Brewing responsibility: building a platform with purpose
BRØG is a Copenhagen-based startup with a simple mission: make coffee consumption more personal, more transparent, and more responsible. After going through sustainability-focused business development at CSE, the team shifted how they approach building responsibly.
- Anika Paulus
- 4 min read
With backgrounds in data science and business, CBS students Caroline Langholz and Clara Truelsen are building BRØG – a digital platform that matches people with coffee based on taste and values. By working with responsible roasteries, the app helps users make more informed choices and brings visibility to how coffee is sourced and traded.
Turning values into actions
Like many early-stage startups, the first version of BRØG was broad in vision and still taking shape. Early on, Caroline and Clara associated sustainability mostly with economical aspect such as coffee certifications, packaging, and reducing waste.
“We thought a lot about fair trade beans and compostable cups,” says Clara. “But the more we got into the coffee space, the more we realised how complex it really is. There’s so much that happens before a cup of coffee ends up in your hand. And most of it is invisible.”
Over time, their understanding of sustainability evolved. They began looking beyond product features to how the entire business could be designed with responsibility in mind – from the app interface to supply chain visibility to long-term partnerships.
The real shift came during a series of business development sessions at CSE, led by sustainability advisor Tillie Johannsson. The coaching helped them turn intention into structure.
“Before, we had a strong sense of purpose, but it wasn’t always reflected in the product,” says Caroline. “The sessions helped us break that down. We mapped our potential impact areas – environmental, social, and economic – and started asking better questions. What can we influence now? What needs to be built into the design?”
The BRØG app began to reflect this thinking. Users can filter coffee based on sourcing criteria as direct trade, low-carbon roasting, or fair wages. These features bring sustainability into daily decision-making.
Throughout their startup journey, the two Co-founders realized that sustainability also includes social and economic dimensions, and that responsible entrepreneurship goes beyond the product. Photography: Hanna Selim
A thoughtful way to grow
Working with purpose in an early-stage startup means making trade-offs. Caroline and Clara are open about the limitations.
“One of the hardest things has been letting go of the idea that we have to get it all right from day one,” Clara reflects. “We have to be selective and build what we can now, while keeping future goals in mind.”
But those limits have also sharpened their focus. “What surprised us,” says Caroline, “is how much clarity it actually gives. It helps us decide what to build, who to work with, and where to draw the line.”
For Caroline and Clara, building BRØG has always been about making careful, conscious choices – especially when things move quickly.
“We’re not building BRØG to scale as fast as possible. We want it to last,” says Clara. “That means knowing what we stand for and what we won’t compromise on. If something doesn’t sit right with us, we don’t do it.
It’s not always simple. In a startup context, profitability and ethics don’t always align easily. Caroline and Clara learned that they don’t need to have all the answers; they stay focused, keep asking questions, and take responsibility for each step.
“We’ve learned to live with uncertainty,” says Caroline. “We test things, we listen, we adapt. But what BRØG stands for doesn’t change.”
At CSE, Caroline and Clara found the space and support to question assumptions, focus their direction, and explore what responsibility means in practice. Photography: Hanna Selim
Learning through challenge
BRØG aims to make sourcing more visible and values-based consumption more accessible. That includes giving space to roasteries that prioritise long-term supplier relationships, fair pricing, and better working conditions at origin.
“We want to make it easier for people to support those efforts with their choices,” Clara explains. “The work is already being done by these producers and roasters. We’re just creating a clearer line between them and the people drinking their coffee.”
Transparency, for them, is a starting point for change – and core of the platform. BRØG helps users discover coffee through the lens of what is important to them, combining personal taste with social responsibility.
Looking back, both founders describe CSE as more than a place to test ideas. The mix of coaching, challenge, and community helped them sharpen their thinking and stay focused.
“We had a lot of assumptions when we started,” says Caroline. “CSE gave us a space to question those in a constructive way. Not telling us what to do. But helping us figure out what matters most to us, and how to act on it.”
They also highlight the need for further knowledge on topics like infrastructure impact, sustainable tech, and ethical AI. “Sometimes we don’t even know the right questions to ask,” says Clara. “That’s where structured guidance really helps.”
Caroline Langholz, Co-Founder of BRØG, presented their digital coffee platform to potential customers, partners and investors at TechBBQ 2025 in Copenhagen. Vitor Hugo Silva Mendes
What comes next
BRØG has launched a redesigned app and updated visual identity. The next phase is focused on growing its user base, building its network of responsible roasteries, and continuing to improve how the platform supports better choices.
“We’re still early in the journey,” says Clara. “But we’re building something that reflects the kind of company we want to run – and the kind of impact we want to have.
“Caroline puts it simply: “Responsibility isn’t something we add on later. It’s how we build, how we grow, and how we show up.”
