COFFEE CULTURE

Goleta-based FRINJ is redefining California’s coffee market

Written by Molly McAnany Photographed by Silas Fallstich

Santa Barbara, with its rustic atmosphere and strong sense of community, is the perfect breeding ground for transforming the coffee industry. Locally based FRINJ Coffee is the first to produce a thriving coffee crop in California, proving that the climate of the tropics does not define the limits of the industry. “The goal of brewing is to optimize flavor for a personalized experience,” Jay Ruskey, owner and founder of FRINJ, explains as he pours over a light roast blend with hints of geisha florals and tangerine; just to my liking.

Developing some of the most expensive coffee varietals in the world, FRINJ has elevated the status of our morning ritual by combining technology with traditionalism.

The luxurious element of coffee is not lost on Jay. Developing some of the most expensive coffee varietals in the world, FRINJ has elevated the status of our morning ritual by combining technology with traditionalism. FRINJ Coffee, a late-stage growth company, coffee breeder, and roaster, is on familyoperated Good Land Organics’ 42-acre farm in the hills of Goleta, home to over 4,000 coffee trees, among other exotic produce.

As we walk the switchbacks down into the fields, I catch glimpses of the bright red coffee cherries poking out between plots of dragon fruit, avocado, and caviar lime trees. This layered agricultural system implemented on Ruskey’s farm enhances the biodiversity of the soil, leading to a healthier crop and flavorful produce. FRINJ Coffee operates on the principles of regenerative agriculture; farming designed around reversing climate change and rebuilding the food system from the ground up. In association with The White Buffalo Land Trust, the company has paved the way for growth research and coffee breeding in a young yet flourishing California coffee market.

Since first declaring himself a breeder in 2014, Ruskey has developed a burgeoning coffee industry in California with over 65 locations up the coast growing FRINJ Coffee trees. The Santa Barbara breeder consults with growers throughout the state on transitioning their crop and building resiliency on their farms through a layered agriculture system. After decades of seed trials with leading ag research institutions, FRINJ ranked 27th best coffee in the world, bringing credibility to the crop as well as their holistic approach to breeding. Just as a sommelier masters the flavors in wine, coffee cuppers examine postharvest crop and guide growers in propagating and germinating their coffee plant. With 60 percent of profits given back to the farmer, FRINJ coffee growers receive a sustainable return on their investment and a smooth introduction into the market. The decision to grow coffee is a lifestyle choice, one that this luxury coffee brand embraces by creating an active community among its growers. FRINJ headquarters acts as the center of this network, bringing farmers from throughout California to join in yearly round table talks about seed development, infrastructure, sustainability, and, of course, coffee culture.

For Ruskey, his business model is plain and simple; farmers first, coffee second. From farmer to FRINJ to you, the brand is centralized around Santa Barbara heritage. Ruskey and his team have assembled a league of growers ambitious to return back to what coffee culture resembled at its inception; a simple exploration of taste not passed through 20 hands before filling your cup. *

frinjcoffee.com