Truth Coffee Roasting - Specialty Coffee Roaster \| Unpacking Coffee [Skip to content](#main-content) [ ![Unpacking Coffee Logo](/images/cuppin-logo.svg) Unpacking Coffee ](https://unpacking.coffee) [ Coffees ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees) [ Roasters ](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters) [ Cuppings ](https://unpacking.coffee/cuppings) [ Recipes ](https://unpacking.coffee/recipes) [ Origins ](https://unpacking.coffee/origins) [ Log in ](https://unpacking.coffee/login) [ ](https://unpacking.coffee/login "Log in") [ Register ](https://unpacking.coffee/register) [ ](https://unpacking.coffee/register "Register") [ Roasters ](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters) Truth Coffee Roasting Truth Coffee Roasting ===================== Cape Town, South Africa · Roasting since 2009 Truth Coffee Roasting is a Cape Town specialty coffee roaster founded in 2009 by David Donde, one of South Africa's specialty coffee pioneers. Truth's flagship café opened at 36 Buitenkant Street in 2012 in a steampunk-themed 1898 Victorian warehouse — designed with Haldane Martin around a vintage roasting machine — and was named Best Coffee Shop in the World by The Telegraph in 2015. Log In to Cup Log in to your account Enter your email and password to continue Email address Password Remember me Cancel Log in Need an account? [Sign up](https://unpacking.coffee/register?intended=https%3A%2F%2Funpacking.coffee%2Fcupping%2Fnew%3Froaster_id%3D214) On the record --------------- Coffees 0 Cuppings 0 The roaster ------------- Based in Cape Town, South Africa Since 2009 Website [truth.capetown](https://truth.capetown) Added May 2025 The interview ------------- From the Unpacking Coffee video series, 2015–2019. ![](/storage/roaster-profiles/214/featured-1200.webp) Watch the interview Episode 029 · July 11, 2016 36 Buitenkant Street, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa ### From the episode - [Truth Coffee](http://truthcoffee.com) - [Truth Coffee Twitter](https://twitter.com/truthcoffee) - [Truth Coffee Facebook](https://facebook.com/TRUTH.Coffee/) - [Truth Coffee Instagram](https://instagram.com/truthcoffee/) - [Location photography by Shanna Jones](http://shannajones.com) Read the transcript THE CONVERSATION Ray: This week, we are talking about South Africa's Truth Coffee. Kandace: I chatted with David. He's got a lot to say about coffee, so I think we should just let him take it away for a moment. David: David Donde here. I'm the founder of Truth Coffee Roasting and hopelessly ADD! Kandace: David started out as a hotel owner. David: I knew that I needed fresh coffee, so I went to my suppliers one by one and I said, "Well will you guys deliver fresh coffee to me? Would you guys deliver?" Everyone said: "No, too far away." Eventually, one said: "Well, I'll sell you a roaster. I know this guy whose got this one kilogram roaster for sale." I got lucky. He sold me the roaster, which was a one kilogram roaster. It was kind of fun. I could see what was going on. But, I had this hotel that was completely full on the weekends (100% occupation) and completely empty during the week. I had all this time to roast and then I got even luckier. I had nobody to teach me how to roast coffee! I came from this engineering, design background and all I had was scientific method; you do something, you make careful notes, and then you have this feedback loop. I developed this empirical system of roasting coffee and roasting based on the feedback. Basically, I had no preconceived ideas of how dark coffee should be, how long it should take, which beans to use. I just had my palate to work with. Kandace: He went from that to being noted as the coolest coffee shop in the world. Ray: They're cool. I mean, I haven't been there in person. Kandace: He talked about chasing the flavor which I thought was really interesting, just figuring out what you're trying to get out of that particular coffee. David: Well, there's been this old-school coffee tradition with really burned pots of filter coffee that are served piping hot. It's what I call the cheap beer phenomenon, where if you got a really cheap, nasty beer, you just serve it cold enough you can drink it. When it gets warm, you actually taste it. Coffee is the same. If you serve it hot enough, you can get away with anything. If you start caring about over over-extraction and under-extraction, then serving temperature gets really important and the brew, grind size, extraction time, and temperature are all interrelated. With a general brewing time that we've got, you just don't want to serve it piping hot and kill your coffee before it gets started. Kandace: This is, for the fact that Truth will not consider themself an eco-friendly business... David: We are primarily a coffee company, so we're about the taste of the coffee. All of our coffee is bought to the relationship model. We paying way more than the Fair Trade price. I don't need to explain to you. There isn't a specialty roast in the world who cares about the Fair Trade price, let alone the commodity price. It's just an irrelevance to us. We do have deep connections with our suppliers, whether with brokers or directly, it's all an engagement with the farmer. Our broker acting more as a matchmaker than as a traditional firewall. I think that's essential. Then also, the limitations of fair-trade and organic and what people think they are buying and what they are actually buying. People believing that organic label is going to cause the best coffee, and the most naturally grown coffee they can imagine, and it's not true. It involves organic certification. We know now of 150 certified organic insecticides with high residual toxicity. It doesn't make them good, but it does make them organically