Coffee with Soul
Soul Bean Coffee is taking its sustainability initiatives to the next level. Launched a year and a half ago, the Ventura roastery’s passion of being a small, green business shines through in its efforts of waste reduction, community comradery and sourcing coffee beans responsibly.
Owner Ashley Tindall says that growing up in Colorado with a family of 12 really shaped her perception of the environment and how wasteful our society can be. A passion for coffee, community and conservation inspired Tindall to develop her own business. She also believes in giving back to the local and global community by paying coffee growers fair wages, and craft roasting small batches of single origin beans from a variety of regions around the world.
For Tindall, it’s as important working closely with the farmers who produce the coffee beans, as it is to spread knowledge about where products come from, processing methods, and the day-to-day life of the farmers that produce them.
In addition to selling roasted beans, Soul Bean uses excess coffee grounds for incense, candles, soaps and body scrubs. This idea to reduce waste began because of Tindall's passion for utilizing items for more than one purpose that lead to placing excess coffee grounds in plants as fertilizer, and expanded to soaps after much research, development and practice. Now Tindall is working to get these products into local stores in Ventura.
Being a small business with strong core beliefs has caused some challenges to arise, but has also been the greatest reward. Because Tindall is following a sustainable growth plan and is self-funded, growth has progressed slowly and steadily, but Tindall says she has high hopes this will pay off. In the end, authenticity, sourcing quality coffee beans, incorporating sustainable waste efforts and seeing the satisfied faces of her customers make everything worthwhile, she says. Looking to the future, Soul Bean hopes to produce larger amounts of coffee, focus on educating people about the quality of the coffee and look for a small storefront space.
To purchase Soul Bean coffee, or any products, visit SoulBeanRoasters.com. You can select workshop pick-up or local bike delivery. Follow the roastery on Instagram and Facebook for updates on its commitment to coffee and for community events.
Soul Bean Coffee
1593 Santa Ynez St., Ventura
303-815-6265; SoulBeanRoasters.com
