Our Process

When I started looking for a manufacturer, I assumed I'd have options. What I found was that almost everything in the freeze-dried coffee space — regardless of where the brand is headquartered — is actually made in China. The category has exploded in Asia, so a lot of factories have set up there to meet that demand.

I talked to a lot of people in the industry during that period. What I kept hearing was manufacturers talking about each other, each one explaining how the others were cutting corners — and yes, corn cobs and soybeans were involved.

I almost gave up on the idea entirely. Then someone mentioned a manufacturer in Taiwan. When I asked around, people had only positive things to say — no complaints, no shortcuts. The only thing anyone could point to was that they were more expensive than the competitors.

If the worst thing people could say about you was that you charged more for doing things right, that's the kind of company I wanted to work with.

I grew up in Taiwan. I know the people, the culture, the way things are done — not from reading about it, but from living it. Because it's such a small country, there's never been the luxury of being mediocre. Everything exported has to be worth it.

Visiting them in person meant more than I expected. It's a family-owned factory, sitting in the middle of rice paddies — calm, quiet, almost tranquil. And then you walk inside and everything is spotless and organized. Getting to know the people, learning the factory's history, seeing how they operated — it was emotional in a way I didn't anticipate. I left more excited than when I arrived. That's when I knew we had something.

When I set out to reduce microplastics in coffee, one of the first things I had to reckon with was the packaging itself — a little cup, lid and all, that looks much like the coffee it holds. It's plastic. I know.

Pure freeze-dried coffee is extremely sensitive to moisture, so the packaging has to be completely airtight. I looked into compostable options — they failed within three months. Sealed pouches have a plastic lining inside too, even the ones that look better on the outside.