Bradenton coffee company prioritizes staying approachable | businessobserverfl.com
by: Amanda Postma
Began roasting coffee beans in 2013 in their garage in Oregon, they had no idea their hobby would turn into a business.
Back then, Josh was roasting coffee beans using a popcorn popper for friends and family. A year or two later, the couple moved to Bradenton, Abbey’s hometown. Diving into their hobby, they began to sell bags of roasted coffee beans at the Bradenton Farmers’ Market. At first, it was only a few bags. Then it started to grow.
“It caught me by surprise how many people wanted coffee,” Josh says. To keep up with demand, the couple secured a location in Bradenton to roast beans and Banyan Coffee Co. was born. That demand shows in sales growth: While Josh Schmitt declines to disclose specific revenue figures, he says the company doubled in 2019 and grew sixfold in 2020 over 2019. “And for 2021 we expect to double or triple our revenue” over 2020, he says. The pandemic, of course, has presented some setbacks, but Josh Schmitt says, it’s also opened doors to unforeseen opportunities. “We adapted,” Josh says. “If you don’t, that’s how you get left behind.” One way of adapting? Selling teas. “We always have challenges, but we like the challenge of trying to figure it out,” he says.
