Andreas Hertzberg

As the founder and co-CEO of Nordic Approach, Andreas has been part of the coffee industry since 1997, with experience across coffee retail, sourcing, importing, and working directly with producers at origin.

‍

Role and responsibility

Andreas is involved in the overall direction of Nordic Approach, focusing on business strategy, finance, and the day-to-day running of the company.

‍

Approach and ways of working

For Andreas, good sourcing starts with both the quality of the coffee and the vision of the producer behind it.

He has always believed in getting close to the people and places producing the coffee, spending many years travelling to origin, tasting coffees, and building relationships with producers and exporters.

‍

Experience and background

Andreas started in coffee in 1997 when he opened Dromedar Kaffebar in Trondheim, which he owned until 2013.

He joined Solberg & Hansen in 2000 and became CEO, staying with the company until 2016. He co-founded Nordic Approach in 2011 together with Morten, and joined full-time in 2017.

Between 2000 and 2020, he travelled extensively to coffee origins and has visited most major Arabica-producing countries.

‍

Industry exposure

Andreas has been involved in the wider specialty coffee industry for many years. He served as Chairman and Board Director of the Alliance for Coffee Excellence from 2007–2012 and has been an international juror at ten Cup of Excellence competitions.

In 2015, he received the Outstanding Contribution to the European Coffee Industry award at the Allegra European Coffee Symposium in Copenhagen.

‍

Perspective

One thing Andreas thinks people often underestimate is just how complex coffee is — and how much hard work goes into it at every stage, from seed to cup.

When buying coffee, he looks at the quality of the product, the vision of the producer, and the chemistry of the relationships you cultivate.

‍

Education

Andreas studied Sociology and Finance.