Getting to know Knockbox Coffee Company.
What's the story behind Knockbox Coffee Company and how did it all start?
Knockbox Coffee Company and its roastery were born out of a passion for exceptional specialty-grade coffee and a quest for rare coffees from every corner of the globe.
Our founder, Patrick Tam — who is also an ophthalmologist — began this incredible journey in 2009, when he tasted a distinguished cup of flat white at White Cross Lane during his stay for a medical seminar in London. The coffee was served by a hippie gentleman who was living on a boat and running a coffee cart in the heart of the city. Chatting with this barista over a flat white every morning soon became a habit. This barista vanished for a week in April, and Patrick later learned from his colleagues that he had flown to Atlanta, where he was subsequently crowned World Barista Champion. That gentleman was Gwilym Davies — the true eye-opener for our founder.
Inspired by that encounter, Patrick started the first Knockbox shop in a small neighbourhood in Hong Kong and soon moved to a bigger location the following year. There is nothing more satisfying than having a group of customers-turned-friends pool ideas together and sacrifice their free time to contribute to a common goal — a venue, a community, a social circle; in philosophy, we call it "the public sphere," centred around the cherry of wisdom.
"Coffee Means the World to Us." Our dedication to highlighting every effort in the coffee chain reflects our belief that coffee is fundamentally about connection — between lands, between processes, and most importantly, between people. This philosophy has also guided our commitment to sustainability, as we strive to ensure that our coffee journey remains both environmentally responsible and socially equitable. By embracing these values, we aim to make the coffee experience not only delicious but also meaningful and forward-looking for everyone involved.
Can you share more about your approach to sourcing and roasting coffee?
The Knockbox team consists of dedicated coffee professionals. Our founder was the first Hong Kong judge to participate in the international jury for the 2012 Cup of Excellence in Costa Rica and has never stopped attending origin projects and competitions since. The experience of being a member of the international jury team has led to many long-term relationships between us and various coffee leaders, organisations, and producers across the globe. That was when we started paying attention to the Direct Trade model and different origin projects, which have since become the core of our sourcing direction.
At Knockbox, we believe in a hands-on approach to sourcing, which is why we insist on visiting our partners upstream in the coffee industry. By visiting the farms, we connect with the land and witness the coffee cherries firsthand, ensuring that we understand the full journey of our coffee from bean to cup. We also prioritise sustainability, recognising that the quality of the soil directly impacts cup quality.
This commitment has led us to shine a light on small-scale yet unique origins; in the past, we've proudly introduced coffees from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Hawaii, and more. As we engage with producers who share our values and ethical practices, we build meaningful relationships that allow us to share exceptional coffee lots season by season.
Our roasting philosophy centers around highlighting the unique characteristics of each bean, taking into account its origin, variety, and processing method. We employ a two-system approach, using the Diedrich — which uses a mix of conductive heat from the drum wall and convective heat from heated airflow — and the Stronghold S7X and S9X, which use three distinct, controllable heat sources to roast the beans, allowing us to maintain precise control over every roasting profile.
What motivated Knockbox to explore the capsule coffee format?
It was driven by our curiosity about the innovative capabilities of the MORNING Machine, particularly its pre-bloom and pressure adjustment functions. A good friend introduced us to it and we were kind of like, "Okay, we get what you mean — but are those functions actually going to work as written on their fancy website?" We ordered approximately six boxes of capsules from MORNING's website and held a blind tasting. It was so fun, and an entire afternoon was easily spent on the tasting. This led us to wonder how our coffee would taste if we roasted a specific batch of beans tailored for capsule production.
Seeing some of the top-class roasters and coffee brands launching their capsules in the market also encouraged us to develop this particular product.
We all have our morning routines, and coffee is often a crucial part of it. What is your morning ritual like?
To be very honest — struggling to get up and running fast to catch the bus to work, then an hour of coffee tasting and adjustments.
What are you most excited about right now and for the future of Knockbox Coffee Company as a brand and business?
Our Head of Coffee, who is also our Head Roaster, was crowned Champion of the Hong Kong Barista Championship for the second time just a few months ago! While we are diligently preparing for the World Barista Championship 2026 in Panama City this coming October, we're also embarking on various collaborative projects with coffee producers upstream in the industry. It's all about the connections between lands and people!
