What Is Co-Fermented Coffee?
Co-fermented coffee is coffee that is fermented together with fruit, so the bean picks up that fruit flavour before it is roasted. Here is what actually happens, step by step.
- 01Every coffee bean grows inside a fruit called the cherry. After picking, the outer fruit is removed and the beans are left to ferment for a while. This is a normal step in making any coffee.
- 02For a co-ferment, the producer adds fruit into the tank with the beans while they ferment, so pineapple, kiwi, watermelon or mango.
- 03As the beans ferment, they take on the flavour of that fruit. Nothing is sprayed on or stirred in afterwards.
- 04The beans are then dried and roasted like any other coffee, so some of that fruit carries through to your cup.
That is the whole trick. The fruit you taste was built in during fermentation, not added at the end. The name on our door is Roast Lab for a reason: this is chemistry you can taste. Our series comes from Colombia, and it took plenty of failed lots before we got it right.
Co-fermented is not flavoured coffee
This is the question we get most. A co-fermented coffee is not a coffee with mango or syrup added to it. That is a different thing called infused or flavoured coffee. The difference comes down to when the flavour goes in
Pick your fruit
Roast Lab is the only roaster in Pakistan carrying a co-fermented Colombian series. Tap a fruit to read the cup, then open the coffee.
Colombia Pineapple
Part of our Co-Fermented Series, this Colombian coffee showcases a vibrant and juicy expression achieved through carefully controlled fruit culturing.
₨ 4,425 – ₨ 7,375 open
Colombia Kiwi
Part of our Co-Fermented Series, this Colombian coffee highlights a refined and elegant expression of fruit-forward fermentation with exceptional balance and clarity.
₨ 4,425 – ₨ 7,375 open
Colombia Watermelon
Part of our Co-Fermented Series, this exceptional Colombian coffee showcases how precise fermentation can unlock bold yet refined flavor expression.
₨ 4,425 – ₨ 7,375 open
SL28 – Culturing with Fruits
This Colombian SL28 highlights how thoughtful culturing techniques can elevate flavor while maintaining clarity, balance, and elegance in the cup.
₨ 4,425 – ₨ 7,375 openIs co-fermented coffee natural?
Yes. The flavour comes from the fermentation itself, with no artificial flavouring and no syrup. Fermentation is already part of how every coffee is made. Co-fermentation just adds fruit to that step
Co-ferments began as an experiment at a handful of farms. Today producers across Colombia and beyond make them, and they have become one of the most talked-about things in specialty coffee
What does co-fermented
Coffee Taste Like?
Expect the fruit note woven through a clean, structured cup, complex rather than candy-sweet. The pineapple lot is tropical and juicy with a dry, tidy finish. The watermelon carries a soft caramel sweetness. The kiwi leans bright and green with a little mint. The mango is all papaya and orange, high and lively.
This is why co-ferments are the doorway into specialty coffee for so many people. Bright, fruity, acidic coffee can be a lot to meet for the first time. A co-ferment hands you something to hold onto, a flavour you already know, so the rest of the cup opens up around it.
How to drink it, with
milk or as a filter
You can drink co-fermented coffee two ways: black as a filter to hear all of the fruit, or with milk if you like it smoother. There is no correct answer here. Take yours how you like it.
As a pour over or any filter method, the fruit sits right up front and clear, which is the way we most love to drink them. With milk, the edges round off and the fruit turns into something more like a dessert. If you are grinding at home, start medium for filter and tell us your brew method when you order so we grind it right for you
Where to buy co-fermented
coffee in Pakistan
Roast Lab is the only roaster in Pakistan with a co-fermented Colombian series. You can order any of them online with delivery nationwide, free over Rs 20,000. Or come taste the exotic fruits in person at our roastery on Bedian Road in Lahore, where we grind fresh in front of you and help you pick the one for how you drink your coffee
That is the whole idea. We find the best coffee in the world, we bring it home to Pakistan and we get your cup exactly right.
Visit the roastery
Come taste the co-fermented Colombians on Bedian Road, Lahore. We grind fresh in front of you and help you pick the one for how you drink your coffee.
Warehouse no. 01, Theater Street (near Theater Pully Bus Stop), Bedian Road, Lahore.
Co-fermented coffee FAQ
Q What is co-fermented coffee?
Coffee fermented together with fruit so the flavour is worked into the bean during processing, before roasting. The roast then keeps some of that fruitiness in the cup. It is natural, and it is different from adding flavour after roasting.
Q How is it different from flavoured or infused coffee?
Co-fermentation builds flavour naturally while the coffee ferments. Infused or flavoured coffee has syrups or oils added to the beans after roasting. Our Colombian series is co-fermented, so the fruit note comes from the process, not from syrup.
Q Is co-fermented coffee natural?
Yes. The flavour comes from a controlled natural fermentation with fruit, with no artificial flavouring. Fermentation is already part of how every coffee is made. Co fermentation just guides it.
Q What does it taste like?
The fruit note, pineapple, kiwi, watermelon or mango, woven through a clean and structured cup. Complex rather than candy-sweet, which is why many people find it the easiest way into specialty coffee.
Q Can I drink it with milk?
Yes. Drink it black as a filter to hear all of the fruit, or with milk if you like it smoother. There is no wrong way. Take yours how you like it.
Q Where can I buy it in Pakistan?
From Roast Lab in Lahore, the only Pakistani roaster with a co-fermented Colombian series. Order online with delivery nationwide, free over Rs 20,000, or taste them at the Bedian Road roastery.
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