Doug Zell and Emily Mange (now husband and wife), along with Geoff Watts
• The Story
Founded in 1995 after a failed business attempt trying to sell
bottled iced tea on the West Coast.
Moved to Chicago, where they started with a small coffee roaster
that roasted 40,000 pounds a year. Currently, they roast on gas-fired,
cast iron, vintage German Ideal Rapid Gothot roasters from the 1950's,
which they shipped in, believing the machines give the coffee a
distinctive taste.
The company's coffee buyer, Geoff Watts, spends over 250 days a
year traveling to visit farmers in over 15 countries, including
Nicaragua, Colombia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Mexico, El Salvador,
Honduras, Guatemala, Peru and Kenya.
• Passions
Intelligentsia's Direct Trade program allows them to work closely
with actual producers, not just importers or exporters, so that
they can build great coffees from the beginning. In addition the
farmers can earn more money and invest more of it into their farms.
Repeatedly buying great coffees is more development work than simple
discovery. Most importantly, they know that to accomplish our goal
of having the world’s best coffees the whole process has to
be sustainable, from beginning to end.
• Awards
2007 Roast Magazine - Macro Roaster of the Year
Just won top 3 places at the Western Regional Barista Competition
2008 Saveur Magazine - Intelligentsia Hacienda La Esmeralda one
of "9 Great Coffees"
2008 Food & Wine Magazine - one of the "Best Best U.S.
Coffee Bars"
2008 Forbes - one of "America's Best Boutique Coffee Houses"
• Quote
"What sets us apart from others is the desire to make sure
everything is as outstanding as it can be," explains Zell.
"It includes the way we source coffee, the amount of time we
spend with the farmers, the hands-on roasting, the quality assurance
measures we employ and the diligent preparation of the coffee."
