Volcanica Coffee Dedicated To Selling Coffee From Volcanic Regions Worldwide
When Maurice and Diane Contreras, a husband-and-wife team from Miami, began travelling to Maurice’s native Costa Rica (she is from Miami), they discovered that much of the coffee they prefered was harvested at volcanic mountain elevations of about 3,000 feet above sea level. In 2004, in Suwanee, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta, the couple founded a coffee company, aptly named Volcanica Coffee, dedicated to selling coffee from higher elevations.
As a result, they specialise in shipping coffee from farms located at a higher elevation in Costa Rica, Hawaii, Jamaica, and a variety of other countries. According to Maurice Contreras, “the fertile volcanic soil, high elevation, cool climate, and cloud moisture nourish the coffee plants, resulting in a superior coffee bean.”
As a result, Contreras explained, “the bean becomes denser and has a sweeter flavour.” He describes it as “extremely flavorful, similar to a fine wine, with nuances from various regions and coffees.”
Having a niche business focused on a single type of coffee has aided in growing the business, enhancing the brand, and establishing loyal customers.
Volcanica Coffee sells over 150 speciality coffees online, including 70 single-origin coffees. Additionally, it sells some coffee accessories and products from its Suwanee coffee plant, but it does not have any additional retail locations.
Almost all of its sales, 96%, originate in the United States, with 4% coming from other countries. The company employs sixteen people, the majority of whom work in fulfilment.
It ships roasted beans and sells coffee in a variety of ways, including online through its own website, through Amazon, and through a subscription programme.
“To be a brand in our space, you have to be on Amazon,” Contreras explained. It provides “added convenience” that is delivered in two days, if not one day. They ensure that it is seamless.” Around 1% of its revenue comes from wholesale sales to coffee shops and bakeries.
