Fourth-Generation Roaster: Marlene and the Craft Behind Every Cup

For Marlene Drack, it was clear even as a child that coffee was more than just a drink. Today, as a fourth-generation roaster at Nussbaumer Kaffee in Gmunden, she is responsible for purchasing, quality control, and roasting. We highlight what goes into this craft.

Coffee as a Calling, Since Childhood

Some professions are chosen, some grow on you. For Marlene, it was clear from the start: the aroma in the roastery, the sounds of the machine, the conversations about origin and taste were all part of her childhood. What felt natural became a calling. As a fourth-generation master roaster, she continues what her great-grandfather Guido Nussbaumer began.

Artisanal Roasting on a Drum Roaster from the 1970s

We still roast by hand. We use a drum roaster from the 1970s, which was custom-made for Marlene's great-grandfather and company founder Guido Nussbaumer at the time. This machine does not tolerate automation. It demands attention, experience, and a feeling for when the bean has reached the exact point where its aroma fully unfolds.

Artisanal roasting means: small batches, full control, no continuous operation. Each variety gets its own roasting profile, and each profile is tasted, adjusted, and tasted again. If you want to see how this works in practice, our roasting workshop in Gmunden is for you.

From Sourcing to Quality Control

The work begins long before roasting. Marlene selects the green coffees, tests samples, tastes, and decides what goes into the drum and what doesn't. Contact with the farms at the origin, from Brazil, Colombia to Kenya and many more, is not a side issue, but the foundation of consistent quality over many years. Only after approval is the coffee roasted, and even then, it is checked and tasted before a variety is included in our coffee varieties.

Everyday Life as a Young Entrepreneur

Everyday life involves much more than coffee. Calculation, client negotiations, supplier relationships, plus the many small decisions that a family business demands daily. And every now and then, standing in front of the camera. That too is now part of the craft, if you want to explain how a product is made.

Appreciation for Every Sip

For Marlene, coffee is a staple in her nutrition. That's precisely why every sip also means appreciation for everything that goes into a good cup: for the people on the farms at origin, for the roasting, and for the careful preparation.

Thank you, Marlene.

Who holds your business together?

In every business, there's that one person without whom much would come to a standstill. For us, it's Marlene. Feel free to tell us who it is for you. And if you want to know how artisanally roasted beans from Gmunden taste: Our coffee varieties are all refined on the same drum roaster where Marlene stands every day.