Rakwé — From Origin to Roastery, From Passion to Cup

At Rakwé, coffee is more than a drink — it’s a journey. A story that begins thousands of kilometers away, in the red soils of Rwanda, Ethiopia, Colombia, and Brazil, and unfolds in our roastery in Lyon. Every step, from the seedling to the final cup, reflects our philosophy: to honor the people, the land, and the craft behind each bean.

Direct Sourcing and Green Coffee Import

Since 2017, our founder Elias Sfeir has traveled across coffee origins, meeting farmers, visiting washing stations, and learning from the people who dedicate their lives to this remarkable plant.
Rakwé was born from those encounters — built on friendship, transparency, and a shared pursuit of quality.

We import our green coffee directly, selecting each lot at origin based on its terroir, variety, and post-harvest process. By working through direct trade partnerships, we ensure that the value of each bean returns to those who cultivate it. This commitment allows us to build long-term relationships with producers and to source exceptional coffees with distinct aromatic profiles — from delicate florals to deep, chocolatey notes.

Every coffee we import carries a story: a name, a farm, an altitude, and a family behind it. And our mission is to tell that story with honesty and respect.

Craft Roasting in Lyon

Our roastery in Lyon is the heart of Rakwé. It’s where science meets intuition, where each origin is roasted with precision to express its true potential.
We roast in small batches, constantly experimenting with curves and temperatures to achieve the perfect balance between sweetness, acidity, and body. Each batch is cupped, scored, and refined until it meets our exacting standards.

We don’t roast to impress — we roast to reveal.
Our goal is simple: to bring out the authentic character of each coffee, whether it’s served as an espresso in our shops or brewed as a filter at home.

Freshness is key to everything we do. Every week, we roast and deliver directly to our coffee shops and wholesale partners, ensuring every cup is alive with flavor and aroma.

From the Farm to the Cup

Rakwé operates a growing network of coffee shops across Lyon — spaces where our philosophy comes to life. Each location is designed as a bridge between origin and experience: a place where people can taste, learn, and connect through coffee.
From our skilled baristas to our in-house pastry chef, every detail is part of a shared vision — to elevate coffee to its rightful place as a product of culture and craft.

Our Vision

At Rakwé, we believe coffee has the power to connect worlds — the farmer and the roaster, the roaster and the drinker, the soil and the soul.
Our purpose is to make those connections visible and meaningful, cup after cup.