Desert Sun Coffee Roasters, perfecting a great-tasting and a sustainably “good” cup of coffee

 

DURANGO, Colo. – It’s been said in a variety of ways that life’s joys and its most important lessons come from the journey, not the destination. Entrepreneur Glenn Lathrop, founder of Desert Sun Coffee Roasters can attest to that.

For the past six or so years, Lathrop has been on a journey into the world of coffee – the beans, the roast, the cupping – and the lives of the farmers in third world nations who grow the crops that form the basis of arguably one of the most popular beverages in the world.

“This is our fourth full year of business,” said Lathrop who officially launched Desert Sun, an organic, specialty coffee roasting operation focused on Fair Trade coffees, in late 2004. “It’s been a crazy four years, and it’s still a learning thing.”

A Cornell University business school graduate, Lathrop had been working as a clothing buyer for Gardenswartz when the yen to open his own business started him on that proverbial coffee journey. He took two years to research the coffee roasting business, eventually studying at The Coffee Institute in San Francisco and meeting with roasters and suppliers to discuss the art, craft and logistics of the business. He then rented about 1,000 square feet in Bodo Industrial Park, bought a coffee roaster and began establishing Desert Sun Coffee as a viable business with a popular product.

“We moved into here about a year and a half ago,” said Lathrop of the now 2,100 square feet of roasting, packaging, warehouse and office space. “And we’ve got a new roaster. We liked the technology package that came with it. It really allows us to find a way to repeat our roasts utilizing on-board computers on the roaster… control our roast profile so we can really hone in on what makes those little beans taste the best.”

Desert Sun has built a reputation for creating a full-bodied, “sweet” cup of coffee. According to Lathrop, coffee beans do indeed contain a great many sugars. Roasting the beans transforms how they taste – and therein lies the art.

“It’s a different kind of sweetness,” explained Lathrop, who still fields complaints from those unfamiliar with premium roasts that coffee is “bitter.” “But then people try ours and say, ‘Oh, we can drink your coffee black.’ It’s not bitter – very smooth.”

Desert Sun offers coffee from 12 to 14 different countries of origin, depending on the time of year. Add to that the special blends, and the company is wholesaling upwards of 20-plus types of coffee.

But beyond the basic flavor, Lathrop has moved the company toward a specialized “niche,” which includes being a 100 percent USDA certified organic roaster, and purchasing only “fairly traded” coffees. Essentially “Fair Trade” refers to paying the farmers a sustainable amount for the coffee they produce. While he started the business offering some Fair Trade varieties, Lathrop now can trace all of his coffee beans back to their origins.

“Probably one of the biggest moves we’ve made was becoming a member of a roaster-owned cooperative called Cooperative Coffees,” said Lathrop of the organization of specialty coffee roasters in the U.S. and Canada that have banded together to import green, Fair Trade coffee beans. “For us, having a great cup of coffee isn’t enough anymore; it needs to be a ‘good’ cup of coffee from the standpoint of the ethical, sustainable relationships behind it.”

Cooperative Coffees has been able to remove the various middlemen who whittle away the dollars received by the coffee growers, and buy direct. In many cases, the farmers acknowledge receiving more from the cooperative for their beans than any other entity to which they have sold.

While Lathrop admits working with small farming cooperatives in countries ranging from South and Central America to Africa and Indonesia can be overwhelming, he’s committed to building the direct relationship with the farmers. He’s traveled to Nicaragua, Bolivia, Guatemala and most recently Peru on behalf of the cooperative, viewing the organic farms and simple processing operations, and ensuring that the money actually gets back to the farmers. Cooperative members also work on projects to help the farmers cultivate quality coffee.

“Each time I go somewhere, I walk away with something different,” he said. “When we were in Peru, I was really taken by the sense of community the farmers have. They have a rich culture that is unbelievable. They are interested in relationship and having buyers show up year after year – it’s not something that’s common. We were in one community in Peru where we were the first American coffee buyers to ever be there. It adds a whole other dimension to this business.”

Sustainability in all aspects of Desert Sun is important for Lathrop, though he acknowledges that as a Durango manufacturing operation that imports the majority of its raw materials and equipment, being locally “earth-friendly” is something of a challenge. It has forced creativity.

“The new roaster is very efficient and it’s got some great environmental features on it,” said Lathrop, noting that the burners produce minimal VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) and NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) emissions. “Plus the amount of fuel that I use has been dramatically reduced. It went from $0.25 of gas usage per pound of coffee roasted, down to $0.02 to $0.04 a pound. That’s technology.”

Desert Sun also utilizes a catalytic oxidizer, a pollution control device that virtually eliminates airborne emissions. Plus, in support of renewable energy, the operation is off-setting 100 percent of its electricity usage by purchasing “Green Power” through La Plata Electric.

“And we’ve introduced a PLA – lined package with Nature’s Oasis that is compostable,” said Lathrop, referencing polylactic acid, a corn-based polymer. “It’s really a challenge for us to find good solutions with packaging. This is an example where we could find a partner and see if we can make it work.”

To further coffee “education,” Desert Sun welcomes tours of the Bodo Park operation – to watch a roast and enjoy a “cupping,” or a coffee tasting. In similar fashion to wine, as consumer knowledge increases, so does the sophistication of the palate. Lathrop also uses the opportunity to expand on the organic certification and Fair Trade concept.

Desert Sun Coffee is available locally from Cortez to Pagosa Springs, including specialty retailers such as Guido’s, Durango Natural Foods and Nature’s Oasis, plus special blends are featured at cafés  and restaurants including Durango Joe’s, Durango Doughworks, the Ore House and Common Sense Café.

“But we’re in a pretty small market here, so it’s really important to get that business base and get outside the area,” said Lathrop, adding that Desert Sun coffees are now being shipped to Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Georgia and Utah. “But we still have great success locally. It amazes me that we can still put on new business here and grow the current customers. It’s a good thing.”

For further information (and to order Desert Sun Coffee on-line), visit www.desertsuncoffee.com, or call to arrange a tour, 970.247.1100.