certified. Ray: He also brought up a valid point, which is that a lot of people are trying to make better and better packaging, but what would it look like if a bag to put your coffee in cost a hundred dollars? What would you then? Kandace: I would dip that in gold. Ray: Yeah, it would be a really frickin' nice bag, wouldn't it? They roast on a roaster that is so vintage, it's from the 40s. It was originally designed to roast on diesel, but interestingly, they're using bio-fuels. David: The heart of our roastery is the 60 kilo vintage throwback from the 40s. We not sure of exactly what year it was made. I think it's the only roaster in the whole world powered by bio-fuel. Ray: This is good. This is Truth. It's a very simple, simple label. Right now we are trying the Vengeance. One thing he said that he really wanted for the business, I thing you asked him, what his goal was or what was next and he said that he wanted... David: I would love to be on Coffee Geek’s bucket list, and that's what it's all about. I don't want to anyone's favorite coffee, I want to be in their top five favorite coffees. Kandace: Well, he's made a pretty phenomenal destination. Ray: Yeah, sounds like it. Kandace: This coffee shop... Ray: He gave us a brief tour, right? Kandace: Yes. David: We are roasting now. I think we have a mini roaster here today. Sorry, I was going to show you the plans but they aren't ready. I hope this is giving you some sort of sense of what we've got ... It is huge. We keep the sugar well hidden. Ray: Truth Coffee, of Cape Town, South Africa. Watch the Show https://vimeo.com/174148031 THE CONVERSATION Ray: This week, we are talking about South Africa's Truth Coffee. Kandace: I chatted with David. He's got a lot to say about coffee, so I think we should just let him take it away for a moment. David: David Donde here. I'm the founder of Truth Coffee Roasting and hopelessly ADD! Kandace: David started out as a hotel owner. David: I knew that I needed fresh coffee, so I went to my suppliers one by one and I said, "Well will you guys deliver fresh coffee to me? Would you guys deliver?" Everyone said: "No, too far away." Eventually, one said: "Well, I'll sell you a roaster. I know this guy whose got this one kilogram roaster for sale." I got lucky. He sold me the roaster, which was a one kilogram roaster. It was kind of fun. I could see what was going on. But, I had this hotel that was completely full on the weekends (100% occupation) and completely empty during the week. I had all this time to roast and then I got even luckier. I had nobody to teach me how to roast coffee! I came from this engineering, design background and all I had was scientific method; you do something, you make careful notes, and then you have this feedback loop. I developed this empirical system of roasting coffee and roasting based on the feedback. Basically, I had no preconceived ideas of how dark coffee should be, how long it should take, which beans to use. I just had my palate to work with. Kandace: He went from that to being noted as the coolest coffee shop in the world. Ray: They're cool. I mean, I haven't been there in person. Kandace: He talked about chasing the flavor which I thought was really interesting, just figuring out what you're trying to get out of that particular coffee. David: Well, there's been this old-school coffee tradition with really burned pots of filter coffee that are served piping hot. It's what I call the cheap beer phenomenon, where if you got a really cheap, nasty beer, you just serve it cold enough you can drink it. When it gets warm, you actually taste it. Coffee is the same. If you serve it hot enough, you can get away with anything. If you start caring about over over-extraction and under-extraction, then serving temperature gets really important and the brew, grind size, extraction time, and temperature are all interrelated. With a general brewing time that we've got, you just don't want to serve it piping hot and kill your coffee before it gets started. Kandace: This is, for the fact that Truth will not consider themself an eco-friendly business... David: We are primarily a coffee company, so we're about the taste of the coffee. All of our coffee is bought to the relationship model. We paying way more than the Fair Trade price. I don't need to explain to you. There isn't a specialty roast in the world who cares about the Fair Trade price, let alone the commodity price. It's just an irrelevance to us. We do have deep connections with our suppliers, whether with brokers or directly, it's all an engagement with the farmer. Our broker acting more as a matchmaker than as a traditional firewall. I think that's essential. Then also, the limitations of fair-trade and organic and what people think they are buying and what they are actually buying. People believing that organic label is going to cause the best coffee, and the most naturally grown coffee they can imagine, and it's not true. It involves organic certification. We know now of 150 certified organic insecticides with high residual toxicity. It doesn't make them good, but it does make them organically certified. Ray: He also brought up a valid point, which is that a lot of people are trying to make better and better packaging, but what would it look like if a bag to put your coffee in cost a hundred dollars? What would you then? Kandace: I would dip that in gold. Ray: Yeah, it would be a really frickin' nice bag, wouldn't it? They roast on a roaster that is so vintage, it's from the 40s. It was originally designed to roast on diesel, but interestingly, they're using bio-fuels. David: The heart of our roastery is the 60 kilo vintage throwback from the 40s. We not sure of exactly what year it was made. I think it's the only roaster in the whole world