Casino Mocca was founded in 2013 by barista competitors who had long missed a Hungarian roaster that was progressive and experimental, kept up with the profession and roasted consistently. By its own account it is now regarded as “Hungary’s leading new-wave roaster”, and its coffees are known across Europe. It buys coffees whose flavour reflects their growing area and variety, from committed producers.

Two roasting recipes shape the range: one for espresso and one for filter. Most coffees come in both, and some lots are roasted for only one of them, such as La Naranja, a geisha from Cajamarca in Peru, roasted for filter. Casino Mocca roasts every working day and fills orders from the latest roast. The current coffees come from Ethiopia, Kenya, Panama, Costa Rica and Peru, with Decaf de Caña from Huila in Colombia for espresso. Each coffee comes with the story of the cooperative or washing station behind it, such as the Duromina cooperative in Jimma, founded in 2010. Alongside the beans it sells cascara, the dried fruit and skin of the coffee cherry, for hot or cold infusions.

Subscribers receive two coffees every two or four weeks, chosen by the roastery around a theme, and the main lots do not repeat within six months.

Its coffee is poured by partner cafés, restaurants and community spaces, most of them in Hungary. Drawing on its team’s competition experience, Casino Mocca offers partners help with equipment and sourcing, business models, drinks menus and barista training, and monitors their drinks with instruments and tasting. In Budapest its partners include espresso embassy, fekete and both Budapest Baristas cafés.

Coffee on the shelf

Photograph: Casino Mocca