This is where we open the curtain on how we think, source, roast, and serve. At 1998, coffee is a craft shaped by curiosity, transparency, and an obsession with flavour. We question standards, challenge assumptions, and build our own way of working, from the farmers we partner with to the cups we serve every day.

Sourcing coffee

At 1998, discovering coffee beyond the norm begins long before a cup reaches your hands. It starts at origin — with the farmers, cooperatives, and producers who shape the raw potential of every bean. We choose to work with people who share our values: transparency, innovation, and a genuine commitment to elevating quality. We look for identity. Coffees that speak of place, process, and intention. Coffees that taste alive.

Our sourcing approach is built on curiosity. We explore experimental fermentations, lesser-known varieties, and producers who aren’t afraid to push boundaries. But we also value consistency and resilience — the kind of partners who invest in long-term quality, not one-off novelty. Every purchase is a conversation, a relationship, and a belief in shared craftsmanship.

Buy Our Coffee

Once the green coffee arrives, roasting becomes our way of translating that potential. We roast to highlight, not to overshadow. Every profile is shaped through controlled development, sensory evaluation, and countless iterations. We’re not chasing a “roast style”; we’re chasing clarity, sweetness, structure, and balance. The goal is simple: let the coffee taste like itself.

Quality control is integrated into our daily workflow. We cup every batch, measure, adjust, question, and repeat. We treat QC not as a checkpoint, but as a philosophy — a commitment to refinement and responsibility with no exceptions.

This is the mindset behind 1998: source with purpose, roast with intention, stay relentlessly curious and have fun. Because great coffee isn’t the final result — it’s where the story begins.

Our Roasting

Roasting at 1998 is driven by one philosophy: reveal the coffee, don’t disguise it. Every bean arrives with its own potential — Roasting reveals the aromas of a terroir, a variety, and processing — This complexity makes our profession exceptional and our job is to bring that potential forward with precision and intention. We don’t roast to fit a style; we roast to express what’s already there — sweetness, structure, and balance.

Our process begins with understanding the coffee at a deep level. We study the beans density, moisture, size, and processing impact before we ever turn on the roaster. These characteristics guide our approach to heat application, airflow, development, and overall roasting design. Nothing is random; everything is informed by data, sensory work, and experience.

Profiling is iterative. For each new coffee, we create multiple test roasts, cup extensively, adjust variables, and refine until the expression aligns with our vision. We’re looking for transparency — acidity that makes sense, sweetness that feels natural, and a finish that is clean and intentional. If a profile masks origin character or flattens complexity, it goes back to the drawing board.

Consistency is where craft becomes discipline. Every production batch is logged, measured, tasted, and compared to previous roasts. Our QC routine is daily, structured, and honest. If something is off, we correct it — no exceptions. Quality control isn’t just a technical step; it’s how we protect the work of the producers and maintain the integrity of our own craft.

We roast with respect: for the raw material, for the people behind it, and for the guests who trust us with their cup. At 1998, roasting isn’t about creating our signature taste — it’s about allowing each coffee to have its own voice.

The Design Behind The Brand

At 1998, we believe great coffee deserves great design.

We value strong visuals, thoughtful details, and creative thinking in everything we do — from our packaging and spaces, to our digital presence and storytelling. For us, design isn’t about looking good; it’s about expressing who we are, inspiring curiosity, and creating an experience that feels as fresh and intentional as the coffee itself.

1998’s design philosophy is built on a simple idea: coffee should feel modern, expressive, and culturally alive. Our visual identity blends Nordic minimalism with the vibrant energy of late-90s and early-2000s culture — an era defined by bold colours, raw creativity, and a new wave of music, fashion, and attitude. It’s a balance between clean structure and playful edge; between precision and personality.

We design with intention. Every colour, material, typeface, and layout choice reflects who we are: a brand that respects craft but refuses to be boxed in by traditional coffee aesthetics. We choose electric tones, sharp contrasts, and visual elements that feel fresh, confident, and a little disruptive. It’s coffee, but not as you’ve been taught to see it.

Our spaces and packaging follow the same principle. We want everything we create to feel simple at first glance but layered with meaning the closer you look. The minimalism gives clarity; the colour gives attitude. Together, they express the duality at the core of 1998: refined craft and street-level culture.

Branding, for us, is more than visuals — it’s an experience. It’s how a bag feels in your hand, how a cup stands out in a crowd, how a playlist sets the room, how a menu becomes a design object. It’s about creating environments that feel both familiar and completely new.

Above all, our design aims to spark curiosity. To make people look twice. To signal that what’s inside the cup — and behind the brand — is something beyond the norm. This is 1998: thoughtful, bold, and always evolving.