Getting to know Kim Young-hyun – Co-Founder of FELT.
What's the story behind FELT and how did it all start?
FELT is a coffee brand founded in 2015 by Younghyun Kim and Daewoong Song. Initially, we started with a roasting factory and soon realised the need for a place to showcase our roasted coffee. This led us to create a small coffee showroom in Mapo-gu, Seoul.
On the bar table, there was only a Slayer espresso machine and a Mazzer Robur grinder. When designing the space, our focus was on coffee tasting, so we stripped away any unnecessary decorations and created a setting where customers could fully concentrate on coffee. Despite having no tables or signage, many visitors came to our small showroom, allowing FELT to grow steadily.
Can you share more about your approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
Sourcing coffee beans is like selecting quality ingredients, and roasting is the process of cooking them. Even the best ingredients can be ruined with improper cooking methods, and no matter how skilled the cooking, it's hard to achieve great flavours without high-quality ingredients. That is why both sourcing and roasting are critical to us.
For the past 10 years since FELT began, we have visited coffee farms annually to find excellent coffee, communicate with farmers, as well as learn about and discuss new varieties and processing methods. This has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of our work.
What motivated FELT to explore the capsule coffee format?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people spent more time at home and reduced outdoor activities. As a result, many wanted to enjoy specialty coffee shop-quality coffee from the comfort of their homes. We sought ways to help non-professional baristas brew better coffee more conveniently at home. This led us to choose capsule coffee as a solution.
We all have our morning routines, and coffee is often a crucial part of it. What is your morning ritual like?
I usually start my day by heading to the roasting factory, where my morning begins with coffee cupping. I taste and discuss the coffee roasted the previous day with my fellow roasters.
After that, I brew my first coffee of the day, selecting from FELT’s beans or coffee received from friends’ cafés. The first coffee of my morning is an essential part of my daily routine.
What are you most excited about for the future of FELT?
Currently, FELT operates a roasting factory and three shops in Seoul. Coffee prices have recently reached an all-time high, and rising labor and material costs pose challenges for the industry.
Despite these difficulties, FELT remains committed to ensuring better coffee becomes a part of more people’s daily lives. Additionally, we are planning some exciting projects for 2025, which makes the future even more promising.
