Conversation with David Cerami of REST

Coffee is a universally beloved product, and demand is increasing. But coffee cultivation is under pressure. A growing number of entrepreneurs are looking to help solve this. David is one of them.

I met David Cerami for coffee in Stockholm (well, I don’t really drink coffee, but coffee is central to this conversation).

David grew up in New York, was an athlete for a number of years, majored in philosophy at the University of Pennsylvania, and then worked in Philly and NYC on the creative side (advertising, content, and editorial for fashion and lifestyle publications). After having children, he felt an immediate need to bring the creative experience he had and channel it into something in the sustainability industry. He co-founded a biomaterials company called Valence (which had to close at the end of 2023) bringing PHA compostable materials into rigid packaging and commercializing biofermentation processes.

FTW: So why did you start the company, REST?

David: “As I became a parent, and thinking about my next role after Valence, I wanted to do closer and more tangible to consumer products but still deeply rooted in biotech, bioproducts. I focused on marrying my passion for technology, product, and brand with sustainability. At the same time, I decided to root myself more firmly in Europe after living cross-contintenally between the US and UK. Copenhagen is, in my view, the epicenter of European biotech in the same capacity that San Francisco represents that focal point of innovation for the US. And in Denmark I met the Kost Studio and Kost Capital team, and felt it was a no-brainer to work with such incredible talent.”

FTW: So what’s the big deal with coffee?

David: “It’s the 2nd most consumed beverage in the world after water, consumed 3B times per day. Simply put, our love of coffee and the demand we're placing on a diminishing supply (due to climate change and deforestation) is straining the industry, squeezing margins, making coffee more expensive than it's been before for consumers, and creating pressure on an industry we rely upon daily. This is without mentioning the fact that 1B+ people in China are opening up their palettes and wallets to coffee, putting even more pressure on the industry as it tries to reckon with its existing demand. The diminishing returns on the crop and supply demand imbalance mean we need to expand what it means to consume coffee and think about long term strategies to continue that experience without relying upon the plant to continue to meet the demand of a valuable product in people's lives.“

FTW: So how are you looking to address this?

David: At REST, we are a biotech enabling foodtech company developing a technology platform that seamlessly powers coffee’s transition and diversification to an optimistic future where coffee can continue to thrive without compromising taste and cost using shelf-stable ingredients that are good for you, and good for the planet. As a B2B company, we've designed the product to address the primary format preferences of consumers (filter, drip, press) and be compatible with businesses (roasting, grinding etc.) and conventional methods of brewing. We want this to be a seamless transition that enables the industry to continue to meet their growing demand without cannibalizing existing market, but enable a diversification of supply for the future of the industry. REST will be pre-ground as either 100% pure product or a blend with existing businesses roasted coffees. 

FTW: Tell me more about the ingredients.

David: “We’re using a variety of ingredients, seeds and grains. Some of them are fermented. Some are roasted. We’re naturally decaf, but can also caffeinate as needed.”

FTW: Your background is in advertising. Will you build a consumer brand?

David: “As a business we’re 100% dedicated to providing a B2B enabling solution. We don’t want to compete with B2C brands and think the message can be muddied when trying to do two things at once. It's hard enough to get one element right, so we're dead focused on our technology, product, IP, and acting as a partner rather than a competitor. We just want to build a great product that can be integrated into existing coffee solutions. And when I think about past B2C products in foodtech — some other food solutions in the past 10 years — companies often made their case by putting others down. We don’t want to push anyone down, to lift ourselves up.  It’s counterintuitive, it’s not in the spirit of partnership and the shared focus we have on preserving the experience of a product we love.”

FTW: So what’s the impact case for REST?

David: “We’re waiting to do a full LCA. What I can say now, is that we’re using mostly ingredients that are upcycled from sidestreams in agriculture that would otherwise go to landfills or be burned for energy. The fermentation method we’re using is also not precision fermentation, limiting enormous amounts of water or energy that ultimately are costly for businesses and the environment. Importantly, especially as an EU company, the products we’re using are not impacted by the EU deforestation regulations either.”

FTW: This ‘upcycled’ story also helps explain your company name, right?

David: “We’re called REST and that has dual meaning. We’re using the rest of the plants that are discarded, as we’re upcycling plants. But REST also stands for Roasted Engineering Systems and Technology.

FTW: Sounds a bit like UPSIDE’s EPIC, or Disney’s EPCOT.

David: [Laugh]. You're not wrong :)

FTW: So when can we expect to find your ingredient in coffee products?

David: “This fall, 2024, we're producing close to 1 metric ton of our formulated 100% pure REST product. We can then deliver samples to partners to begin testing. Next year we can start selling, getting it into the hands of coffee brands. We’re focused on Europe and as a Nordic based company, we feel the Nordics are a phenomenal testing ground.”

FTW: What products will you focus on?

David: “We are primarily focused on filter, drip, pour over formats as they represent the dominant volume as a share of revenue and tonnage in the European and American markets. Ultimately, our technology platform is designed to enable a tunable (light to dark roast) flavor to meet the range of flavor needs that B2B customers have as either 100% pure sku or as a compatible blend with coffee.”

FTW: Have you already raised funding?

David: “We’re looking to raise a big pre-seed over the next few months off the back of a sizable scale up and solid team in place, scientific and corporate, that can enable us to implement a robust bioengineering plan in concert with meeting commercial commitments from early lead customers. We are looking for investors who can open doors to customers, add technical capabilities too, and provide advantages with regard to policy/government in certain regions. I'm a big believer in not letting borders stand in the way of adding great partners to the company who bring a diversity of perspectives. So, despite being EU based as an American, we are talking to investors wherever they may be. 

FTW: Do you have any asks for people reading this article?

David: “I'd love to chat with any investor, customer, and interested talent who love coffee and its future as much as we do. Please get in touch through our website or email. Thank you Daniel for all that you're doing with this platform!”