DEC 23

Congo

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Towering over Vesterbro, Axelborg was built in 1929 as a symbol of Denmark’s economic strength in the interwar period. Designed by architect Vilhelm Lauritzen, the building originally housed several of Denmark’s largest companies, including the well-known dairy cooperative Arla.

With its distinctive Art Deco style and impressive façade, Axelborg has long stood as a landmark of Copenhagen’s business world. Today, it remains an icon of Vesterbro, functioning as both office building and cultural center—a place where history meets modern life and activity.

A legendary and often retold story from Axelborg—home of the Danish Agriculture & Food Council—where those very three characters clashed in classic Danish fashion: with pragmatism, bureaucracy, and a good dose of Jutlandic plain speaking.

Today’s Anecdote

A farmer, a politician, and a civil servant walk into Axelborg…

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One day, a meeting was held at Axelborg between EU representatives, Danish civil servants, politicians, and a delegation of farmers. The subject was the eternally explosive issue of slurry spreading and EU regulation—new rules that would restrict when and how Danish farmers could fertilize their fields. Sitting quietly in the middle of it all was a farmer from Central Jutland—we’ll call him Bent—who had driven four hours on his tractor just to attend. He listened patiently as the room waded through endless explanations of “nitrate emissions,” “buffer zones,” and “permit specification models.”

After 45 minutes of slides and diagrams, Bent finally stood up and said:

“Excuse me, but… have any of you ever smelled a slurry tank in July?”

Silence fell. An EU official cleared his throat and said:

“We deal with data, not smell.”

Bent replied, with Jutland calm: “Well, then I understand why this stinks.”

The politician tried to smooth things over: “Now, we have to find a solution that takes both the environment and production into account.”

The civil servant chimed in: “It’s about balanced compromises.”

Bent nodded, sighed deeply, and said: “Fine. So you make paper, we make food—and we’ll meet again when you have to explain to the people in Copenhagen why potatoes cost 80 kroner a kilo, because we weren’t allowed to spread slurry before April 15.”

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The room burst into laughter. Bent was later quoted (unofficially) in an internal report under the section “interesting perspectives from practice.” The politicians nodded gravely, and the EU official muttered:

“He may have a point. I just wish he wouldn’t say it with that smell…”

MORE ABOUT THE COFFEE

Congo

Origin

Kiniezire - Muungano

coffee roast

Taste Notes

Red berries,

chocolate

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Founded in 2009 by 350 smallholders, the Muungano Cooperative—meaning “togetherness” in Swahili—now brings together over 4,300 farmers along the fertile slopes of Lake Kivu.
Beyond the cup, Fairtrade premiums fund schools, clinics, bridges, and even a hydroelectric plant, while their solar-powered dry mill in Goma reflects a deep commitment to sustainability and progress.
The result is a sweet, fruity profile coffee that embodies both rich flavour and resilience, carrying the story of a community building a brighter future through coffee.

Altitude: 1300-2000 m.a.s.l

Variety: Bourbon

Process: Washed

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Did you know that you can order same coffee as beans?

SHOP CONGO BEANS

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