A Bold New Arrival
Having served us well since August 2019, we recently waved a fond farewell to our 60kg Probat roaster and welcomed in a very large (and very orange) member to the Mozzo roastery team. A tailor-made and innovative 120kg roaster that marks an exciting new chapter for Mozzo. This isn’t just an upgrade in size; it’s a step towards sharper precision, lower emissions, and greater creative freedom in roasting. Built with care by our friends at IMF in Bologna, Italy, it brings us closer control over our craft and opens up new ways to explore flavour. Sleek and vibrant, with every detail designed for purpose, it’s here to help us push our coffee further than ever before.
Built in Bologna
Visiting Bologna gave us the chance to see first-hand the care and craftsmanship in every IMF roaster. The same design principles carry through each one, from tiny 5kg baby versions to our towering 120kg model. These include compact builds, clever engineering, and a real focus on functionality for teams like ours.
During the trip, we tested batches of coffee, explored their profiling recipe system, and visited a working roastery to see a silo system installed. Meeting the people who actually welded, assembled, and tested our machine made the process even more special. It was about more than just buying a roaster; it was about building a relationship, the Mozzo way.
Why the Upgrade?
For years, our Probat roaster served us well. It was solid, reliable, the coffee-roasting equivalent of a German engine. But as our ambitions grew, so did our need for something more agile, efficient, and sustainable.
The IMF stood out because of its hot air recirculation system. With a single burner doing double duty (heating both the drum and the beans while cleaning the smoke), it dramatically reduces gas usage and emissions. So, not just impressive to look at, our latest addition is cleaner, greener, and gives us greater heat stability (vital when producing a consistent roast). This roaster is a serious upgrade in more ways than one. For starters, its perforated drum means hot air flows directly through the beans, making it a convection-led roaster. The effect? More immediate, more precise, and far easier to control than our previous conduction system. Subtle changes to airflow or drum speed are reflected straight away, which means we can craft roast profiles with greater accuracy.
For you, that translates to a more consistent cup of coffee, whether you’re sipping a Mozzo blend or one of our Seasonal Coffees.
From a practical view, the design is a dream for our team. No more climbing up ladders to clean the fan; everything is accessible at ground level, neatly tucked away behind doors. It’s compact, user-friendly, and purpose-built.
A Conversation with Our Head Roaster, James
Our head roaster, James, is at the forefront of roasting coffee beans and oversaw the changeover to IMF, and his reflections tell you just how transformative this roaster is:
The biggest difference is how immediate everything feels. When I make a change, the roaster responds exactly as I expect it to. It gives me a lot of confidence in my ability. I find myself wanting to roast more, to see what else we can get from it. If I had to describe it in three words, I would say consistent, amenable and energetic (because of its colour and output).
That predictability and responsiveness are more than a technical upgrade, it’s creative freedom. From the very first week, James noticed how much easier it was to distinguish between blends, showcase the unique qualities of single origins, and fine-tune tasting notes with confidence and consistency.
Looking Ahead...
With its precision and sheer creative potential, our new roaster is already opening doors to deeper flavour exploration, sharper consistency across every batch, and cleaner processes.
While our much-loved blends will remain as reliable and distinctive as ever, the possibilities this machine brings are limitless. From highlighting the subtleties of single origins to fine-tuning espresso and filter profiles, we can’t wait to see what new tasting notes and coffee experiences it will unlock.
