– Can you please introduce yourself in a few words.
We are Kobe (34) and Femke (32) and we are running together our business Kolonel Koffie.
– What’s your story in the coffee industry?
Kobe has a passion coffee since many years now. After a long trip to Australia and New Zealand we decided to open our own coffee bar.
– When did Kolonel Koffie open and what is the story behind?
So we started with Kolonel Koffie in January 2012 in the center of Antwerp. It was a very small cosy place with two levels. We wanted to create a nice place where people would feel at home. Kobe worked alone during weekdays while in the weekend we were running the business together. We settled in the center for tree years and then we moved to the south of Antwerp (Montignystraat). We are running the business now with two other person, making homemade muffins and cakes, sandwiches for lunch…
Our bar is bigger now but we kept the same atmosphere as before: a warm place with good coffee and something nice to eat.
– What’s your specialty and what makes you different?
We strive to serve quality in everything we sell. Our muffins, cakes, toasted muesli and sandwiches are homemade. We are one of the few coffee bars in Antwerp where you can eat something more than a piece of cake.
– What was your first coffee experience?
A great cappuccino in Australia after a few days roadtripping.
– What was your best coffee experience?
A delicious coffee in a beautiful place is always a great coffee experience.
– Do you prepare coffee at home ? If yes, what method do you use?
We drink drip coffee made on V60 or Chemex every morning.
– How do you like your coffee? Black, sugar and milk, iced, vietnamese style,…?
Black or with milk. Definitely no sugar!!!!
– How would you qualify yourself as coffee drinker (occasional, heavy, addict…)?
It depends. Sometimes it’s so busy I drink my first cappuccino of the day in the afternoon. I think we are addict (not a single day without coffee). We taste many coffees but don’t always drink all of it.
– Have you always been into the coffee industry? If not, what was your previous job?
Femke was a social worker and Kobe worked before as barista in a restaurant.
– Do you have another passion or a hobby besides coffee?
For the moment we have no time left for some hobby’s but one day we will have time again to travel.
– What other place would you recommend, anywhere in the world (coffee or not)?
Australia and New Zealand of course, especially for the beauty of the nature.
– What would you say to people who don’t know much about coffee?
It’s okay to don’t know much about coffee, baristas are here to help you!