“Basically,” explains Euphoria Coffee co-founder Nick Yost recently, “if I can’t have a farmer’s personal phone number and call/text/whatsapp directly with them, I don’t want to buy from them.”The reason for this rests in Euphoria’s mission:
“Euphoria Coffee Roasters connects coffee drinkers with coffee farmers through transparent, honorable relationships and the roasting of award-winning quality coffees.”
Nick and spouse, Jacy, got started like a lot of people with a big idea and not-so-big bankroll: in their garage. They enjoyed roasting coffee and sharing it with their friends. Roughly a year later, in 2018, they opened Euphoria Coffee at 124 E. Elm Street in West Union. The space serves as the Euphoria roastery and community gathering space. A small cafe is open six days per week serving coffee, homemade waffles, pastries and more.
Euphoria has established direct working relationships with individual farmers and small companies in Guatemala and Columbia. Notes Nick:
“We purchase with relationships in mind. Most of our sourcing comes directly from farmers. In some cases, we collaborate with transparent and reputable companies who in turn work directly with their farmers. We believe in building relationships and our goal is to work with individual farms year after year, offering them as much economic stability as possible.
And at the end of the day, we believe this is the best way to push the coffee industry forward in all aspects. If we can pay farmers fairly and directly, while building a relationship with them year over year, we all are motivated to produce better quality coffees. We’ve personally experienced how effective this relationship and feedback cycle is for everyone.”
Future travels, perhaps this year or next, are focused on Costa Rica and Panama. New sourcing, says Nick, expands Euphoria’s knowledge, relationships, the coffee they produce and the mission their company is founded upon. Euphoria coffee drinkers may participate in this as well through the “Write a Note to a Farmer” initiative. Just scan the QR code on your Euphoria coffee bag and learn how to send a note to the farmers making Euphoria possible for you to enjoy or visit https://drinkeuphoria.coffee/about
