This article discusses how a Finnish artisan roastery, Kaffa Roastery, has introduced a new coffee blend developed by artificial intelligence. The blend, called “AI-conic,” consists of four types of beans dominated by Brazil’s Fazenda Pinhal. The project was a joint effort between Kaffa Roastery and a local AI consultancy called Elev, which utilized models such as ChatGPT and Copilot to craft a blend that would cater to the tastes of coffee enthusiasts. Finland, known for its high coffee consumption, was the perfect location for the launch of this innovative blend.
Svante Hampf, the managing director and founder of Kaffa Roastery, explained that they provided AI with descriptions of their various coffee types and flavors and instructed it to create an exciting new blend. The AI not only selected the beans but also designed the coffee package label and provided a detailed taste description, describing “AI-conic” as a well-balanced blend of sweetness and ripe fruit. Despite the surprise of using four different types of coffee beans in the blend, Kaffa’s coffee experts agreed that the tech-assisted blend was perfect after the first test roasting and blind testing.
Antti Merilehto, spokesperson for Elev, highlighted that “AI-conic” demonstrates how AI can introduce new perspectives to seasoned professionals and offer coffee lovers new taste experiences. The collaboration between Kaffa Roastery and Elev is seen as the first step in exploring how AI can be utilized in the future of coffee roasting. Hampf emphasized that AI has a lot to offer in the long run and was particularly impressed by the coffee taste descriptions created by the AI. The project successfully brought together the artisan skills of a roastery with AI-provided data, paving the way for potential future applications of artificial intelligence in the coffee industry.
The success of the AI-assisted blend has sparked a dialogue among coffee professionals in Finland about the role of technology in the future of coffee roasting. Finland, known for its strong coffee culture and passion for technology, is an ideal setting for exploring innovative approaches to coffee production. Kaffa Roastery’s trial with AI is seen as a promising development that showcases the potential for collaboration between traditional artisan skills and cutting-edge technology. The project has demonstrated that AI can enhance the expertise of roasters and elevate the overall coffee experience for consumers.
Overall, the introduction of the “AI-conic” coffee blend by Kaffa Roastery represents a significant milestone in the intersection of technology and artisanal craftsmanship. The success of the AI-assisted blend underscores the potential for artificial intelligence to revolutionize the coffee industry by offering new perspectives, creating unique taste experiences, and streamlining production processes. As Finland continues to embrace its coffee culture and technological advancements, collaborations like the one between Kaffa Roastery and Elev pave the way for a future where AI plays a crucial role in shaping the coffee industry.
