{"id":6115,"date":"2022-01-28T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-28T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/global.typica.jp?post_type=roasters&p=6115"},"modified":"2025-05-13T22:54:03","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T13:54:03","slug":"bell-lane-coffee","status":"publish","type":"roasters","link":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/narratives\/roasters\/bell-lane-coffee\/","title":{"rendered":"Bell Lane Coffee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Bell Lane Coffee was founded in 2012 in Mullingar, eastern Ireland. Since joining Bell Lane Coffee in 2017, Niko Sunko, head roaster and green buyer, has injected a breath of fresh air into the company. Captivated by the world of coffee, and the connections it has brought him, Niko says he will probably never leave the industry. In our interview, Niko has shared what fuels his passion and where he hopes to take the coffee industry.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Direct trade isn\u2019t purpose<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

People\u2019s attitude towards words can offer a window into their personality and philosophy. When Niko said, \u201cI try not to use the term \u2018direct trade\u2019 too much\u201d, his words seemed to capture his sincere nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe term \u2018direct trade\u2019 is commonly used in the coffee industry. But there is no fixed definition,\u201d says Niko. \u201cI\u2019ve seen people in the industry interpret the term in different ways. Some say buying directly from farmers is the only form of direct trade while for others, direct trade can involve third parties.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What I\u2019ve noticed is that the term has been overused lately as a marketing copy. For a small company like ours, it doesn\u2019t really matter whether we buy green coffee directly from producers. That\u2019s because it\u2019s easier to create a sustainable supply chain and an environment where everyone can grow together if third parties are involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We focus not just on building long-lasting, transparent relationships with producers, but also on nurturing ties with other people who help us build those relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Trust improves quality<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom my experience, the key to building long-lasting relationships with producers is to talk about pricing straight away. We then talk about logistics, quality and our expectations. It\u2019s really important to discuss our expectations for producers because unrealistic expectations can put producers in a difficult position. I like to make a plan over five years or so to develop relationships slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, coffee needs a certain degree of quality. But as long as we have a good and clean cup, we can use roasting skills to make it suit its purposes. Relationships with producers start by recognizing it as the starting point and putting faith in them that quality will improve over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roasters hold the key for producers to put their name on the map. This is especially true when producers are new to growing specialty coffee. That\u2019s why it\u2019s crucial for us to be brave in embracing a coffee with a score of 82, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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That doesn\u2019t necessarily mean we are reckless. There isn\u2019t much risk with trusting producers when you think about what that trust will bring you. I can say from my experience that quality will improve when you have long-lasting relationships with producers and gain their trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to work with producers who are already at the top of the market. But I think it is necessary to raise the industry as a whole to a higher level for the coffee world to develop. That\u2019s part of our challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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It was during that challenge that Niko met Heron, a Brazilian producer from whom Niko bought coffee in 2020 for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cHeron had never sold his coffee outside Brazil when I tried his coffee for the first time. His coffee didn\u2019t taste like the typical Brazilian coffee. And I realized Heron knew how to experiment with fermentation. I started working with him not solely because I saw a big potential in him but because he understood where the industry should be going and has the same values that I have. He will probably be famous soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Brazil\u2019s coffee producers took a devastating hit in July, 2021, after a cold snap and frost struck the country. Heron was no exception. But thanks to Bell Lane Coffee, he was able to weather the crisis. Back then, Heron, overcome with emotion, told Niko, \u201cYour purchases saved my business for this year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was an emotional moment for us, too, a moment when we felt proud of what we do at Bell Lane Coffee,\u201d Niko recalls. \u201cActually, Heron\u2019s father used to run the farm. But after he died, Heron\u2019s siblings thought about selling the farm because it was small. Heron objected and quit his job as a PE teacher to take over the farm and do his best to make it work. That\u2019s how he started producing coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs Heron started to work in the fields, he realized that it could be a success if he focused on quality,\u201d Niko continues. \u201cBy the way, all his siblings are back now to help with the farm. Heron comes across as a man who is not so much interested in money, but cares more about people recognizing his hard work. I think our purchases touched his heart so much because he knew he had worked hard. He was very emotional because of a combination of all these circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Industry grows through sharing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Niko was a civil engineer before joining Bell Lane Coffee. He had worked in the construction sector for a couple of years after graduating from university. But the sector shrank dramatically because of a recession. In search of a job, Niko returned to the coffee world, where he had worked as a student to pay for his studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Niko went on to work at several coffee companies, including a traditional, established firm in Ireland, while accumulating experience in roasting. Niko became a member of Bell Lane Coffee in 2017 at the invitation of founder Steven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI thought I would never leave the coffee world on my third day at Bell Lane. That day, I visited the London Coffee Festival and met a lot of people who had the same passion,\u201d Niko says. \u201cI was truly excited to be there, to see so many people and build connections with them. I remember thinking to myself, \u2018There was something more than just coffee here.\u2019 And I fell in love with this world and decided this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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On the other hand, he didn\u2019t necessarily embrace everything about the coffee industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t call it ego, but people seemed to care deeply about prestige. Everyone was fixated on who the best roaster was, or which roasters were better. When I started roasting, people would come to me and say \u2018We do things better than you.