Gregorys Coffee Hires Jake Leonti as Director of Coffee

Gregorys Coffee is announcing the hiring of long time coffee pro, Jake Leonti, as Director of Coffee as it aspires to further elevate its coffee. Gregorys Coffee, the premier New York coffee brand, founded in 2006 is expanding its boundaries in a play for a nation-wide expansion. The approachable coffee shop that invites people to “See Coffee Differently” is going to be even more approachable to coffee lovers across the country.

“We have never had a ‘heavy-hitter’ coffee director before and it’s time we did,” says Founder and CEO Gregory Zamfotis. “I’ve always felt good about our coffee program but I want to feel amazing about it and that’s where Jake comes in.”

Jake Leonti is regarded as an expert in the realm of coffee, due to his fluency in the the three vital languages of the trade: barista, roaster, and green grader/ importer. His expertise traverses the rich traditions of Italian coffee culture to the forefront of the third wave and specialty coffee movement. Jake is often referred to as a guru due to his professorial approach to including and inspiring those around him with his passion for coffee. Jake has trained thousands of baristas across four continents., given speeches and lectures across the country and Europe at SCA, Coffee Fest, New York Coffee Festival and private events to advocate for the coffee industry and its participants.

“Jake’s passion for education and inclusion is exactly what Gregorys was looking for in its Director of Coffee. We wanted someone that wasn’t just going to cup coffee and roast. We wanted a leader and communicator that could inspire others,” recalls Zamfotis.

Leadership may have been the key to the role however, with a discerning palate that has earned him esteemed roles as a cupping judge for Rainforest Alliance and a sensory judge for illustrious events including the Ernest Illy Awards and the Caffe Nero International Barista Competition, Jake’s credentials are as robust as his flavor profiles.

Jake will be putting his pallet to use as he re-launches Gregorys Single Origin program, introduces a seasonal program and continues to refine the current blend favorites. Jake’s leadership will aid Gregorys in building on their coffee leadership as a brand ambassador at industry events, and through his storytelling across Gregorys’ social customer-facing channels.

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More on Jake’s Background
Jake’s experience and participation in the coffee boom over the last two decades began with the early days of La Colombe Coffee Roasters, leading their expansion in New York, and eventually running their wholesale operation. He then served as Director of Coffee for Robert DeNiro and Grace Hightower’s Coffee of Grace brand. Over the last decade, Jake has worked with some of the world’s largest brands including Caffé Nero, Vittoria Coffee, Nestlé, Julius Meinl among others. Jake will be applying his vast experience to build up the roasting operation, elevate quality control and provide groundwork for expanding Gregorys reach.

His influence extends beyond mere taste; Jake is a trailblazer in the cold brew arena, having crafted all cold brew products for Caffe Nero and orchestrating their successful international launch on three continents. In addition, Jake has forged direct trade relationships in coffee-producing bastions such as Rwanda, Colombia, Peru, Brazil and Guatemala. These relationships will allow Gregorys to have more options and expand their coffee offerings to their customers in-store and online.

As the editor-in-chief of CoffeeTalk Magazine and the host of the Food + Beverage Therapy podcast, Jake elevates the discourse around coffee and hospitality, shaping the industry’s narrative with every sip and conversation. Leonti has been a featured expert for Fortune Magazine, CNBC, Wine Spectator and Eater.com.

About Gregorys Coffee
Gregorys Zamfotis founded his namesake family business in 2006 when he opened up shop at 327 Park Avenue South in Manhattan, NY. Despite being around for over 17 years, Gregorys Coffee has at its core always been the same: no attitude – just good coffee, good food, and good people.

Gregorys’ mission is to challenge the status quo by seeing coffee differently, and does so by operating its nationally recognized coffee shops and selling its locally-roasted coffee online and in stores. Headquartered in New York City, Gregorys now has operations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington, D.C..

Contact
For more information, quotes, or discussion please contact Rene Puerta, Director of Marketing, visit our website or social media pages (@gregoryscoffee).