Parcel Torréfaction Parcel is the culmination of a meeting in 2016 between Mikaël and Damien. We became colleagues and friends, bound by our love of coffee. Parcel is the fruit of our shared passion and the expertise we've acquired over the past few years. Our goal is to highlight the producers we work with, who make the exceptional coffee you're about to enjoy so well. ⸻ Why “Parcel”? It all starts there. A plot of land. A specific batch. A unique harvest. We don't work with anonymous coffees. We work with agricultural identities. A plot of land inspires humility. It reminds us that we are just one link in the chain. For us, roasting is about revealing what the plot already contains. Parcel also reflects our devotion to the journey - between the plot and the package, there is our commitment: to preserve the integrity of the coffee, from the producer to the customer. THE INTERVIEW 1. How has your relationship evolved since your first day together? Damien: We started working together on the same day, January 5, 2016, at Lomi in Paris. We hadn't worked together before, and it took us a few weeks to talk and realize we had a lot in common, especially a shared passion for coffee. Mikaël: Yes, and we quickly recognized each other's dedication. In this profession, respect is earned through hard work and passion. We then continued to learn together and push each other to improve. ⸻ 2. Damien, what sparked your interest in coffee? Guatemala. I went there to export Belgian beer as part of my international business studies. I met my mentor, Josué Morales, and ended up spending six months in his lab, where he worked with producers on quality control and exports. I learned how to cup coffee, export it, and understand a constantly changing and ever-expanding market. I understood that coffee was a complex, fragile, and profoundly human agricultural commodity. It was much more than just a beverage; it was a responsibility. The connection between economics, history, politics, and sociology completely captivated me, and I quickly knew that I wanted to make it my career for the rest of my life. ⸻ Mikaël, - what was yours? Competition. I participated in a competition organized by Malongo when I was studying at the Hotel School of La Rochelle. Even though I made it to the finals, I did not finish well. Despite this, the spark had ignited. I walked away wanting to know more, to learn, to understand technically, to deepen my knowledge. Coffee became a discipline. Competitions have always been part of my learning and growth. After winning the Coffee In Good Spirits in France twice in 2015 and 2016, I decided to deepen my knowledge through the Cup Tasting and Roasting championships. ⸻ 4. Why roasting and not just training, service, or importing? Damien: Because roasting is the point of balance between the coffee plantation and the cup. We also have many producer friends, and I think it's fantastic to introduce people to different terroirs and personalities in France and Europe. Mikaël: It's a place where everything can be elevated... or destroyed. It's a huge responsibility in my eyes. It's actually quite easy to roast, to change the color of a green bean by putting it through a roaster... The difficulty lies in doing it with precision and repeatability to achieve a result that meets the consumer's expectations, which are also becoming increasingly demanding. ⸻ 5. What role did your respective backgrounds play in the creation of Parcel? Damien: My work in export taught me to look at the upstream side of the process. To understand the producer and their challenges. This puts a lot of things into perspective and makes it easier for me to know that we will always have superb batches to roast and introduce to our customers. Mikaël: My training taught me precision and repeatability. Having also worked on different machines and within different companies during consulting assignments greatly helped me select the perfect equipment to open my own roastery. Together, we connect the land with technical mastery. ⸻ 6. Mikaël, what do the 2023 and 2025 titles represent for you? Becoming a Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2023 was an immense pride and a validation of my professional experience. I have often met MOFs: chefs, butchers, or sommeliers. With each meeting, a little thought would tell me, "you too can have this blue, white, and red collar." In 2025, becoming World Champion of Roasting accelerated our decision to launch our joint business and create what PARCEL is today. But a title does not roast for you. Each batch resets everything to zero.   ⸻ 7. Why set up the roastery in Normandy? Damien: My partner Margaux and I were looking to leave Paris and move back to the countryside, and we fell in love with our house. I had been looking for a house with an attached barn so we could set up our roastery there, and this was the perfect place for us. We wanted a secluded, quiet place. A place where we could concentrate. We wanted a workshop, not a showroom. People from Normandy also love their land and good produce. There are also quite a few similarities with my region in Belgium. I feel at home here, and I'm very happy to be able to launch the roastery in Thénouville, Normandy. Mikaël: My partner and I also wanted to leave Paris after living there for about ten years. Normandy brought us closer to the sea, which I missed, and our professional projects led us to Caen. ⸻ 8. How would you define your roasting style? Precise, balanced, structured. We strive to express the best that a terroir, a variety, and a producer have to offer. ⸻ 9. What do you think is important to avoid? Profiles that mask the origin. Fads. Haste. Artisanal means demanding, not sloppy. ⸻ 10. What is your ambition for Parcel? To remain true to the product. To work cleanly. To be recognized for consistency, not for noise. If in ten years we can say that our coffees were fair and respectful of the value chain in which we operate, that will be enough. Parcel Roasting A barn in Normandy. Two complementary paths. One shared obsession: serving the product.