Re-Branding. A word with our founders.

I don’t know if you heard, but we rebranded. A lot of it we have framed as a return, instead of a classic rebrand, "new year new us” kind of thing. We just felt like we were disconnected from our values, and that had a visual representation in our logo, packaging, social media, etc. For a while, we have been doing some internal work to reconnect to our values, and now it finally shows graphically. Most of this internal work has been led by our founders, so we decided a conversation with them was the perfect way to reflect this back to you.

CODOS and coffee from their perspective, a little context to the CODOS ethos if we may. We went a little deep and a lot personal. A conversation with our founders:

When asked what inspired them to create CODOS, their answer was that they created a second home away from home, a third space for themselves (and for us 😉). The best entrepreneurship journeys start from a need of the founders, like Spanx and Fellow. And the name was an invention born out of both their names Cihan Oezlem and dos, Spanish for two. They were searching for something that felt right, and sounded and looked round and complete.

Özlem’s favorite thing about the coffee community is “that everybody has their own coffee culture and story, I love coffee stories!” It’s no wonder that our ethos is to create community within and around coffee.

Coffee has this incredible way of bringing people together, whether it’s a deep conversation over a cappuccino or the camaraderie of the coffee industry. I love that the coffee community is built on shared experiences and moments that matter.
- Cihan

We are the biggest fans of people’s individual coffee rituals, and couldn’t go without knowing theirs. Cihan makes a pot of Chemex in the morning and brings a fresh cup over to Özlem. Every. Day. (Goals 🥺) Their kids also know how to do a pour-over and help Cihan out sometimes. (Again, GOALS!)

“In the Ottoman Empire, husbands were sometimes required by marriage contracts to make coffee for their wives as a sign of respect and affection, with failure to do so potentially providing grounds for divorce. This custom reflected broader marital expectations, where small gestures like making coffee symbolized a husband's commitment to meeting his wife's needs. That’s how important coffee or the coffee ritual was to them.”
- Özlem

Reflecting on what they have learned after 12 years in the coffee industry, we were not surprised to learn that entrepreneurship is as tough as it is rewarding.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that passion alone isn’t enough, entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster of doubt, tough decisions, and unexpected challenges. There were moments I questioned everything, but I realized that the struggles weren’t roadblocks, they were the very things that shaped CODOS. Growth comes from the hardest moments, and looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing,” Cihan reflected. Özlem says the most unexpected lesson has been that there are people who don’t like coffee. We agree 😌

“One thing that genuinely surprised me about the coffee industry is how layered and deeply human it is. Before I entered the field, coffee to me was a daily ritual, comforting, familiar. But once I got involved professionally, I began to understand just how many hands, decisions, and stories are behind each cup.” - Özlem

Coming from a completely different industry, coffee was closer to their values and how they connected to people. Talking to Özlem about why she continues to choose the coffee industry, when there are far easier fields to undertake, she reflected that

On a more personal level, I was also surprised by how emotionally invested people in coffee are, from farmers to baristas to customers. There’s something about coffee that invites passion and curiosity. You don’t just ‘do’ coffee, you live it. And once you’re in, it’s hard to imagine doing anything else.
- Özlem

We faced many questions and challenges during this rebranding process. Most of it was about finding our way back to ourselves, and connecting with what CODOS is truly about. Only through a lot of reflection and certainty in our values and our mission were we able to give it a graphic representation. Most of the return has been focused on training our team, creating a packaging concept (which is coming to our shops really soon 🥳), and understanding what language and tone feels most authentic to us. Most of it is so subtle, it’s meant to be felt instead of explained. It’s more about us the CODOS community, and less about CODOS the company.

So, after this journey back to ourselves, we leave you with a reflection from our founders on what the best advice they have ever received is:

Cihan said (very on brand): “Someone once told me, ‘The best coffee is the one that makes someone’s day better.’ That stuck with me, not just as a philosophy for coffee, but for life. It’s not about chasing perfection, it’s about creating moments that matter, whether through a great cup or a meaningful connection.”

Özlem said (she is a little more direct): “Mine (Özlem’s) is very short…

‘Let them!’

So let them! Let them love coffee, let them create connections, let them have conversations over a steamy cup of Chemex in the morning. We are back, firmly set in our values, and looking forward to 12 more years of drinking coffee with you.