Now and then rowing edges into the world of professional image marketing, with occasional (often but not always fleeting) appearances in television ads, on billboards, and every few years even in Hollywood films. But product endorsements have been relatively rare, as very few rowers have the name recognition such that simply by saying they like or use something, others will follow.

Countless news articles about rowing every year focus on the early morning wake-ups, and "we do more before 7am..." stuff, even the sunrise communing with nature - so if there is a product that would make sense for a rower with a sufficiently hig profile to endorse, it might be coffee.

In his native Norway, 2008 Olympic singles champion Olaf Tufte does have the kind of profile, and sure enough, now has his own coffee, Tufte Kaffe. (In addition to his line of coffee, Tufte has a line of, well, underwear – arguably it might be described more as undergarments of an athletic nature, but some of it is underwear, no question.) row2k asked Olaf a few questions about how the coffee came to be, how the beans were chosen, and if his friends give him a hard time about the endorsement (we didn't mention the underwear, maybe another time, or another publication...)

How did it happen that you have a coffee named after you?
It all started with my event at the farm when I had a conference about coming back for Rio. We had sponsors and rowing friends at my farm, and a company named Crema (who produce the coffee) asked if they could come and serve coffee for free. The woman with Crema said that it would be cool if they and I together made Tufte Coffee - it would be good fun on the farm with all my events and activities.

I understand you went in and selected the coffee beans that you liked; how did you select them? Did you have to drink a ton of coffee?
I told them how I liked my coffee, they made me five types. Then I tasted them at their shop/factory. I was not totally pleased, so I gave my opinions. They made me new mixes, and this time we got what we have now. Tasteful coffee. ;-)

From where do the beans come (what country, do you know or have you visited any of the farms)?
Had no time to visit the farms, and they are from South America and Asia –would be a lot of traveling.

How much of your coffee do you drink?
Too much.

Do you ever drink any other coffees, or is Tufte Kaffee your one and only?
This is the only brand for me now. No more cheap coffee from the shop.

Is the coffee popular in your hometown? In your country? With your family?
Most people like it a lot. We have not gone wide with it yet. Maybe it's time now.

Does your wife get tired of it?
She doesn't drink coffee, so she has made Tufte(a) instead. ;-)

Do any of your clubmates, coaches, or fellow rowers ever joke with you about the coffee?
Everybody does, because I have so many things going on all the time, they make something out of many things. But if the give me too much hard time about it, they don't get to taste the good coffee...

You can purchase Tufte Kaffe here; Vaer Sa God!