Last week we released our very own ELEINE coffee after having this as a goal and dream for years. One of you, our beautiful patrons, was actually the one helping us out making it into reality. Wolfram - We'd like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your help in making this into reality. Thank you for your massive support within this and in general! Wolfram has been so kind and put together a more deep insight behind the scenes post just for YOU here on Patreon, and we'd love to share it so you also get Wolfram's point of view but also more details from the actual journey from just having a dream of making coffee until the coffee is done and in your very hands. Grab a nice cup of coffee or something else you'd prefer - and enjoy this reading and cool pictures ☕️With love, Madeleine & Rikard
Coffee Of Apocalypse: The Making of
Sometimes, a special idea doesn’t start with a big strategy – but with a search, a wish, and a spark of curiosity.I was looking for an extraordinary Christmas gift for my family. Something that not only looks great, but also brings joy and carries a special meaning. After a long search, I finally came across a coffee company that immediately won me over. Over the past few years, I’ve gifted their coffee several times – and everyone loved it.
Madeleine had occasionally mentioned that she’d love to do a special project like this one day, but there was never enough time. One day, I thought: Why not just ask? Without any big expectations, I wrote to the coffee company and asked if they could imagine creating a unique coffee project for a metal band. A few days later, I actually got a response – and it was positive. They had never done anything like this before but were excited to take on this adventure with us.
We exchanged several emails and even had online meetings about how we could make this project a reality. But more on that later.At one point, I asked the owner and founder of the coffee company how he came up with the idea of selling Vietnamese coffee in Germany. I loved his little story and want to share it with you here. They even provided us with a few pictures for it!
This story begins with a journey, a coincidence, and a love for good coffee.Lutz, who you can see in some pictures and videos from Vietnam, moved there about 12 years ago. There, he not only found his new home but also met his wife, Tien. They have been living ever since amid Vietnam’s breathtaking landscapes – and right at the heart of a coffee culture deeply rooted in society.
Lutz & TienThe connection to Germany remained, partly through Lutz’s brother Tom, who, during his studies, was roommates with one of the future co-founders of the company. In 2016, the friends traveled to Vietnam to visit Lutz. What started as a vacation turned into a revelation: Vietnam fascinated them – especially its coffee. Intense, full of character, often served with sweet condensed milk, and always tied to a lifestyle that goes far beyond taste.Back in Germany, the idea quickly took shape: This unique coffee culture should become better known here as well. In 2017, the company was founded – with clearly defined roles: While Lutz and Tien maintain close relationships with local small farmers and handle sourcing in Vietnam, the team in Germany focuses on distribution and brand development.
In the beginning, things were humble – selling a Vietnamese third-party brand. The first cartons were stacked in the home kitchen, packaging happened in the living room – true handcrafted work, with heart and dedication. But step by step, the company grew: Today, the brand stands for high-quality, directly traded coffee from Vietnam – authentic, fair, and personally connected to the people who grow it. Over time, tea and spices were added to the range as well.
It’s exactly this philosophy that won us over – even beyond the classic coffee world. That’s why VietBeans was chosen to create something truly special for Eleine: Eleine Coffee. Because what suits a band with depth, character, and power better than a coffee that embodies exactly those qualities?
Music meets flavor, passion meets craftsmanship – and the result is a band coffee that not only keeps you awake on tour but also tells a story. The story of Vietnam. The story of real connection. And the story of people who built something truly special!
Bonjour 👀 😂
From Bean Dreams to Merch Magic – What You Need to Know:
If you think a coffee project is as easy as “beans in a bag, slap a logo on, and ship it out,” you most likely have never juggled import regulations, design challenges, and scheduling traps. To turn an idea into reality, you need a solid plan – or as we like to call it: the Roadmap to Rock ’n’ Roast.
The Bean Question – The Heart of the Project
First, the most important decision: Which beans will it be? Whole or ground? Arabica or Robusta? Or maybe a blend? The options are endless:
• 50% Arabica / 50% Robusta – balanced and bold
• 80% Arabica / 20% Robusta – smooth with a gentle spice
• Or perhaps an intense espresso blend?
And that’s just the start. Each choice brings its own flavor profile. Think caramel sweetness and dark chocolate, hints of hazelnut and almond, or even a subtle touch of marzipan. This decision sets the tone for the entire project – and for the ultimate tasting experience.
From Vision to Hard Facts
Once the flavor questions are settled, it’s time for the tough stuff: price and quantity.
• What’s the minimum order quantity we can handle?
• Which packaging size works best?
• Custom design and material options?
• Shipping, customs, coffee tax, and delivery?
In the end, everything has to come together in a calculation that not only looks great but also makes economic sense.
Timing – Between Tet Festival and Suez Drama
The biggest challenge isn’t the taste – it’s timing. Coffee ships from Vietnam only three times a year. Our next available window? January 2026.
But beware: shortly after, the Tet Festival kicks off on February 17 – Vietnam’s most important holiday, lasting for weeks. If everything isn’t sorted by then – beans chosen, packaging printed, coffee roasted and shipped – the timeline shifts by an entire quarter.
And then there’s the Suez Canal: the fastest route, but also the riskiest. A blockage or skyrocketing freight prices can throw the whole project off track – right up until the very end. If all goes well, the coffee will arrive in Europe by March 2026. And it did! 🥳
Design – The Stage Outfit for Our Coffee
Design is the most exciting and creative part. Even if curious to see what the band comes up with; Even the most stunning artwork has to follow some rules:
• Name and address of the importer
• Ingredient list
• Best-before date
• Net weight
• Country of origin
Once all mandatory details are in place, the printer checks the layout for functionality. Then comes a test print. Only when that looks perfect, the final production approved.
From the first bean dream to the final merch magic, it’s a long road – but one worth taking when fans can finally hold their favorite coffee in their hands.
In the beginning, the idea was to use a narrower paper packaging. All elements were created and adapted to this special packaging, with repeated checks to ensure that no errors had crawled in. After many corrections, the time had finally come: we were able to order the first test print. Unfortunately, the disappointment was great.
The black turned into a grayish tone on the paper, and many details of the cover were lost. It basically looked bleached. This is because of the paper absorbing so much of the black ink that it basically looks grey and very matte. What to do?
Fortunately, there was still another option: a plastic packaging.Unfortunately, we could no longer use the elements that had already been created, because this type of packaging requires vector graphics. This is, unfortunately, a completely different printing process than the one used for paper packaging. So Madeleine had to rework all elements and convert them into vector graphics. This was followed by a long back-and-forth with the printing company in Vietnam until everything was finally right. Some details will get lost in this kind of process, but the artwork on the coffee still turned out very well and it "pops" way better compared to the first test print that failed with the paper.
Then the time had finally come for another test print. Filled with anticipation, we waited for the result. To our relief, the outcome was very satisfying, and the final order could be placed.
Here it is! /Wolfram Thank you for reading this behind the scenes story, and we truly hope you will enjoy your new ELEINE coffee! By purchasing it you support both the local farmers in Vietnam but also ELEINE. Either you use it as a daily coffee for every day luxury, or you spoil yourself in special moments with a blend that is to be enjoyed - sip by sip. The Eleine Coffee is available here! ☕️