THE ALCHEMISTS
Willy and Elisabeth Andraschko
Meet our founders
"The coffee house was one of the greatest cultural achievements of the 20th century."
Elisabeth and Willy Andraschko both grew up in Vienna. At the time, culture mainly took place in coffee houses. The coffee house was a place where one could enjoy art and music, discuss current events, meet friends, make new acquaintances, or simply be alone. "They were magical places, like a theater stage without an audience. A little opulent, a little dusty – a little useless – an atmosphere made for coffee." Willy Andraschko had internalized this culture when he moved to Berlin and joined the later world-famous Café Einstein in the late 70s.
Café Einstein quickly became a meeting place for the literary and music scene, just as the Paris Bar was for the art scene. Talented artists from all over the world showed up – including Terry Riley, David Bowie, and Nico from Velvet Underground.
In the early 1990s, Willy and Elisabeth decided to take it a step further. “It was difficult to get good coffee. The 'Specialty Coffee' movement was still in its infancy. So, we decided to roast our own beans.” Willy visited the Specialty Coffee Association in the USA, we toured Italian roasteries, and met Piero Bambi from La Marzocco – which at the time only had five employees. Even Starbucks and Peet's Coffee only had a few branches. We traveled, learned, and roasted.” After more than twenty years of Café Einstein, the Andraschkos then dedicated themselves exclusively to the art of coffee roasting.
Andraschko Kaffeemanufaktur produces 20 tons of perfectly blended and single-origin coffees per month across more than 1500 square meters. The manufactory is the largest of the small roasteries that focus exclusively on specialty coffee in Germany and meets the highest standards of the Specialty Coffee Association. In addition to exceptional taste, Andraschko Kaffeemanufaktur values sustainable cultivation and responsible production, setting the standard for quality, direct trade, and first-class processing since 2006. The Andraschkos maintain close, personal relationships with all their farmers to ensure correct supply chains and fair trade.
Willy and Elisabeth are involved in all aspects of the Andraschko business – from sourcing beans to roasting and delivery – and strive for excellence in every cup of coffee.
