Morten Wennersgaard

As the founder of Nordic Approach, Morten leads the company with a focus on quality, sourcing, and long-term development at origin.

He has been involved in specialty coffee since the late 1990s, working full time in the industry since 2003, with a background spanning roasting, sourcing, and product development.

Role and responsibility

His role centres on defining Nordic Approach’s approach to quality and sourcing, including how coffees are selected, evaluated, and developed in collaboration with producers and exporters.

This includes close involvement in origin strategy, quality evaluation, and long-term relationships, ensuring that coffees meet both the company’s standards and the expectations of roasters across markets.

Approach and ways of working

A central part of the work is linking decisions at origin — from variety and growing conditions to processing and logistics — to how coffees perform in the cup.

This includes a strong focus on clarity, traceability, and consistency, as well as on developing projects and structures that allow producers to realise the full potential of their coffees over time.

He works closely with producers, exporters, and partners across origins, with a strong focus on building relationships and developing new projects. Much of the work is hands-on and takes place at origin or within ongoing projects.

Experience and background

Has worked in coffee since 2003, with earlier involvement in specialty coffee dating back to the late 1990s.

Prior to founding Nordic Approach in 2011, spent nine years at Solberg & Hansen as Product Manager, working with roasting, sourcing, and the development of direct trade relationships.

Before entering the coffee industry, he worked as a professional chef and restaurant operator, with a background in food science.

Industry exposure

He has extensive experience working across coffee-producing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with regular travel to origin and hands-on involvement in sourcing and project development.

This includes direct investment in and development of washing stations in Rwanda and Uganda, as well as long-standing involvement as a judge in Cup of Excellence competitions and other industry events.

Perspective

Morten emphasises clarity in the cup and traceability in sourcing as fundamental to evaluating coffee quality.

Also highlights the importance of treating coffee as an agricultural product, where variety, environment, and processing define the outcome, and where unnecessary intervention can reduce, rather than enhance, the character of the coffee.

When selecting coffees, he focuses on distinct and well-defined profiles, often with emphasis on fruit, florals, and brightness, where processing supports the natural potential of the raw material.

Education

Trained as a chef and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science.