In Iceland, Roaring Geysers and Roasting Beans

Iceland is now coffee country.

With its tourism up nearly 27 percent from July 2013 to July 2014 over the year before, there are more tourists in Reykjavik — and in its coffee shops — than ever. 

The capital’s newest specialty coffee shop opened on Sept. 25 in the city’s West End. Kaffihus Vesturbaejar will feature 80 percent of its coffee from Icelandic roasters.

In a nation with one of the world’s highest coffee consumption rates, coffee purveyors  say there is room for shops like that one.

“Tourism has increased so much this year and the last that there’s been enough space for everyone to work,” said Tumi Ferrer, co-owner of Reykjavik Roasters, which plans to expand to a second location by 2015.

Though new specialty coffee shops could be considered competitors, Mr. Ferrer, the 2011 Icelandic barista champion, instead sees them as allies and works with his business partners to advise cafes and baristas around the city. “I don’t really view it as a competition,” he said. “It’s actually been a very good opportunity in having more cafes opening, because we can help them out coffee-wise, and train them.”

Despite the greater demand for caffeine, Iceland is notable for its lack of international coffee chains. Adalheidur Hedinsdottir, founder and chief executive of Kaffitar, which — with eight coffee shops and a roastery — is Iceland’s largest coffee franchise, said that there is an emphasis on keeping caffeine close to home. “We always talk about coffee as a fresh product,” she said. “It should be produced as close to the consumer as possible.”

N.Y Times