Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters - Best Independent Coffee Shop 2025, Best Multiple Operator (10 - 50 Sites) 2025 & 2026

LCF Awards Spotlight Q&A

1. Congratulations on your win! Can you tell us a little about your business and what makes it special?

Hermanos Colombian Coffee Roasters began in 2018 as a small Old Street station pop-up, founded by brothers Santiago and Victor Gamboa with Adnan Millwala. Their shared connection to Colombia and its coffee culture became the foundation for a business that now spans 10 London shops, a Walthamstow roastery, wholesale and e-commerce operations across the UK, Europe, the US and Middle East, plus roasting in the Netherlands for EU clients. At its heart, Hermanos aims to be a conduit for Colombian coffee culture—not simply Colombian coffee. The team works directly with farmers, sourcing distinctive varieties including Gesha, SL28, Sudan Rume, Tabi and Bourbons, while putting growers and their stories at the centre of the customer experience. Colombian pastries, signature drinks and the atmosphere of the cafés complete that sense of place.

2. What award did you win at The London Coffee Festival Awards 2026 or 2025, and what does that recognition mean to you and your team?

At the 2025 London Coffee Festival Awards, Hermanos won Best Coffee Shop Operator (10–50 shops) and Best Independent Coffee Shop for its Portobello Road site. In 2026, it won Best Coffee Shop Operator (10–50 shops) again. The recognition reflected both the consistency of the 10-site operation and the quality of the individual café experience. For a business that began with one small stall, having both sides of the model recognised was a significant boost for the wider team.

3. What inspired you to enter The London Coffee Festival Awards?

Following a full brand refresh in 2023, Hermanos chose the London Coffee Festival as a platform to showcase its new identity. The Festival had been part of the business since its early days as an exhibitor, making the Awards a natural opportunity to benchmark the brand against others in the industry and receive informed feedback from a community that had supported its journey.

4. What do you think helped you stand out and secure the win?

Direct trade is central. The team works closely with small-scale Colombian farmers and micro-lots, visiting Colombia three to four times a year. Combined with in-house roasting in Walthamstow, that gives Hermanos control over quality and consistency from green bean to cup. The wider ambition is to combine scale with soul: growing across multiple sites without losing the character and community feel of an independent café.

5. Tell us about the journey behind your business. What has been your proudest achievement so far?

The journey from one Old Street pop-up to 10 London cafés, a dedicated roastery, wholesale and e-commerce has been a major milestone. But some of the most meaningful moments happen at farmer level. Hermanos’ relationship with Félix Torres in Santander is one example. The company bought his entire crop, giving him stable income and taking his coffee overseas for the first time in three generations. In 2023, Félix travelled to London to meet customers drinking his coffee—a direct connection between grower and drinker that captures what the business is about.

6. What impact has winning had on your business, team or community since the awards were announced?

The awards have strengthened Hermanos’ story in conversations with wholesale and franchise partners and given baristas and roasters a visible source of pride. The recognition has also travelled internationally, becoming a useful differentiator at coffee festivals and events.

7. How important is it to receive recognition from the coffee community?

London’s coffee scene is knowledgeable and discerning, so recognition from peers, judges and customers carries particular weight for the team. Hermanos also sees that recognition as extending to the farmers behind its coffees. Being recognised by a community that has followed the business since its early exhibiting days feels, in many ways, like coming full circle.

8. If someone was visiting your coffee shop for the first time, what's the one thing they absolutely shouldn't miss?

Start by asking the barista about the coffee on filter, batch brew, cold brew or espresso—and the farmer behind it. Single-origin coffees such as Don Daniel, a floral and fruity washed Red Bourbon, and Doña Delfina, a fragrant Bourbon-Gesha blend, highlight the diversity of Colombian coffee. Pair the cup with pan de bono or pan de queso for a fuller taste of Colombia.

9. What's next? Are there any exciting plans, projects or ambitions on the horizon?

Hermanos is deepening its direct-trade relationships, including a joint venture with a farmer to grow coffee collaboratively and exclusively for the brand. Roasting in the Netherlands is already supporting EU wholesale customers, with an EU e-commerce site also planned. The business is expanding wholesale partnerships across the UK, Europe and Middle East, developing a ready-to-drink range, and opening franchise opportunities. It is also in advanced discussions around a new European city location.

10. What advice would you give to businesses thinking about entering The London Coffee Festival Awards in the future?

Lead with the genuine story. London’s coffee community can distinguish lived values from marketing, so entries should show what is truly distinctive about the business, its people, sourcing and community. Hermanos’ advice is also not to wait until you feel “big enough”: the Awards recognise craft and character at every scale. And once recognised, be proud enough to share the achievement with your community.

Instagram: @hermanoscolombiancoffee