Latvian Specialty Coffee Roasteries

Coffee drinks may carry Italian names, and the world’s largest coffee plantations may be located oceans away from Europe. Yet, some of the most innovative specialty coffee roasters can be found in Latvia. In 2025, the country reached an all-time high, exceeding €54 million in exports of roasted coffee products and gradually closing the trade gap. All of this is thanks to a growing coffee culture and the rise of various specialty roasteries across Latvia.

A Rebirth of Coffee Culture

Love for coffee has long-lasting traditions in Latvia. The first coffee beans are known to have arrived in the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia in the 17th century, but it was not until the first two decades of Latvia’s independence that a true coffee-tasting culture began to flourish, alongside elegant cafés and chicory coffee production. The country’s first coffee producer, Liepājas Kafijas fabrika, started operating in 1972, shaping how Latvians brewed and enjoyed their coffee for decades. Older generations still remember the colored tins of Liepāja instant coffee.

Fast forward to the early 2000s, and a few coffee connoisseurs would dare to mention  Latvia among Europe’s rising coffee nations. Black and white coffee were the most popular drinks, and only a handful of places offered espresso, cappuccino, or latte.

The arrival of international coffee chains such as Costa Coffee and Caffeine gradually transformed local coffee habits, while rising income levels and a developing taste culture sparked the emergence of the first specialty coffee roasteries. By 2024, Latvia counted 36 tea and coffee producers — twice as many as a decade earlier.

A Small Nation, Award-Winning Coffee Roasters

Over the past decade, specialty coffee roasting in Latvia has grown from a niche into an industry. Alongside internationally recognized brands, more individuals are choosing to launch their own roasteries, while consumers are increasingly favoring locally crafted coffee.

Rocket Bean

One of Latvia’s most internationally visible coffee brands, Rocket Bean began by supplying coffee-making equipment to businesses before roasting their first beans under the roof of their own café in 2014. At the time, specialty coffee venues in Latvia could be counted on one hand.

Over the years, Rocket Bean has expanded across and beyond Riga. While the capital city remains the company’s main hub, the brand operates across Estonia and Lithuania, with cafés opened in Tallinn and Vilnius in recent years, bringing the taste of Latvian-roasted coffee closer to regional audiences. Still, around 80% of the coffee produced is consumed locally, distributed through wholesale, selected outlets, and even Virši gas stations.

Beyond classic coffee drinks, Rocket Bean has actively pursued innovation through creative collaborations. One such example is coffee-infused kombucha, developed together with another Latvian company, Rudy’s Kombucha. The roastery has also earned significant international accolades, most recently collecting five gold medals at the prestigious Global Coffee Awards (Europe edition).

KALVE Coffee Roasters

Chocolate Bar, Marmalade, and Toffee — these are not sweets, but the names of KALVE’s signature coffee blends. Founded in 2017, the company has quickly become one of the key forces driving the recognition of Latvian specialty coffee.

KALVE stands out not only for the quality of its coffee, but also for its distinctive coffee tins. Serving as a canvas for original artworks, they also provide optimal conditions for keeping coffee fresh. Sustainability has been a core principle of the brand from the outset, with a strong focus on zero-waste practices and encouraging customers to refill their tins.

Most of KALVE’s coffee is enjoyed in its Riga cafés and multiple offices, but the company has set its sights on international markets. In 2023, it opened its first coffee shop outside Latvia, in Düsseldorf, Germany, and, more recently, brought its coffee to the streets of Paris. KALVE is also no stranger to international victories, including success at the Roast Masters competition.

Andrito Coffee Roastery

Often considered the flagship of Latvia’s specialty coffee industry, Andrito was the first Latvian-roasted coffee that many consumers tasted in their favourite coffee drinks. Small but ambitious, Andrito Coffee Roastery was founded by a coffee professional with a background in barista work and café culture, bringing hands-on sensory experience into every batch.

Andrito’s speciality is maintaining close relationships with its partners and sourcing coffee beans from a wide range of origins — including Brazil, Colombia, and Panama — to meet the diverse needs of its customers. Its portfolio includes both lighter and darker roasts, appealing to a broad spectrum of coffee preferences.

Regional roasteries

While the specialty coffee industry’s top names are based in Riga, recent years have seen the rise of local roasteries bringing the taste of quality coffee closer to Latvia’s smaller cities.

There’s KUUP in Rēzekne, the first authentic Latgalian coffee, Curonia Coffee in Kuldīga, which brings Courland character into each cup, Tīrs Miers in Gulbene, known for highlighting carefully selected small coffee farms, and Smart Coffee Roastery in Sigulda, offering both freshly roasted coffee beans and coffee masterclasses.

As demand continues to grow and coffee culture matures, we can expect more coffee roasteries to emerge in other regions of Latvia.