Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Paronto.
Adam, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a young entrepreneur that wanted to make a difference in the coffee industry. I started a small roasting company on a leap of faith, opened a low-limit credit card and began volunteering at coffee expos and sending roasted coffees back to the farmers. In most cases, farmers rarely drink their own coffee because it is all exported. A lot of the industry is based on these small farmers that need to sell every ounce of coffee they produce in order to have a chance at making a decent living wage. Our goal is to use our resources wisely. We believe we will have the most impact if we focus on one specific area of the world for our sourcing.
After quickly discovering the challenges in ethical sourcing (like most of the world, the coffee industry is also corrupt… Who knew?) I decided that I was going to need some help. I continued my coffee venture with one of the people I happen to trust the most in this world, my good friend and coffee farmer, Benjamin Weiner. Ben also founded the social enterprise, Gold Mountain Coffee Growers, with a similar intention to Reprise Coffee. Together we are making an impact to fight poverty in one of the poorest countries in South America through growing and serving amazing coffees. To shorten a super long story – Ben has his own farm, Finca Idealista, in Matagalpa Nicaragua and partners with other farmers in the area to connect them with roasters directly. A practice that sounds simple but has been a huge throbbing gap for generations. In simple, we pay premiums to receive better coffee. And not only premiums but medical relief, small loans, access to credit, vehicles, home improvements and many other things. All through quality coffee.
I once heard a statistic that 2000 hours of labor go into 1 cup of coffee. I’m not sure how accurate that statement is, but there is tumultuous amount of work that goes into coffee production that most people in the US don’t realize. Coffee isn’t even a bean, it’s the seed of a fruit that looks much like a cranberry. It’s picked on the sides of mountains and in wild rainforests and taken down unpaved roads where it is set for processing and fermentation. Then milled and weighed and bagged. Coffee in the US is a phenomenon. And sold at every street corner for 1$/cup. Most farmers are lucky to see $1.50/pound for their coffee. Which is where we come in. And we represent some of the best coffees in the world because of the difference in how we treat other people.
This year we took home three medals in the largest coffee roasting competition in the world (www.goldenbean.com). Two silver medals and one bronze medal, with over 800 of North America’s finest coffees competing. We are proud to represent Winnetka, IL as the first ever coffee roasters in the city. As our mission for creating a sustainable coffee market, we are also blessed with the opportunity to create a coffee culture in the best town along Chicago’s North Shore.
Come visit us in Winnetka where we openly roast for the public to see and create beautiful specialty coffee drinks.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has been up & down for sure. One thing I have learned is that it doesn’t matter how tough the journey, what matters is who you share it with. I have been blessed with a great and trusting partnership and a team that would run through walls for me, and I would do the same for them. My family and friends have all been supportive and has honestly allowed me to focus on what matters and continue sticking to our mission.
Please tell us about Reprise Coffee Roasters.
Everything Coffee. Is the short answer.
What sets us apart is that we are coffee grower and roaster owned. We may be one of the only few in the world with this dynamic.
We specialize in high-cupping coffees with an emphasis on sustainability. Even our milk that is delivered each Tuesday, was just milked the day prior. We sell baked goods and cafe snacks that are not only purchased locally but purchased from startup companies much like ourselves with similar missions.
For cafe items, our most popular options are: pourovers, cappuccino/latte, espresso. Seasonal house-made flavors. Bottomless refills on drip coffee and free Wi-Fi is a given.
Good coffees to try right now:
Kossa Geshe – Limu, Ethiopia – Silver Medal (pourover category)
Don Manuel & Jessenia – Jinotega, Nicaragua – Bronze Medal (pourover category)
Finca Idealista – Matagalpa, Nicaragua – Silver Medal (espresso category)
Should have these coffees in stock most of the year.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Maybe I would have chosen a smaller location, our space in Winnetka is huge!
But seriously, the best part of owning your own business is that if you don’t like where something is going you have complete control to change it.
Contact Info:
- Address: Reprise Coffee Roasters
950 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka, IL 60093 - Website: www.reprisecoffee.com
- Phone: (847) 386-6866
- Email: info@reprisecoffee.com
- Instagram: @reprisecoffeeroasters
- Facebook: facebook.com/reprisecoffee
- Twitter: @reprisecoffee
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
