Thumbelina Esp.

Sine Klejs Gren and Bo Nielsen founded Holy Bean in early 2014 in the small town of Aarup on the island of Fyn, making it the only specialty roastery focused on light roasts on the entire island. Both are SCAE certified roasters, and they work with a 30 kilogram Coffeetool roaster from a beautifully repurposed old power plant building. Sine has personally traveled to five countries to build direct relationships with coffee farmers, including a close partnership with Haile Gebre's Shakisso Farm in Ethiopia, and much of the range carries organic certification. The philosophy of "Coffee with Care" ties directly to sustainability and the 17 UN Global Goals, giving the operation a purpose that extends well beyond the cup. Holy Bean opened a second location in Copenhagen and celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2024, a milestone for a roastery that started in a town of just over 3,000 people. In a charming detail, Sine originally planned to study wolves before accidentally falling into the coffee industry, and the team refers to customers as "coffee friends" rather than just customers.