powered by bio-fuel. Ray: This is good. This is Truth. It's a very simple, simple label. Right now we are trying the Vengeance. One thing he said that he really wanted for the business, I thing you asked him, what his goal was or what was next and he said that he wanted... David: I would love to be on Coffee Geek’s bucket list, and that's what it's all about. I don't want to anyone's favorite coffee, I want to be in their top five favorite coffees. Kandace: Well, he's made a pretty phenomenal destination. Ray: Yeah, sounds like it. Kandace: This coffee shop... Ray: He gave us a brief tour, right? Kandace: Yes. David: We are roasting now. I think we have a mini roaster here today. Sorry, I was going to show you the plans but they aren't ready. I hope this is giving you some sort of sense of what we've got ... It is huge. We keep the sugar well hidden. Ray: Truth Coffee, of Cape Town, South Africa. Watch the Show https://vimeo.com/174148031 Coffees ------- No coffees from Truth Coffee Roasting yet. Cup one and it goes on the record here. Use filters or recent searches to refine your results. Press Esc to close. Filters 12 showing Users 0 Coffees 0 Roasters 0 Recipes 0 Explore featured coffees Start typing to search across the entire database. [ ### [ Reko Ethiopia ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/212-reko-ethiopia) by [Ruby Coffee Roasters](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/184-ruby-coffee-roasters) Process Washed Varieties [Kurume](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/95-kurume), [Ethiopian Heirlooms](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/38-ethiopian-heirlooms) Country [Ethiopia](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/ethiopia) Region Kochere Elevation 1850-2100m Source Reko Washing Station First noted Nov 10, 2026 Last tasted Nov 10, 2026 1 cupping [ lemon meringue](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/268 "lemon meringue") [ lavender](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/57 "lavender") [ apricot](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/4 "apricot") [ honey](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/22 "honey") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/212-reko-ethiopia) [ ### [ Organic Ethiopia ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/211-organic-ethiopia) by [Portland Coffee Roasters](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/309-portland-coffee-roasters) Certifications Organic Country [Ethiopia](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/ethiopia) First noted Nov 02, 2026 Last tasted Nov 02, 2026 1 cupping [ floral](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/105 "floral") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/211-organic-ethiopia) [ ### [ Crossfade ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/209-crossfade) by [Broadcast Coffee Roasters](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/308-broadcast-coffee-roasters) Process Washed Varieties [Caturra](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/12-caturra), [Typica](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/34-typica), [Ruiru 11](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/29-ruiru-11), [SL28](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/30-sl28), [SL34](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/31-sl34) Country [Kenya](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/kenya) Region Kirinyaga Elevation 1400-2000m First noted Oct 31, 2026 0 cuppings ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/209-crossfade) [ ### [ Kenya Swara ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/210-kenya-swara) by [Broadcast Coffee Roasters](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/308-broadcast-coffee-roasters) Process Washed Varieties [SL28](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/30-sl28), [SL34](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/31-sl34), [Batian](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/7-batian), [Ruiru 11](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/29-ruiru-11) Country [Kenya](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/kenya) Region Kirinyaga Elevation 1600-1800m First noted Oct 31, 2026 Last tasted Nov 11, 2026 1 cupping [ berries](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/199 "berries") [ milk chocolate](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/33 "milk chocolate") [ jammy](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/169 "jammy") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/210-kenya-swara) [ ### [ Volcán Azul Washed SL28 ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/208-volcan-azul-washed-sl28) by [April Coffee Roasters](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/10-april-coffee-roasters) Process Washed Varieties [SL28](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/30-sl28) Country [Costa Rica](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/costa-rica) Source Volcán Azul First noted Oct 31, 2026 Last tasted Oct 31, 2026 1 cupping [ red cherries](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/266 "red cherries") [ nougat](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/31 "nougat") [ florals](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/267 "florals") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/208-volcan-azul-washed-sl28) [ ### [ Gotiti, Ethiopia ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/207-gotiti-ethiopia) by [Ritual Coffee Roasters](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/180-ritual-coffee-roasters) Process Washed Varieties [Heirloom](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/84-heirloom) Country [Ethiopia](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/ethiopia) Region