From Home Coffee Roaster Enthusiast To Successful Business Model – CoffeeTalk

Matthew Peirson, a 37-year-old from Lakeland, New York, has transformed his hobby of roasting coffee beans into a successful business. He taught himself how to roast the beans in small batches, selling them at farmers markets, and opening drive-thru kiosks selling coffee drinks. Simple Roast Coffee now has three retail locations in Auburn and a commercial operation roasting 800 to 1,000 pounds of beans a week. A new machine will double roasting capacity.

Peirson was named rural owned small business of the year by the U.S. Small Business Administration Upstate New York District earlier this month. The nomination praised Peirson as a friendly and welcoming addition to Auburn who is demonstrating a steady, strategic, and scalable path to success.

Peirson grew up in Lakeland and earned a business degree at SUNY Oswego. An unfulfilling job in insurance drove him to find hobbies outside of work. His parents bought him a tabletop coffee roaster for his birthday, which led to roasting coffee beans in a commercial kitchen to sell at farmers markets. He met Craig and Michelle Brooks, owners of Coffee Mania in Cortland, at the market and they became mentors and friends. In 2016, the Brookses encouraged Pierson to buy a kiosk in the parking lot of the Grant Avenue Plaza on Route 5 for a drive-thru coffee shop, which was profitable within six months.

In 2019, Pierson opened a second kiosk on the west side of town. Last year, Simple Roast opened Roast & Toast in downtown Auburn. The café sells coffee, grilled cheese, and specialty toasts during the day and becomes a cocktail bar at night. The company employs 38 people with annual sales approaching $3 million.

Peirson no longer roasts coffee but spends his days in the office he started the business to escape. He lives in Warners with his wife and their twin sons.

Coffee Mania, a coffee business in Cortland, has grown significantly since its inception. The founder, Marie Morelli, credits her mentors, Craig and Michelle Brooks, for their invaluable guidance. They have learned the importance of treating employees well and loving them, which has led to increased customer satisfaction. Morelli has also mentored others, answering emails and questions along the way.

The company has expanded its operations by buying the first kiosk in 2016, which was initially a drive-thru. Jessica Wellington, the company’s first employee, became the general manager. By the end of six months, the company had grown to 150, 200 customers daily. Morelli and her team were encouraged to open a second location, which they decided was a repeatable process. They found the second-busiest road in Auburn and decided to put a shed in the parking lot, which proved successful.

The business in the original location increased by 10% the first year due to shorter lines and increased awareness. Morelli chose to have a third location, as she believed sit-down cafes would not be profitable and more work-intensive. She found a property in downtown Auburn that was suitable for the business, and added a cocktail bar to accommodate the growing demand.

Morelli is also concerned about tariffs on imported coffee beans, as most are imported. However, they managed to beat the curve by booking out coffee for the year through September and October, even before tariffs went into effect. This was a double-luck situation.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the future of coffee prices, Morelli believes that they are trying to become lean and efficient to avoid passing on the increase to customers. They acknowledge that every coffee company will likely face a large price increase, but they are confident that their approach will help others in the industry.

Simple Roast Coffee Roastery, located in Auburn, focuses on treating employees like adults and providing a consistent schedule and two consecutive days off. The company’s success is attributed to the fact that employees are more likely to perform well when treated fairly and intelligently. The founders, who have experienced bad jobs in the restaurant industry, believe that treating people well and providing opportunities for growth is crucial for their success.

Simple Roast Coffee Roastery has built a successful business on treating employees like adults and providing opportunities for growth. By treating employees well, providing a consistent schedule, and fostering a supportive environment, the company has been able to thrive and grow.

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