Real stories from the people, forests, farms, mills,
and roasteries behind Slow coffee and chocolate.

MEET THE PEOPLE BEHIND SLOW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Forest · Laos

SOMCHAI

“I grow forests that happen to contain coffee.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Roastery · Nairobi

GEORGE

“The coffee tells a story before it reaches me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Jungle

NEXT?

Welcome to the jungle

ONE GROWS THE FOREST.
ONE PROTECTS THE FLAVOUR.
TOGETHER THEY CREATE SLOW.

 

Forests returning. Nature reviving.

Flavour deepening. Impact taking

root
through coffee & cocoa.

Line-1

 

Somchai



"I WALK THE LAND EVERY DAY TO HELP THE FOREST RETURN."



On the Bolaven Plateau in Laos, Somchai oversees Slow’s regenerative coffee model in the field. Season by season, she tracks the signs of regeneration: healthier soil, stronger canopy, returning wildlife, and better harvests. Her work is to make sure regeneration becomes real; restoring nature while building coffee systems that stay productive and resilient.

George



“I BRING FOREST FLAVOUR TO LIFE.”



At African Coffee Roasters in Nairobi, George works across the full coffee journey, from green coffee sourcing and origin relationships to cupping, quality standards, roasting, and product development. Here, forest-grown coffee becomes flavour in the cup, guided by origin insight, sensory precision, and deep respect for the bean.


"Roasting at origin changes everything — for the farmer, for the cup, for the value chain."

Question Mark Slow Roots Square

 



"NEXT?"

 

CHAPTER ONE · THE FOREST

SOMCHAI.

IMPACT LEAD.


Laos · 12 Years in Agroforestry

"I don't grow coffee."

"I don't grow coffee."

"I don't grow coffee."

Somchai Impact Team (Tree inventory) Nampot Buffer Zone

12+

YEARS IN AGROFORESTRY

Somchai has been rebuilding forest
corridors in the Laos highlands since 2012
— before it was fashionable.

400+

FARMERS SUPPORTED

Every farmer in the Slow network receives
training, fair pay, and a direct stake in the
forest they protect.

100%

BIRD FRIENDLY® CERTIFIED

Grown under shade trees. Audited for
biodiversity. Certified by the Smithsonian
Migratory Bird Center.

WHEN FARMERS SEE THE
FOREST RETURN, THEY
UNDERSTAND WHY THIS
MATTERS.


— Somchai · Impact Lead · Laos

Slow roots videos

Green coffee cherries (unripe) (11)-min
Somchai Sengaloun - Survey and Data Technician Slow 1.jpg
OurFarm
Ripe Coffee cheries in Slow Forest
11a Lakkhao farm Drone_after 5

CHAPTER TWO · THE ROASTERY

"THE COFFEE TELLS A STORY BEFORE IT REACHES ME."


Every bag that arrives in the roastery carries the memory
of a forest. My job is to listen — and honour that story
through fire and time.

"Roasting at origin changes everything — for the farmer, for the cup, for the chain."

HOW GEORGE
READS THE BEAN.

01

Process · The Drum

THE ROAST


Each batch is hand-profiled. George tracks temperature
curves that tell him exactly when a bean transitions from
raw potential to flavour-ready — and stops one second too
late.

02

Evaluation · The Table

QUALITY CONTROL


Cupping is listening. Every batch assessed for brightness,
body, sweetness, and finish. A ritual that protects the
integrity of every farm and every farmer.

03

Selection · The Eye

GREEN BEAN ASSESSMENT


Before a single bean enters the drum, George reads it —
moisture, density, defect count. Green is a language fluent
speakers spend years learning to hear.

"ROASTING AT ORIGIN CHANGES
EVERYTHING."

— George · Head Roaster · Nairobi

100%

ROASTED AT ORIGIN IN NAIROBI

 

50%

VALUE STAYS IN PRODUCING COUNTRIES

 

0

MIDDLEMEN BETWEEN FARM AND CUP

WORK WITH SLOW

BRING FOREST-
GROWN COFFEE
TO YOUR
BUSINESS.


Traceable from forest to roastery. Bird Friendly® certified. Origin-roasted in
Nairobi. Coffee that carries the story of the people who made it.



Contact Us