It started with a simple frustration: why was it so hard to find a good selection of freshly roasted coffee beans online in South Africa?
Back in 2013, Phaedon, a curious home brewer armed with his first burr grinder, began exploring the art of making great coffee. His weekend experiments soon turned into a calling—and what began as a humble side project grew into Cape Coffee Beans, now one of the country’s most trusted names in specialty coffee.
From Weekend Hobby to Specialty Coffee Institution
Today, Cape Coffee Beans—or CCB, as regulars know it—connects thousands of coffee lovers across South Africa and beyond. From their Claremont HQ in Cape Town, the team curates a constantly evolving lineup of beans from the country’s leading roasters.
Their online store has become a one-stop hub for everything from precision grinders and pour-over brewers to espresso machines and accessories—all carefully selected to help people brew better coffee, whether at home or behind a café counter.
At its heart, the CCB mission remains simple:
“To provide everything you need to make, serve, and enjoy a truly great cup of coffee.”
The Cape Coffee Beans Podcast
For those who love to dig deeper, Phaedon’s Cape Coffee Beans Podcast is a masterclass in thoughtful conversation. It’s not about hype—it’s about heart. Each episode features one-on-one discussions with South Africa’s leading roasters, baristas, and coffee thinkers.
The topics range from sourcing ethics and roasting philosophies to brewing science, sensory exploration, and the culture behind every cup. It’s an ongoing conversation about how coffee connects people—and how a shared pursuit of quality can help build community.
You can listen to the podcast on all major platforms or directly via the Cape Coffee Beans website.
Visit CCBHQ — and Don’t Forget Your Coffee Passport™
If you find yourself in Cape Town, make time to stop by the CCB shop in Claremont. It’s not a café, but it’s every bit as alive with the aroma of freshly roasted beans and the hum of grinders at work. The team is friendly, knowledgeable, and always keen to chat about gear, brewing, or the latest roast that just landed.
And if you’re travelling with your Coffee Passport™, don’t forget to bring it along and get it stamped at CCBHQ. It’s a small but symbolic gesture—marking your visit to one of the cornerstones of South Africa’s specialty coffee movement, and to the people who’ve helped shape it, one cup at a time.