The Buena Vista Roastery is a specialty coffee roaster that has been serving premium organic coffee since 1994, originally starting as Bongo Billy's Coffees before transitioning to the Buena Vista Roastery brand in 2007. Located at 8,000 feet above sea level in Colorado's Arkansas River Valley, they have perfected the unique art of high-altitude roasting over more than 25 years.
The company was founded by Bill and Cheryl Mehaffey as Bongo Billy's Coffees and later purchased by Joel and Laurie in 2007, who expanded the brand recognition while maintaining the core values of quality and community support. Their high-altitude location in Buena Vista, surrounded by the highest concentration of fourteeners (14,000-foot mountains) in the contiguous United States, provides unique roasting conditions that require longer roast times due to less oxygen, allowing sugars to fully caramelize and resulting in smoother, more complex flavors.
The Buena Vista Roastery is committed to sourcing 100% USDA certified organic, specialty grade coffee, maintaining Fair Trade certifications, and supporting sustainable farming practices. They are on-demand, small-batch roasters who roast coffee to order to ensure maximum freshness. Their philosophy centers on supporting healthy people and a healthy planet, recognizing the interconnection between their actions and global communities.
The company's environmental commitment extends beyond coffee sourcing to include compostable Biotre packaging that reduces their carbon footprint by up to 200%, and comprehensive recycling of all materials used in daily processing. They actively support coffee-growing communities through micro-credit loans via their Kiva.org team and are proud members of the Madres e Hijos Artisan Project, supporting women, families, and communities worldwide.
Their core beliefs are guided by Indigenous Wisdom, looking seven generations forward and seven generations behind, emphasizing respect and integrity for all people they work with. They believe good products start with quality raw resources sourced through environmentally and socially aware practices. While they prefer organic and Fair Trade certifications, they also support farmers who practice these standards but cannot afford certification.
The Buena Vista Roastery offers a diverse selection of single-origin coffees and signature blends, including their popular Coffee of the Month program featuring rotating selections at special pricing. Their operation serves both retail and wholesale customers, with free local delivery to wholesale accounts within Chaffee County.