Lexington Coffee Roasting

For 20 years, our goals have been seemingly simple: Extraordinary Coffee. Extraordinary Service. Looking back, it was crazy. It was 1991, long before there was any coffee scene in Washington DC, much less rural Virginia. Who would open a coffee roasting business in a small Shenandoah Valley town? We would. Over the years, an ever-widening circle of cafes served our coffee, and our reputation grew well beyond Virginia. Our tiny coffee bean store became a large, vibrant coffeehouse. We bought a bigger roaster. And then a bigger one. By 2002, we'd grown so much we sold our own coffeehouse to focus on roasting for others. After 20 years, you know what we've learned? Great coffee isn't simple at all. Every cup depends on the skill and care of the farmer, miller, roaster and brewer. No single program can solve the plight of the world's 26 million coffee farmers, many of whom live in dire poverty without decent housing, clean water, adequate food, or access to education and health care. That's why we support a range of integrated efforts, including Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certifications, direct trade initiatives, pricing that rewards farmers for quality, and nonprofit agencies working to improve the quality of life in coffee growing communities.