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that\u2019s such a waste of energy. When it came to roasting, people didn\u2019t welcome sharing knowledge. Everything was shrouded in a veil of mystery. So I decided to become a person who shares knowledge and information with others, whether they are my competitors or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe that doing so is for the benefit of producers, roasters and the industry as a whole. When we have conversations and share information, that can open new doors. I want to share goodness and create a large community of positive vibes. That\u2019s what we should be \u2018wasting\u2019 our energy on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Niko\u2019s such belief isn\u2019t without its opponents, the most common argument being, \u201cSharing knowledge will threaten your own business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Niko disagrees, however. \u201cIt\u2019s not easy to copy and replicate what someone else is doing. I don\u2019t believe replication is the key to success in the first place. I believe that everyone has to put their own signature on their work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Coffee industry going local<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Since its foundation, Bell Lane Coffee had been based mainly on wholesale business for cafes and other retailers. But that changed in 2020, just after the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The global crisis forced almost all cafes and Bell Lane Coffee\u2019s partners to shut their doors, some permanently, resulting in a plunge in the company\u2019s wholesale. On the other hand, the company saw a spike in online sales for general consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you deal directly with end users, you can get more feedback. It\u2019s obviously rewarding if they liked our coffee. But even if they didn\u2019t like our coffee, we can explore why and do our job to improve. Either way, online has become our new core business. It\u2019s a very interesting area we want to expand further.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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One sentence on Bell Lane Coffee\u2019s website best exemplifies Niko\u2019s philosophy: \u201cCoffee is a conversation, and we want to hear from you \u2013 tell us what you love, what you like, what works, what doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe always think that things shouldn\u2019t stop just at brewing coffee,\u201d Niko says. \u201cThe true value of coffee is the communication it fosters between people when they drink coffee together. One of my best moments is not the experience of drinking a coffee with a score of over 90 but the experience of drinking it with someone else. I may not remember the coffee I had, but I know where and with whom I drank it. That explains it all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In tandem with the growing recognition of specialty coffee across the world, Ireland has seen an ever-increasing number of roasters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think we are coming full circle back to the old-fashioned way of doing things. Just as my mother would always go to a local shoemaker to buy her shoes, if people start to buy coffee and coffee beans from a local roaster, this industry will slowly become locally oriented, too. I think that is where the industry is going, with more and more people buying from local businesses to support their community and its economy while learning what those businesses do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

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Specialty coffee is an approach<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHaving been part of the coffee world, I realized that everyone in this industry seeks recognition for their work. It\u2019s really rewarding for me to see and feel the results of my own work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why I believe I have to be honest with producers about quality. For example, if a coffee cup is rated 81 or 82, it\u2019s important to tell them that the coffee is clean but it could be a bit better next year. And then producers can figure out what their challenges are and what they should do to improve,\u201d Niko says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt could be how they harvest or how they dry. Either way, it\u2019s really easy to raise a score from 81 to 84. Recognizing their hard work this way motivates producers, too.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Nowadays, the focus has been shifted from roasters to producers. And I think that\u2019s where the industry should be going. If a farm gains more recognition and sells more coffee, it will have more funds to invest in farming practices and processing innovations. It could take time, but with a bit of faith and love for the industry, we can get there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I believe the term \u2018specialty coffee\u2019 should be defined as the way we do things; from how we source green coffee to how we communicate with other roasters and cafes. Specialty coffee is an approach. If everyone does a good thing, the industry will grow.\u201d 
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Originally written by Tatsuya Nakamichi
Photos by Verona McQuaid<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":6113,"template":"","prefectures":[938],"roasters-category":[18],"cut_article_video":[979,983],"roasterss_area":[985,984],"acf":[],"toolset-meta":{"roasters%e7%94%a8field-group":{"roaster-kvmode":{"type":"radio","raw":"2"},"image-roaster":{"type":"image","raw":"https:\/\/typica.jp\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Bell_Lane_TOP_A.jpeg","attachment_id":null},"name-roaster":{"type":"textfield","raw":"Niko Sunko"},"roaster-copy":{"type":"textfield","raw":"\u201cSpecialty coffee is an approach.\u201d Leap of Faith Nurtures Industry"},"roaster-shopname":{"type":"textarea","raw":"Bell Lane Coffee"},"roaster-shop-image":{"type":"image","raw":"https:\/\/typica.jp\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Bell_Lane_SIGN.jpeg","attachment_id":null},"roaster-oncup":{"type":"textarea","raw":"I like the time when I discuss the coffee I brew with our team members for around 10 minutes before we get to work every morning. That\u2019s the ritual I cherish the most, that moment of peace that brings the team together before we start the hard work."},"roaster-favorite-farm":{"type":"textfield","raw":""},"roaster-favorite-beans":{"type":"textfield","raw":""},"roaster-ec":{"type":"url","raw":""}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters\/6115"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/roasters"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters\/6115\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13531,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters\/6115\/revisions\/13531"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"prefectures","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/prefectures?post=6115"},{"taxonomy":"roasters-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasters-category?post=6115"},{"taxonomy":"cut_article_video","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cut_article_video?post=6115"},{"taxonomy":"roasterss_area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/typica.coffee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/roasterss_area?post=6115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}