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UBJ
PARADOX COFFEE
Rebecca Schramm
sales grow 8.3 percent between 2013 and 2014, according to the Specialty Coffee Association, which surveyed 8,500 roasting companies in more than 12 countries. Most respondents were micro roasters in the U.S. with a single roasting machine – the exact set-up as Paradox. In April, the mother-son duo purchased their building and a 1992 Diedrich coffee roaster, which can roast up to 16 pounds of beans at a time. Paradox launched in July. While Rebecca Schramm focuses on business strategy, Bryan spends his days in a 1,000-square-foot space,
and 10 pounds of beans at a time and pay close attention to their origins, Paradox’s early successes are the processing, plant variety and other result of years in the local coffee incharacteristics. dustry, where they learned the failures “Coffee is just booming. that can happen when running a There has been a ton of business. In 2012, Rebecca Schramm growth throughout Greenand her partner John Brown relocatville in the last few years with ed from Houston to Greenville. roasters popping up everyShortly after, the duo purchased where,” Rebecca Schramm Greenville-based coffee shop and said. roasting company West End Coffee. In 1993, West End Coffee In 2013, they ended their personal started roasting in downtown relationship but remained business Greenville. Leopard Forest partners. That partnership became Coffee Co. began roasting in strained. Travelers Rest in 2004, folA year later, they were featured on Bryan Schramm lowed by Due South Coffee in the CNBC television show “The 2014. In July, Methodical Profit,” with multibillionaire and Coffee started roasting its own beans television personality Marcus carefully roasting the perfect coffee. at a satellite location not far from its Lemonis trying to resolve the pair’s When an order comes through, he downtown Greenville coffee shop. conflicts. His efforts ultimately failed. scoops heaps of green beans from a Specialty coffee roasting has conIn 2014, Brown purchased brown sack and places them in the tinuously increased across the nation, Schramm’s shares of the business and roaster, where the beans turn brown showing a promising future for those she left the company, hoping to start and eventually disperse a strong in the industry. her own shop. However, an 18-month aroma reminiscent of a coffee shop. According to the Specialty Coffee non-compete agreement restricted From there, he spends 12 minutes carefully roasting the beans at about 400 degrees. The process – a combi"While we’re not wanting to necessarily sell nation of art and science – can be tedious as he continuously pulls beans to restaurants or coffee shops, we’re not going from the roaster to check where they to turn down business in our growing period." are in the process. Rebecca Schramm, co-founder of Paradox Coffee Bryan also uses technology to monitor the beans by connecting the roaster to his laptop, where a program her, according to Schramm. records and charts minute-by-minute Association of America, there are In the meantime, Bryan continued data showing the heat, time roasted about 26,500 more U.S. specialty learning how to roast coffee. He had and amount of air injected into the coffee retailers today than in 1993. started training at West End Coffee roast – aspects that can affect acidity More than half of those retailers are in 2013 to become the shop’s backup and other features of the bean. independent. The growth could be roaster. In 2014, he attended the “It’s really security for the buyer,” the result of modern-day consumpDiedrich Roasting Courses in Idaho, said Bryan Schramm. “I can send tion trends. where he finished his training. them the charts and data, and they Today, people are willing to pay He returned and worked as the can see every detail about the roast. more for a higher quality of coffee. roast master at the Taylors-based So if they get their beans and they The price people pay for a coffee has coffee shop and roasting company want to compare it or make changes increased from an average of $2.98 Due South Coffee throughout most to the roasting approach, they can.” in 2013 to $3.28 in 2015. A pound of of 2015. But then he left and joined After roasting, Bryan tastes the specialty roasted coffee cost up to $50, his mother, who had formulated the coffee to record its flavor profile. But compared to $5 for a pound of Folgers. idea for a micro roasting company, he also sends samples to roaster Craig Also, a typical roaster saw annual meaning they only roast between 5 Schaepkens, owner of 6.26 Coffee Co.
Building from failure
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08.26.2016
Together, they compare notes, ensuring that each blend is crafted just right. “They will roast and roast and roast, making subtle changes every time until the coffee is perfect. They are doing things right, and I'm glad to be included in a small part it,” said Schaepkens. “Bryan is always looking for the next best thing, and going out of his way to build relationships for the common good of the coffee culture.”
Planning for the future As their client base continues to grow, Rebecca and Bryan Schramm
are considering what an expansion might look like. Their building features another 3,700 square feet that is used only for tasting. According to Rebecca Schramm, many have recommended they use the space as a coffee shop. It’s up for consideration. “It really depends on how our toll roasting pans out. If we have to do a lot of toll roasting, the room will most likely become storage for beans. If not, we’ll see,” she said. The duo also plans to start selling gift baskets that feature coffee soap, mugs and more. A price or release date hasn’t been determined. Also, they plan to hold coffee roasting courses next year. Residents will be able to buy 5-pound or 10-pound sacks of their favorite coffee and rent the roaster for up to an hour with instruction. Coffee fans might also see the mother-son duo at farmers markets next year. They plan to apply for the TD Saturday Market, Travelers Rest Farmers Market and various festivals throughout the Upstate, including Upcountry Provision’s Artober Fest in October. For more information: paradox.coffee