Cockpit to Coffee
How a curiosity for coffee led to an unexpected career change, from tarmac to roasterie
SRQ MAGAZINE | APRIL 2022
BY KELLIANNE HOTON
Transpiring from sheer curiosity and a hankering for “better coffee,” the evolution of Banyan Coffee Co.—a specialty roaster in Bradenton—was far from expected for husband and wife Josh and Abbey Schmitt.“ I actually never used to have a desire for coffee,” admits Josh laughingly, “but during my time in aviation, that was really the only thing available, and all the other pilots would drink it. So I eventually did too, but started wanting to see what other options were out there.”
