We were lucky to catch up with Todd And Susan Morrison recently and have shared our conversation below.
Todd and Susan, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Todd, (the master roaster), was looking for the perfect cup of coffee. After ordering specialty flavored coffees, “the best” coffee brewing mechanisms, he seemed to be hitting a wall in his quest. Finally after speaking to a local coffee roaster, he learned that he could go into the business of roasting coffee himself. He began buying and roasting small quantities of organic coffee beans from various countries to find the “perfect cup of coffee”. He found that there was more than one “perfect cup of coffee” depending on the origin, roast and what his personal taste was that day. Todd shared his experience with friends and family who also enjoyed their own “perfect cup of coffee”. They started asking Todd for more of his delicious brew. Eventually when he started limiting because the asking was becoming too great for his own personal needs, friends and family began asking Todd to start selling the coffee so that he could start a business. Todd and his wife, Susan started Global Awakening Coffee Roasters, LLC in November of 2023. They had a roasting building built to house the roaster, a heater and other essentials to be able to go into business. Friends and family and others began trying the coffee and their first tasting one month after opening and soon the business was taking off through word of mouth, Facebook, and Instagram. We are so encouraged when people approach with a story about how much they enjoy our fresh roasted, small batch, organic coffee from various world origins.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
We are a “Micro-Roaster”, less than 100 pounds per day, to supply fresh coffee to customers soon after roasting at it’s peak of freshness. We make “hands on”, “craft roasted” coffee to meet whatever level of roasting as well as the country/region origin of choice so the customer can experience the tasting notes they are looking for.
There is nothing like the experience of freshly roasted, freshly ground, and freshly brewed coffee to enhance an otherwise average day. To expand on the tasting notes, Brazil can be roasted as dark or as light as you like but we prefer the Vienna roast so that you can experience the Baker’s Chocolate, Nutty, and Sweetness without the acidity of a lighter roast. We have at least 20 different origins as well as 2 Naturally Decaffeinated origins. Differences in flavor and aroma can be associated with various coffee growing regions, where altitude, climate, soil, moisture, temperature and environment all play into the growth of the coffee fruits. These individual traits factor into what can provide a unique taste creating the “perfect cup of coffee” for the individual coffee lover. The different roast levels, Light to the darkest roast, bring out a wide range of tones that can be anything from bright and citrusy to spicy and nutty. Some beans demonstrate their best trait when they are light roasted while other demonstrate their preferred taste when they are dark roasted. Yet there are other beans that because of the region are able to provide a wonderful low acid coffee while bringing all of the same wonderful tasting notes as described previously.
We are called Global Awakening Coffee Roasters, LLC because we want people to be able to wake up and experience various origins from all around the globe right in their own kitchen. At the same time, we like to support missions around the world with a portion of our proceeds so that we might be awakened to the global needs and improve their experiences.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
We have a Passion for “Coffee Knowledge” which propelled our quest for the “perfect cup of coffee”. We found experts in area of roasting, roaster, and brokers who are specifically purchasing from small family owned, organic, single origin coffee growers, We roast “small batch” to discover and promote the best coffees in the world.
Study your passion and look for experts in your field. Glean all you can so that when you start your business, you can avoid pitfalls that may be inevitable otherwise. Some things will be learned the “hard way” but some hardships can be avoided when one finds those who are both knowledgeable and we find ourselves “like-minded” with them and their experiences.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
We have several people who have influenced and encouraged our business journey in so many ways to name one person or a few would not be enough. However, we would be remiss if we did not recognize our customers who have supported our efforts and continue to be faithful in ordering our fresh roasted coffee beans. Some arrive at our door before breakfast desperately seeking their favorite origin and roast.
Our greatest thanks is our debt of gratitude is to God who has opened so many doors. Without Him, we could do nothing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://globalawakeningcoffeeroasters.com
- Instagram: coffeegacr@instagram
- Facebook: Global Awakening Coffee Roasters, LLC
- Other: Email: [email protected]
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
