Ghent (Brussels Morning Newspaper) January 14, 2026 – Café Mombasa launched a community call seeking “Mombasa babies” for its 15th anniversary photoshoot. The Ghent coffee shop invites loyal customers and regulars to participate in celebratory images. Event marks fifteen years of specialty coffee service in the Patershol neighbourhood.
- Background on Café Mombasa’s Fifteen-Year History
- Concept and Meaning Behind Mombasa Babies
- Photoshoot Logistics and Participation Details
- Café Mombasa’s Community Engagement Tradition
- Specialty Coffee Programme Evolution
- Patershol Neighbourhood Context and Significance
- 15th Anniversary Programming and Events
- Customer Demographics and Loyalty Patterns
- Future Expansion Plans Post-Anniversary
- Social Media and Digital Presence Strategy
Café Mombasa announced an open casting for its 15th anniversary photoshoot featuring loyal patrons as “Mombasa babies”. Owners seek enthusiastic community members reflecting the café’s family atmosphere. Photoshoot captures milestone moment for Ghent’s specialty coffee pioneer.
Participating customers pose with signature beverages and interior fixtures. Images showcase café evolution through familiar faces spanning fifteen years. Event coincides with expanded Kenyan coffee sourcing partnerships.
Background on Café Mombasa’s Fifteen-Year History
Café Mombasa opened in 2011 in Ghent’s historic Patershol district. Owners imported specialty coffees directly from Kenyan smallholder cooperatives. Location became destination for third-wave coffee enthusiasts seeking single-origin brews.
Business expanded seating from 12 to 32 places over decade. Interior maintained minimalist Scandinavian design with exposed brick features. Café pioneered V60 pour-over service in East Flanders region.
Annual coffee cupping events attracted regional roasters. Partnership with Mombasa Coffee Farmers Association ensured traceability. Café maintained consistent 4.8 Google rating throughout operation.
Concept and Meaning Behind Mombasa Babies
“Mombasa babies” designation honours long-term customers nurtured by café culture. Term reflects familial bonds formed over fifteen years of daily service. Owners seek participants representing diverse demographics from students to retirees.
Photoshoot features group portraits plus individual customer stories. Images capture signature beverages including house-blend espresso and guest filter coffees. Backgrounds showcase seasonal chalkboard menus and rotating art exhibitions.
Participating customers receive complimentary 15th anniversary merchandise. Professional photographer documents event for café archives and social media. Selection process favours regular visitors with memorable interactions.
Photoshoot Logistics and Participation Details
Event scheduled for Saturday January 25 at main café location Werregarenstraat 19. Sessions run 10:00-18:00 with 15-minute individual slots. Pre-registration required through dedicated Instagram landing page.
Professional lighting equipment illuminates Patershol’s natural window light. Props include vintage coffee equipment and Kenyan coffee cherry samples. Stylist coordinates wardrobe emphasising casual coffee shop aesthetic.
Post-production selects 25 final images for anniversary exhibition. Digital gallery shares full participant collection online. Print editions available for purchase at cost through café retail.
Café Mombasa’s Community Engagement Tradition
Annual customer appreciation events marked each milestone year. 5th anniversary featured free coffee tastings for first 150 customers. 10th anniversary documentary screened local coffee journeys.
Regular cupping workshops educated 2,500 participants since opening. Barista training sessions served hospitality industry professionals. Charity coffee auctions raised €18,000 for Kenyan education projects.
Café maintained daily community table fostering local connections. Notice boards advertised neighbourhood events and services. Lost pet reunions coordinated through café message system.
Specialty Coffee Programme Evolution
Initial menu featured three Kenyan origins rotating seasonally. Current selection includes twelve single-origins from five African countries. House blend Mombasa Gold combines Yirgacheffe and Nyeri components.
Equipment upgrades included 2016 La Marzocco Linea Mini installation. 2020 Slayer Steam LP supported milk-based drink expansion. 2024 Fellow Ode Gen 2 grinder ensured fresh single-dosing precision.
Barista championship participation yielded two national finalists. Regional brewing competitions produced three podium finishes. Café hosted East Flanders Brewers Cup qualifiers annually.
Patershol Neighbourhood Context and Significance
Werregarenstraat represents Patershol’s artisan commercial core. Narrow cobblestone street hosts independent shops and galleries. Café occupies corner position maximising natural light exposure.
Neighbourhood evolved from working-class housing to creative quarter. 18th-century architecture preserved alongside contemporary uses. Patershol committee coordinates annual street festival programming.
Café contributes through monthly acoustic music sessions. Local artist exhibitions rotate quarterly. Neighbour collaboration includes shared delivery scheduling.
15th Anniversary Programming and Events
Photoshoot anchors month-long anniversary celebration commencing January 20. Limited-edition house blend releases weekly through February. Guest roasters schedule fills Saturdays in January.
Anniversary coffee flight features fifteen-year signature beverages. Archival menu recreations available limited quantities. Documentary screening presents café history February 1.
Community album compiles customer-submitted memories. Time capsule burial contains current menus and photographs. Unsealing scheduled for 30th anniversary 2041.
Customer Demographics and Loyalty Patterns
Student population constitutes 42 per cent daily customers. Knowledge workers represent 35 per cent mid-morning trade. Retiree cohort peaks weekend afternoons.
Loyalty programme tracks 1,800 active stamped cards. Top 50 customers average 220 annual visits. Digital ordering app serves 600 monthly users.
Repeat business analysis reveals 68 per cent return within 14 days. Seasonal preferences document cold brew summer dominance. Winter cappuccino sales quadruple October-March.
Future Expansion Plans Post-Anniversary
March 2026 launches Mombasa Roastery satellite operation. On-site roasting capacity targets 200kg weekly production. Distribution expands to 15 East Flanders cafés.
Second location scouting targets Sint-Amandsberg neighbourhood. Pop-up events test Dok and Watersportbaan sites. Franchise model development commences Q3 2026.
Sustainability initiatives include compostable cup transition. Solar panel installation completes March deadline. Fair trade certification audit scheduled April.
Social Media and Digital Presence Strategy
Instagram following reaches 14,200 active accounts. Photoshoot generates content calendar through June. Reels series profiles Mombasa babies weekly.
TikTok channel experiments short-form brewing tutorials. YouTube archives cupping event recordings. Newsletter subscriber base totals 3,200 addresses. Hashtag campaign #Mombasa15 launches with photoshoot. User-generated content contests run through February. Influencer partnerships target regional coffee accounts.
