May 2026: Podium Gold. Cozy Monster

Country: Ethiopia
Varietals: 74158
Process: Washed
Producer: Mate Matewos
Elevation: 2,000 MASL
Tasting Notes: Hibiscus, berry, black tea

Your coffee:

2nd place 2024 Cup of Excellence competition Mate Mateyos is a coffee producer the founders of Swift Coffee Sourcing have partnered with in various ways since the 2016-2017 coffee harvest.

He is part of a special group of Single Farmers who originally brought their cherries to a washing station Swift exclusively supported, while each year brought more and more isolation of the lots until, going on a decade later, Swift offers this microlot from Mate’s Keramo area farm.

Year after year, Swift have hosted an all-expenses-paid conference for Mate and his cohort in Sidama, engaging in training, debriefing from both sides about the challenges and opportunities that have come through their work together, and doing the messy-but-necessary work that is relationship coffee sourcing. His prestigious placing at Cup of Excellence only cemented this relationship.

Your roaster: 

Cozy Monster's Wenbo 'Joe' Yang is the newly crowned U.S. Coffee Roasting Champion, and the coffee you're receiving here comes from Yang directly.

Cozy Monster is a specialty coffee brand that combines professional quality with a warm, approachable feeling. The name reflects who they are: “Monster” stands for skill, passion, and high standards in coffee, while “Cozy” represents comfort, friendliness, and everyday connection.

Cozy Monster believes great coffee does not need to feel complicated or intimidating. It can be exciting, flavorful, and carefully crafted, while still being easy to enjoy. That balance is at the heart of Cozy Monster.

Their goal is to create coffee that feels special but still welcoming — for both coffee lovers and everyday drinkers. Cozy Monster is famous for caring about quality, flavor, and consistency, but they also care deeply about how coffee makes people feel. For them, coffee is not just about technique. It is also about comfort, joy, and sharing something meaningful with others.