Sample 'ABOUT US' - CHERRY TREE COFFEE

Our Story

When Cherry Tree Coffee was founded in 2008, we had two goals: Make great coffee and make it sustainable.

In the 12 years since, we’ve managed to not only meet those objectives, but to consistently exceed them year after year.

The keyword here is consistency. Our commitment to bold, unflinching flavor is matched only by our dedication to ensuring that we leave a positive impact on the world around us.

Being founded by farmers helps. 

If you want to cultivate a deep understanding of what organic agriculture can do, work on a farm. Work on a farm every day for years. 

It’s impossible to understand how deeply organic farming practices can influence the crop, the people and the environment itself, until you bring home that first lush harvest from what had been previously dismissed as an unworkable piece of land, now turned vibrant and green.

Our ethos draws from that hands on experience living and working on a family-owned farm. 

We knew firsthand that non-toxic practices were better for the environment and the workers involved. We knew it was safer and more stable for the soil. We also knew that few producers held this view. Even fewer were the coffee producers who took complete responsibility over their production process — from harvest, to roasting and distribution. So we created that company ourselves.

OUR VALUES

Good coffee is about pleasure. Great coffee is about connection.

When you take that first sip of truly great coffee, when that silky caramel aroma wraps around you and you pick up on hidden hints of cherry, honey, and maybe a touch of roasted brown sugar, you feel a warmth that captivates you from the inside out. You’re not just having a drink; you’re having an experience.

Whatever journey, however many years of passion and hard work it took to get that cup of coffee in your hands – you feel it. That connection is what great coffee is all about.

“It’s a delicate process, taking a cup of coffee from good to great.”

- Jack Clayton, Founder

To create the perfect cup, we start with the bean itself.

Each bean is handpicked from a single origin – our own. Cherry Tree Coffee owns and operates several small farms, each located right here in the United States. The trees are grown under lush shade, at elevations of over 3,000 feet — high enough to completely eliminate the need for pesticides.

The higher altitude also results in a bean that is denser, richer and deeper in flavor. It’s the first step in creating that perfect sip.

“We now know that coffee has a host of benefits, from its antioxidant properties, to reducing internal inflammation and guarding against disease.”

- Farah Stewart, Head of Quality Control

The next step involves maintaining the integrity of that bean.

You can always feel the difference between a carefully cultivated bean, and one that’s overshadowed by pesticides and careless harvesting methods. Many mass-producers load their products with additives, aromas and artificial dyes in an effort to push out more coffee, more quickly. What you’re left with is a muddled cup with the unpleasant taste of dull earth.

Our coffee beans are handpicked, washed and sun-dried in-house. This drying process demands a great attention to detail. Too long in the sun and you’re left with a shrunken, flavorless bean. Too moist and you risk mold and contamination. The drying methods we use have been perfected over generations to achieve a perfectly balanced moisture content. Once dry, the beans are then slow-roasted in small, carefully monitored batches.

The final result is the smooth, distinct and full-bodied flavor of a specialty grade bean.

“Our commitment to farmers runs deep. We’re a company founded by farmers. The producers – and the land itself - deserve our utmost respect.”

- Steven Clayton, Co-Founder

For many of us, that first cup of coffee is a well-honed ritual. It’s the high note that sets the tone for the rest of the day. We’re always looking ahead to ensure that ritual remains on this earth for a good, long time.

It’s not just talk. We maintain (and will continue to maintain) a number of sustainable practices; from a farmer’s price guarantee of over 15% the conventional Fair Trade minimum price, to our 100% solar powered roasters and bio-degradable coffee bags.

These sustainable practices ensure that perfect cup of coffee can be created again and again, for many years to come.

It’s tasking stuff, but us farmers are a resilient bunch. If there’s one thing we understand, it’s how to dig our hands in the dirt and get straight to work.

We’ve never been about doing things easy, and why should we? Going the right way tastes so much sweeter.