Blog

  This week I’m on tour of sorts. Not my usual endeavor of sourcing our green coffee in coffee producing countries. No, this week I’m on the East Coast of the United States. I’m supporting our wholesale customers. I’m leading espresso trainings, holding cuppings, tweeking brewers, consulting on menu pricing, branding development, and conducting forums to discuss how we source our coffee and answering questions about our roasting process and our company. We believe in a much more hands on process to working with our wholesale partners. Each of our wholesale customers has a different set of needs, we strive...

We would like to share our new video with you: From The Source. I've been friends with Charley Voorhis for many years now. He used to own a cafe in Leavenworth, Washington. At the time, I was a barista trainer who worked with Charley and his crew in every detail of coffee education. Over the years, we kept in touch and visited each other even after he left his coffee career. I'm very glad he did leave coffee, because his skills as a photographer and filmmaker are too great not to be utilized.  Not many people get a chance to...

   Starting a new relationship is always nerve racking. It's the same with new relationships with coffee producers. This year we began the process with working with a new partner in El Salvador, the Rodriguez family. Luis Rodriguez and his mother Gloria hosted me like a family member welcoming me into home and lives in Apaneca llamatepec area of El Salvador. The family operates the farms El Porvernir, Nejapa, La Lagunita and La Gloria. Gloria and Luis, give me hope for a strong trade partner in El Salvador. This trip was more of an exploratory trip. We know and love...

We are hosting the NW Thursday Night Throwdown.  The throwdown will include a latte art competition and a triangulation style tasting competition. In addition, we will premier our new film, <i>From The Source</i>, filmed while sourcing coffee in Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala.  The fun starts at 7pm at 108 Cherry Street.  

Years ago now, I started my travels to coffee producing countries in Costa Rica. Costa Rica since that moment has held a distinctive place in my heart. Since my first encounter with Costa Rican coffee, production, absolutely everything in the Costa Rican coffee system has changed. The micro mill revolution has not only been born but blossomed into something of a world standard for independent transparent entrepreneurship on the producer level.    Our longest standing Direct Trade coffee, Finca La Mirella has reached a level of relationship that has moved way past business. Visiting with Chacon-Salas family for the fourth...