[I]mpact Roasters—a roaster, coffee importer, and café inside a train station in Valby, Copenhagen—opened early this summer. This is the first coffee business endeavor for owner Daniel Halalla, but he is not new to coffee. Halalla has been engrossed in the coffee industry for nearly his whole life—he started roasting coffee when he was five years old!
The idea for Impact came about around 2012, when Halalla moved to Denmark from Ethiopia and found that the coffee he was drinking wasn’t as good as the coffee he had in his hometown. His goal for the café and roastery is to share Ethiopian coffee and culture with the people of Denmark, while supporting sustainability in all parts of the supply chain.
Each coffee purchased by Impact comes from farmers with whom the company has a relationship, mostly from the regions of Sidama and Gamo Gofa, where Halalla comes from.
At the café and roastery, Impact also introduces Ethiopian coffee culture—one of ancient ceremony—to Danes, who enjoy coffee often, but quickly. The menu at Impact combines the cultures by offering beverages that require more time and care (pour-overs), alongside a streamlined selection of espresso-based drinks (latte, americano, cortado, macchiato), and a small offering of cakes and breads.
Much of the furniture—including tables, the bar, and lamps—is made from recycled and upcycled materials, and many items were purchased secondhand from a Danish used goods store. “We want to show our customers that we value a sustainable approach to the environment and coffee production,” says Halalla.
This commitment to sustainability is a priority in every step of sourcing coffee—from careful attention to farmers and their practices in Ethiopia, to training baristas to respect the coffee and produce a delicious product for Impact’s customers.
Impact also founded a nonprofit organization called Coffeeprint 4Change, which has supported the establishment of a new concrete production facility, built a new water tap station, created a sewing course for boys and girls, and purchased school uniforms. Supporting educational and job-creating projects in South Ethiopia is one of Halalla’s main goals.
“Our goal for the future is to focus on having a positive impact on the lives of coffee farmers and our local community,” says Halalla.
—Rachel Sandstrom Morrison is Fresh Cup‘s associate editor.
