circular transition, and this applies to all actors in the coffee supply chain.

10 - How your work and the specialty coffee world are coping with Covid and the new challenges for hospitality?

The pandemic has hit ourselves and actors across the value chain hard and fast. Many are struggling to survive and the industry must pull together to rebuild in a more sustainable way. I do see some potential lights at the end of the tunnel, and one of these is the coffee world's embrace of the digital transformation. We need new digital platforms that can bind the many players closer together, speed up smart farming etc.

11 - How do you see the specialty coffee scene in 10 years?

The specialty coffee scene will become more industrial. We will see specialty coffees in new and larger distribution formats, and also the public will become more familiar with the people who grow our coffees.

12 - Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I would love to be part of a wide embracing community working for circular solutions in the world of coffee. To experience the movement as it grow, and to feel the real benefits from this new way of doing things.

13 - Any last word? Any tip or suggestion you wanna share with someone that want to start this path?

Check out www.circularcoffeecommunity.com and sign up on www.eraofwe.com. There is a lot of information to obtain and you even get the opportunity to create your own relationships with coffee farmers and other actors across the coffee supply chain.