Yirgacheffe Source Gotiti washing station First noted Oct 23, 2026 Last tasted Oct 23, 2026 1 cupping [ melon](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/180 "melon") [ lime](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/19 "lime") [ black tea](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/65 "black tea") [ meyer lemon](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/103 "meyer lemon") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/207-gotiti-ethiopia) [ ### [ Arturo Paz, Dark Room Dried: Natural Geisha, Honduras ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/206-arturo-paz-dark-room-dried-natural-geisha-honduras) by [Ritual Coffee Roasters](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/180-ritual-coffee-roasters) Process Natural Varieties [Geisha](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/16-geisha) Country [Honduras](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/honduras) Harvest June 2026 Source El Itacayo First noted Oct 20, 2026 Last tasted Oct 20, 2026 1 cupping [ elderflower syrup](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/264 "elderflower syrup") [ honey](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/22 "honey") [ stonefruit](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/102 "stonefruit") [ citrus](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/110 "citrus") [ candied tropical fruit](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/265 "candied tropical fruit") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/206-arturo-paz-dark-room-dried-natural-geisha-honduras) [ ### [ Indian coffee beans from Coorg, Karnataka, India ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/205-indian-coffee-beans-from-coorg-karnataka-india) by [Paul John Caffeine](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/307-paul-john-caffeine) Country [India](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/india) Region Karnataka Source Indian Coffee Beans From Coorg, Karnataka, India First noted Oct 14, 2026 Last tasted Oct 14, 2026 1 cupping ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/205-indian-coffee-beans-from-coorg-karnataka-india) [ ### [ Jhoan Vergara Las Flores Pink Bourbon ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/204-jhoan-vergara-las-flores-pink-bourbon) by [Kafiex Roasters](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/249-kafiex-roasters) Process Thermal Shock Washed Varieties [Pink Bourbon](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/1-pink-bourbon) Country [Colombia](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/colombia) Region Huila Source Jhoan Vergara First noted Oct 13, 2026 Last tasted Oct 13, 2026 1 cupping [ froot loops](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/262 "froot loops") [ candied lemon drop](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/263 "candied lemon drop") [ green apple](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/116 "green apple") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/204-jhoan-vergara-las-flores-pink-bourbon) [ ### [ Mama Cherri ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/203-mama-cherri) by [Creature Coffee](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/84-creature-coffee) Process Washed Varieties [Caturra](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/12-caturra), [Catuaí](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/11-catuai) Country [Costa Rica](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/costa-rica) Region Coto Brus Source Doña Isa First noted Oct 09, 2026 Last tasted Oct 09, 2026 1 cupping [ cherry pie](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/141 "cherry pie") [ caramel corn](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/261 "caramel corn") [ butterscotch](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/32 "butterscotch") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/203-mama-cherri) [ ### [ Uganda 96 Hour Natural ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/202-uganda-96-hour-natural) by [DOMA Coffee Roasting Company](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/268-doma-coffee-roasting-company) Process Natural Varieties [SL14](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/102-sl14), [SL28](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/30-sl28), [Nyasaland](https://unpacking.coffee/varieties/103-nyasaland) Country [Uganda](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/uganda) Region Mt. Elgon Elevation 1400 - 2000 maslm Harvest 2026 Source The Coffee Yards/norman Mukuru First noted Oct 05, 2026 Last tasted Oct 05, 2026 1 cupping [ cherry](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/5 "cherry") [ lime](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/19 "lime") [ fudge](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/128 "fudge") [ dark chocolate](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/34 "dark chocolate") [ lemon candy](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/251 "lemon candy") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/202-uganda-96-hour-natural) [ ### [ Mustefa Abakeno ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/201-mustefa-abakeno) by [Marigold Coffee](https://unpacking.coffee/roasters/252-marigold-coffee) Country [Ethiopia](https://unpacking.coffee/origins/ethiopia) Region Oromia First noted Oct 05, 2026 Last tasted Oct 05, 2026 1 cupping [ orange peel](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/132 "orange peel") [ honeysuckle](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/62 "honeysuckle") [ cacao nibs](https://unpacking.coffee/flavors/241 "cacao nibs") ](https://unpacking.coffee/coffees/201-mustefa-abakeno)