World-renowned coffee roaster Patrik Rolf was halfway through a podcast interview when he had an identity crisis. He had asked Alejo Castro—a supplier of his roastery, April—a straightforward question: “Does April create any value for you as a farmer?”
Alejo didn’t hesitate. “No, you’re not really creating value for me,” he responded.
The answer shook Patrik, who had been celebrated as a leading figure in the Nordic coffee scene since founding his roastery in 2016.
“I’m a pretentious douchebag who says I create value for a farmer without creating any value,” he reflected. “That wasn’t my idea for April.”
At that time, Patrik bought one to two percent of Alejo’s production. The selection was impeccably suited to April’s signature light roasting style, but marginally added to the farmer’s profits. For Alejo to benefit from his relationship with April, Patrik had to buy more of his harvest.
A CHANGE IN APPROACH
As a result, Patrik created Sustainable Profile, a sister brand to April Coffee Roasters. He expanded his scope, buying larger lots from partner farms—starting with Alejo’s. Patrik went from buying 600 kilos of green coffee from Alejo’s farm to over 29 tons.
To showcase the new varietals, he perfected a slightly darker roast profile. The beans are represented in brews at April and SP Coffee, Sustainable Profile’s café.
Patrik didn’t abandon his founding goal to accommodate the change. On the contrary, he was in a new pursuit of it. While April showcases hyper-curated, innovative roasts, Sustainable Profile provides a viable financial backbone to the farmers.
THE RULES OF REFINEMENT
Walk into April’s café, and you’re met with the restrained elegance of a Michelin-starred space: white interiors, uniformed baristas, tableside service, and a coffee tasting menu—the first and only of its kind in Denmark.
“April as a company is very unapproachable,” Patrik admits. “Especially for the average coffee drinker.”
Coffees are segmented into three tiers, each corresponding to an increasing price point and quality level. They’re sold alongside ceramic cups designed to enhance the drinking experience, and a line of utility clothing for those behind the bar.
“April has a lot of rules. There’s a lot of stuff we can’t do,” he says. Latte art is against those rules. Instead, milk-based beverages are poured to prioritize uniform flavor over preconceived notions of how expertly made coffee should look.
A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP
At SP Coffee, you will find a more approachable, playful experience. And latte art. The personality switch isn’t a departure from Patrik’s founding goal; it’s just another expression of it.
Beverages are accompanied by a card listing the origin, varietal, and processing method of the coffee. This finishing touch is an educational gateway into the more esoteric world of high-end coffee next door.
Before coffee hits the shelves at April and SP, it’s roasted in the same roastery, located 30 kilometers away from the city center. The storefronts/cafés are situated side by side in the center of Copenhagen, serving as a catchall for curious tourists and pour-over freaks well-versed in the importance of pour height and flow control.
The two brands may appear to sit at opposite ends of the spectrum—one refined and rule-bound, the other playful and open—but they are in constant dialogue. “We’ve used our Sustainable Profile product as a way to finance and sort out even better lots from the same farm for April,” Patrik explains.
One supports the other. One primes guests for the other.
A PERSONAL TOUCH
Patrik Rolf has built more than two coffee brands. He’s constructed an entire coffee universe. It's one where he can sit in his own café, drink coffee he roasted, from a cup he designed, wearing clothes he helped create.
Every element is personal: exclusive lots sourced through deep relationships, a signature brewer of his own invention, coffee cups crafted to enhance aroma, and a custom clothing line. It’s all aiding the same mission: to make coffee better.
For the farmer. For the roaster. For the guest. And maybe, above all, for himself.
