Taf is the coffee company of I. Taloumis & Co, with its roastery in Agios Stefanos, north of Athens, and the Taf Coffee Shop in central Athens. Taf buys through its direct relationship programme: since its founding Taf has built long-term relationships with coffee producers and visits their farms every year, to support them and to check its quality standards from cultivation to processing and storage.

Each coffee is roasted to a defined roast profile, and the in-house laboratory runs quality checks and regular cupping sessions on both green and roasted coffee. The range runs from the Taloumis Family Limited Reserve lots, such as a liberica from Malaysia and a geisha from Iris Estate, to Single Estate coffees, competition and sustainability espresso blends, filter blends and Greek coffee.

Taf runs training at its SCA Premier Training Campus for baristas, consumers and home baristas, from beginner level to SCA Foundation, Intermediate and Professional certification, led by trainers who have placed in national and international championships. Since 2010, Taf baristas and coffees have reached top places in national and international competitions, and Yiannis Taloumis has received two awards from the Specialty Coffee Association: the Excellence Award for Innovation in 2011 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. Taf also offers businesses TAF Point, a model espresso bar built into a partner’s own shop.

At the Taf Coffee Shop, the baristas talk guests through the stories behind each origin.

Coffee on the shelf

Photograph: Taf Coffee