We recently connected with Blas Alfaro and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Blas, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Sustaining community from farm to cup. I was born in a small town in Costa Rica, where my family is been farming true many generations, since 1872 we have been in coffee production. Families have been united to build projects like the schools, churches, parks, playgrounds, clinics and is the efforts of a group that can make bigger things that what an individual can accomplish. The history of my hometown San Isidro de Alajuela is full of a lot of my ancestors as a leader that drove change, this some of the values that I grew up with it, It is personal.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Grewing up as coffee farmer and moving to Seattle, native Spanish speaker, it was natural that I got into coffee roasting, this keep me close to my roots and connected not only with producers from Costa Rica but eventually with farmers from over 20 countries, independently of what language they speak, we all speak coffee farming. I took 9 certifications of coffee, including a certification in advance coffee roasting in Germany with SCAE, Q grader, Q Processing, Green Coffee Buyer, Coffee Cupper with SCA, Coffee Roasting with SCA, technical training in coffee equipment. I am very mechanical incline, so I also go deep on understanding coffee roasters, brewer, espresso machines, grinders, all of this help me to improve coffee selection, blending, equipment selection, installation and repair to serve our customers better, I came from a family that has a lot of artisans, so from early I learn how to repair just about everything that you may use in a farm. This helps me grow the business helping other entrepreneurs to have the best equipment, also creating programs to keep it on the best condition adding on our value proposition, sales of equipment like La Marzocco, installation, maintaining training programs for baristas, we support our customers with marketing material, supplies and delivery, with our Value Proposition, we help small businesses, especially minority own ones, to have access to knowledge, high end equipment, training, deliveries, new and innovating products, coffee blends and single Origins tailor to different communities, like the Philippino, Vietnamese, Thai, Mexican, connecting them with coffees from them countries. I have 16 years of blending and roasting coffee. I have been part of projects and create some in Nicaragua, Uganda, Costa Rica, Brazil and soon in Laos and other countries helping women or Minorites, farmers to improve production with new hybrids, that are resistance to fungus like the Roya , produce more coffee and are resilience to climate change, with this we have create an impact, this set us apart of other companies, the deep of our work.
We have created long term contract with key coffee partners that impact the well been of communities.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Over twelve years ago, I was in charge of the coffee program at Silver Cup coffee, when we had the opportunity to merge with our competition, Urban City coffee, Lee and Bobby became partners with Brian Jurus , that had 18 years’ experience in cafes and espresso drive trues, we form what eventually we name Fulcrum Coffee, over 7 years ago, we move all to South Seattle and build what you know as Fulcrum Coffee Rastery and HQ, We convene experience on business strategy , finance, marketing, coffee farming , buying, blends and roasting, and cafes an espresso drive trues. with our team, that are some of the best customer services oriented we had formed a solid group of wonderful people, that we see as our extended family.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

During Covid, we have team member that had precondition, cancer survivors, also some people didn’t feel safe working, like most on those extraordinary times, our team was reduce to a small group that we were able to go to the roastery every day and blend, roast pack and delivery coffee, in the time I lost over 30 lb, work every day, thankfully I didn’t get sick, as we have a cleaning protocols. We serve all our customers and stay open, and continuum growing with our lay off anyone. I am proud of our resilience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fulcrumcoffee.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fulcrumcoffeeroasters/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FulcrumCoffeeRoasters/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blasalfaro?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bing.com%2F
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/blascafe7/

Image Credits
SINTERCAFE Costa Rica