DASCLALY
In the old days it was just coffee. Coffee didn't have much distinction. I remember stirring a cup of Folgers by a campfire and thinking it was best thing since the invention of sliced bread. Truth is Folgers and Maxwell House were good coffees back in the early eighties. The advent of high grade coffees had not yet perked up the palate of up and coming baby boomers.
Then came Starbucks and coffee drinkers worldwide were introduced to existence of "more than just coffee". Now there were lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, etc, etc, etc. But more importantly names such as Sumatra, Kenya AA, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe began to be thrown around by a few coffee gurus here and there. Small batch roasters took the new wave and rode it with enthusiasm. For folks like you and me, who like good coffee, it became a bonanza. Now I can fire up my batch roaster, roast a small portion of high grade coffee, taste it a few minutes later and ship it to you right away.
We have been roasting for almost ten years, and from the very beginning we decided to roast high grade. Some of the green coffee beans we buy are two or three times as expensive as a run of the mill every day coffee. When it comes down to sipping that hot cup of coffee in an Autumn morning oh, what a difference it makes if you are drinking good coffee. Speaking of the weather but hopefully not changing the subject too abruptly, it just occurred to me that this past one was one of the best Summers we had in our history. GranCoffee is a "boutique" roaster and because of loyal customers like you we have been able to keep steady even during hot weather months. During Summer our sales many times go down sharply but this year they didn't. Thank you for your support. That daily cup of coffee makes a difference. We of course hope to see a dynamic remainder of the year in sales.
We are also thankful for the steady team we have. Scott McAndrew is our roastmaster. Scott measures each bucket of green coffee diligently before each batch. Then he keeps notes on the temperature of each roast as it progresses until the final temperature is reached. This process is repeated over and over again, week after week always small quantities to keep the coffee fresh. Scott then blends the coffee according to the various recipes we have. And finally he packages the coffee. It really is like an art, a real artisan developing his trade day after day while maintaining quality.
David S. Lane, the magnetic inspirer, young energetic entrepreneur who kept GranCoffee on its tip toes while he concluded UGA Terry College of Business, has taken a position as Marketing Associate with Sam Shapiro Supply Chain Management in Atlanta. We were sorry to see him go but are really happy for him. Of course, we actually see him more often now, but he is just not as closely involved with the company. But he is contributing a new dimensions of marketing for us so thank you David for leaving us but not completely leaving.
Laurence E. Fortson keeps us all in line. He is our bookkeeper. He counts every bean carefully and makes sure that none are lost. A veteran from UGA's bookstore, Laurence inspires a sense of steadiness and completion. Under his watch all the i's get dotted, all the t's get crossed and all jobs get finished. It is not a good idea for me to leave scribbles on post-it notes laying around the counter at GranCoffee unless I am really serious about what I scribble. In Laurence's hands those scribbles are going to become strict execution orders and will never be left adrift.
Lynn S. Lane, well, as you probably know, Lynn is the life and soul of the business. I have been a bit removed from the business for four years. But Lynn has clenched to the success of this business with tooth and nails and lo and behold we have made it thus far. She inspires everybody else with her ceaseless communication and interest in details. An avid drinker of good coffee, Lynn is financial officer (i.e., cash flow struggle officer), coffee buyer, saleswoman par excellence, cheerleader, customer service manager and chief advisor to me.
Of course, you know that you, The Customer, are the glue that keeps us all together. We love our coffee but we can't drink it all ourselves. We've got to have someone else to drink it too and we are glad you like it.
