Could climate change threaten your morning coffee enjoyment?

In the new episode of "5 Cups a Day," we take a closer look at the versatile sweet lupin. Together with Monika Heyn, product developer at Tchibo, we discover how this unique legume is used to create an innovative coffee blend. We discuss everything you need to know: What is the caffeine content? What do you need to know about allergens? How do sweet lupins make our coffee more sustainable? What makes the coffee-lupin blend so special in terms of taste? And could this blend really be the future of your cup of coffee? Find out – and experience an exciting blind tasting to see if we can taste the difference compared to 100% coffee.

Imagine if your morning coffee ritual not only tasted good, but also contributed to greater sustainability in the form of shorter delivery routes and a regional approach. What sounds like a pipe dream is already a reality – with "Coffee and Lupine" from Eduscho. In our latest podcast episode of "5 cups a day", we dive deep into the world of innovation and superfoods: the combination of coffee and native sweet lupine. Our guest was Tchibo product developer Monika Heyn, who revealed why this combination is much more than just a "coffee substitute".

The vision: an intelligent addition rather than a compromise

Over the past few decades, coffee has often been substituted with other raw materials, especially in times of crisis and out of necessity. This has led to compromises in taste, which have sometimes had a negative impact on the reputation of coffee substitutes. However, Monika Heyn sees the future in an intelligent addition. Given the potential halving of coffee cultivation areas by 2050, sweet lupine, a regionally grown legume, offers great potential for more resilient cultivation and a more diverse coffee culture.

"Our vision for the future is not one of replacement, but of intelligent supplementation. It's not about replacing coffee, but rather making coffee culture more resilient and diverse." – Monika Heyn

The best of both worlds: taste and sustainability.

How does this blend taste? According to Monika, it combines the best of both worlds: the complex roasted aromas of coffee and the delicate, nutty-sweet notes of sweet lupin. This blend offers a mild and harmonious flavour profile. Another decisive advantage is in terms of sustainability: the regional cultivation of sweet lupins shortens transport routes and saves valuable CO₂ emissions.

"Our blend of coffee and sweet lupin combines the tradition of classic coffee with innovative recipe ideas, offering a real treat for all coffee lovers who like to look beyond the rim of their cup."– Monika Heyn

The taste test: a surprising discovery

At the end of our podcast episode, we were allowed to taste the products: in a blind tasting, 100% coffee and the coffee-sweet lupin mix competed against each other. The surprising result: the coffee-sweet lupin mix is perceived as milder and more pleasant in the mouth in terms of taste profile. The aroma also seems rounder and fuller. A real surprise victory.

"And that's really nice to hear, because the market research we conducted also showed that many consumers actually prefer the coffee-sweet lupine mix to 100% coffee."– Monika Heyn

Sweet lupin has the potential to change the world of coffee forever. It shows how tradition and innovation can go hand in hand to ensure enjoyment for the future. You can find all the details about product development, health aspects and preparation in the full podcast episode – highly recommended listening for all coffee lovers!

Ready to broaden your coffee horizons? Then listen now!