Bellwether Coffee and Square Mile to Debut Exclusive “Heza Hills” Roast from Burundi at World of Coffee in Geneva

Jun 25

This week kicks off the World of Coffee in Geneva — Europe’s leading specialty coffee trade show. This year, we’re teaming up with Square Mile Coffee Roasters, the award-winning London-based roastery co-founded by specialty coffee pioneer James Hoffmann, to give attendees a sneak preview of a new custom roast.

Square Mile is unveiling the Heza Hills—roasted exclusively on Bellwether Coffee’s all-electric Shop Roaster (winner of Best New Product at 2024 World of Coffee)—at the event. Samples of the new coffee will be available for the first time in booth (#1422), ahead of a broader release on 2 July.

This unique roast features beans sourced from smallholder farmers in the five hills surrounding Heza Washing Station in Katanga Province, Burundi. Thanks to Bellwether’s ventless, fully-automated commercial roaster—the first and only of its kind—Heza Hills delivers exceptional quality and consistency while dramatically reducing the environmental impact of coffee roasting.

Last year, Bellwether launched a pilot program in collaboration with Square Mile that was inspired by a concept first tested when Hoffmann showcased our technology during a solar-powered roasting experiment in the Indio, California, desert.

Square Mile developed a custom roast profile for the Heza Hills on the Bellwether’s electric Shop Roaster that meets their exacting standards for taste, quality, and transparency. The result proves you don’t have to compromise craftsmanship to serve the most sustainable coffee ever roasted.

Electric roasting offers a game-changing alternative to traditional gas-powered methods, which account for 15% of the coffee industry’s carbon footprint. Bellwether’s system reduces roasting emissions by nearly 90%, with no need for gas lines or ventilation. Its compact, plug-and-roast design runs on 230V power, making sustainable roasting easier and more accessible than ever.

In a moment where retailers are navigating rising coffee costs and growing pressure to reduce emissions, this collaboration is a model for what the future of coffee can look like: electric, sustainable, and uncompromising on quality.

If you’re coming to the show, visit Bellwether and Square Mile at booth #1422 to taste the Heza Hills and see the Shop Roaster in action.