Atölye Kuban is using the Baby Hardtank commercial cold brew machine to level up its cold coffee offerings as demand for iced alternatives sweeps across markets far beyond the USA and East Asia.
Founded in Izmir, Turkey, in 1996, Kuban Roasters has been a leader in coffee roasting innovation. In 2024, the company launched Atölye Kuban, a coffee experience hub dedicated to promoting the art of coffee roasting. As an initiative of Kuban Roasters, Atölye Kuban is focused on bringing the highest quality coffees to its loyal customers while advancing global coffee culture.
Today, Atölye Kuban offers coffee roasting training, expert guidance, best practice workshops, informative seminars, and industry events. We’re incredibly proud to work with such a forward-thinking, high-energy outfit and have built a close-knit, mutually beneficial working relationship with the Atölye team.
We caught up with Mohammad Hasan Saeedi, coffee roaster and bar manager at Atölye Kuban, to learn more about how Hardtank equipment adds to the company’s mission.
Atölye Kuban: A modern twist on Turkey’s coffee heritage
“Atölye Kuban is a meeting of coffee and passion,” says Hasan. “Every bean tells a story, every cup combines friendship and intimacy. The heart of our journey is a desire to create the perfect coffee experience.”
Atölye Kuban’s approach to coffee is not to be confused with the traditional Turkish coffee but instead inspired by it. Turkish coffee itself is a distinct roasting and preparation method that has been part of the national culture for centuries.
Turkish coffee is highly distinct from other coffee preparation methods. Coffee beans are very finely ground – similar to an espresso or moka pot grind – before being boiled in traditional copper pots called cezve. Moreover, the average cup of Turkish coffee is thick, rich, and strong as the grounds are not filtered out before consuming.
Brewed traditionally, the cezve is filled with coffee grounds and water before being placed in a pan filled with sand. The sand acts as a heat regulator, and as the cezve are buried more deeply into the sand, the heat increases, boiling the coffee before it is removed to cool down. The brewer repeats this three or four times to achieve optimum extraction, and then the coffee is served.
Turkish coffee is so culturally significant to its homeland that it was recognised on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013: serving it is a sign of hospitality, friendship and kindness.
Atölye Kuban is taking these cultural features of coffee and applying them to specialty coffee through research and development, equipment manufacturing, and coffee roasting.
“As the Kuban family, we represent our country in many international fairs organised abroad every year in the fields of coffee and coffee equipment activities,” the company states.
“In addition to in-house R&D studies, we try to bring a high standard to the sectoral quality by following technological innovations and constantly keeping the bar high.”
Atölye offers a vast array of some of the finest specialty coffees available, including Peruvian, Colombian, Costa Rican, and Honduran single origins, all roasted by their internationally recognised roasting team.
Training seminars on roasting techniques, sensory skill development, and green coffee identification are designed to develop the Turkish specialty scene further. Its commitment to international events and workshops reinforces the global view that Turkish coffee does not just mean cezve but also world-class specialty coffee processing and roasting.
Why did Atölye Kuban choose Hardtank?
Atölye Kuban is committed to driving the Turkish specialty coffee scene forward. In a market full of consumers who are culturally familiar with coffee-based beverages, specialty coffee holds enormous potential.
6W research forecasts a sustained CAGR of 5.9% over the next six years and has identified specialty coffee as the key growth channel within the broader Turkish coffee market. Demand for espresso-based beverages is on the rise, and premium and organic options are more popular than ever.
Younger consumers, influenced by their digital nativity and increased exposure to global trends, are seeking ready-to-drink coffee products and cold options too. Beverages like iced lattes, cold brew coffee and flat whites are set to become the drinks of choice for future shoppers.
Atölye Kuban is already serving cold brew coffee – and other cold brewed teas and cocktails – and the company has installed a Baby Hardtank cold brew machine capable of brewing up to 250 portions per day.
We asked Hasan about the motivation behind this service upgrade.
“We use the Baby Hardtank every day. The team here has even given it a nickname: BSP – beauty, speed, power.”
“We’re using the machine to brew cold brew of course, but also different types of cold brew tea or cocktail infusions. The versatility is incredibly useful. Apart from the hundreds of various types of cold coffees and teas, I love crafting new flavour combinations. I’ve tried so many different recipes and ingredients and, more often than not, have had positive results.
“We also use nitrogen taps in the café to pour nitro coffee for our customers. They seem to love the smooth, creamy texture. The combination of Hardtank cold brew and nitrogen has been a particular favourite.”
As Hasan points out, Hardtank equipment is contributing positively to Atölye Kuban’s overall goal of industrial innovation by allowing the team space to experiment, try out new flavour combinations and develop new beverages to offer intrigued and receptive customers.
Traditional cold brewing is a time-consuming process and does not allow for continuous experimentation, as the brewer needs to wait up to 24 hours before quality control.
“Hardtank helps us create completely new experiences in cold coffee and speed up our workflows,” Hasan adds. “The Baby Hardtank machine is on show, on our counter, and adds to the appearance of a more professional and specialised coffeeshop environment.”
Turkey will always be associated with the traditional cezve and the cultural beauty and significance that comes along with it. Atölye Kuban is building on this rich tradition and demonstrating why the nation should be known for specialty coffee, too.
With an almost unmatched depth of coffee-related experience and expertise, from ancient traditions to cutting-edge coffee roasting and blending, Atölye Kuban is leading the Turkish specialty scene onwards and upwards.
Whether you’re a local roastery or an international coffee chain, the Baby Hardtank can help you serve high-quality cold brew quickly, efficiently, and creatively. Visit our website or contact our team for a personalised consultation.
Atölye Kuban
