Cravens Coffee Company

Cravens Coffee Company was founded in 1993 by husband-and-wife team Simon Craven Thompson and Rebecca (Becky) Templin Thompson, who started their coffee roasting journey on April 1st (April Fool's Day) with a simple idea sketched on a napkin. Based in Spokane, Washington, the company has grown from a modest startup with $80,000 in initial funding to become the region's largest specialty coffee roaster, celebrating over 30 years in business. The company operates with an unwavering commitment to sourcing the world's finest coffee beans directly from small, family-owned farms across Africa, Indonesia, Central and South America. Their philosophy centers on direct trade relationships, visiting coffee farms personally, and shaking hands with farmers to ensure quality and fair practices. This farmer-to-roaster-to-customer approach emphasizes transparency and relationship-building throughout the supply chain. Cravens Coffee distinguishes itself through its unique roasting style, utilizing vintage equipment to roast beans "to full development" in small batches. They hand-blend and package every bag, maintaining artisanal quality control. The company specializes in both single-origin coffees and signature blends, with a particular focus on peaberry coffees where the concentrated flavors are captured through their precise roasting techniques. Originally operating as both a roaster and cafe, the company transitioned to focus primarily on wholesale operations after three years, serving espresso stands, grocery stores, cafes, and restaurants throughout the Pacific Northwest. Their products are available in major regional grocery chains like Rosauers, featuring custom-built fixtures with pre-bagged coffee, bulk bins, and grinding stations. Beyond coffee, Cravens Coffee Company demonstrates strong community involvement through initiatives like "The Coffee's on Us" campaign in partnership with KHQ-TV, which delivers free coffee to nominated local nonprofits. The company also supports various charitable causes and has created collegiate coffee blends for local universities including Gonzaga University and the University of Montana. With distribution offices in Montana and Colorado, Cravens Coffee has expanded beyond their Spokane roots while maintaining their core values of exceptional customer service, quality craftsmanship, and community connection. Their organic and fair-trade certified options reflect their commitment to environmental sustainability and ethical sourcing practices.