Historic European roaster experiments with Brunch Club – BeanScene

One of Europe’s oldest coffee roasters, Julius Meinl, has teamed up with a local culinary duo KUBUS to capitalise on the rise of brunch clubs exploring contemporary cuisine with the rituals of coffee and tea.

The Austrian roaster brought eight guests together for a multi-course menu and to display the idea that coffee and tea are catalysts for connection, not just beverages.

Its logic behind the creation of the Brunch Club was the rising worldwide popularity of the practice since the pandemic, with diners now more likely to seek out intimate, one-off culinary experiences.

Global Marketing & Sales Director at Julius Meinl Coffee Group, Andreea Postolache, says the alignment between coffee culture and gastronomy continues to strengthen.

“There’s a fascinating dialogue between what people are creating at home and the innovations happening in cafés around the world,” says Andreea. “People are bringing high-end gastronomy into their homes more than ever, and you can really see it in coffee culture.

“It’s an exciting moment to rethink how we use coffee and tea as both pairings and ingredients, and the Brunch Club was exactly the right format for it.

“At the end of the day, coffee and tea are about connection, wherever it’s enjoyed, and working with KUBUS allowed us to highlight that in a fresh way.”

Founded in 1862, Julius Meinl coffees and teas are sold in more than 50,000 hotels, coffeehouses, and restaurants in 70 countries, including Australia.

KUBUS Co-Founder, Elena Kubiena, says the opportunity to work with the coffee roaster helped showcase similarities between the traditions and rituals that surround coffee and food.

“In Austria, coffee rituals are really rituals of time. We slow down, we savour, and we connect. Food follows the same philosophy,” says Elena.

“There is real value in the time devoted to crafting a dish or preparing a coffee and then sharing it with people you enjoy. It is both an act of generosity and a space for creativity.”