The History of Coffee Bean Corral
Over twenty-five years ago, Coffee Bean Corral embarked on a journey to find the highest quality green coffee beans. Through unexpected twists and turns, exciting growth, and four different owners, Coffee Bean Corral has thrived because of customers like you, who share our passion for great coffee.
We didn’t always appreciate a good cup of coffee, though. In fact, at first, we only tolerated it. But that was before we discovered the power of fresh, home roasted coffee. Then, it was game on.
David and Barbara Swanson
1994-1999 | Arizona
Coffee Bean Corral was officially founded in 1994 by our first owners, David and Barbara Swanson. Fed up with subpar grocery store coffee, the Swansons purchased a popcorn popper and some green coffee beans and learned how to roast coffee at home.
Working with an importer, they bought green coffee beans in bulk, experimenting with different roasts and regions, and selling whatever was left over to friends and local coffee shops. After a couple years of this, they took the leap and Coffee Bean Corral became the first online green coffee bean company.
Russ and Kathy Denz
1999-2008 | Arizona – Mississippi/Hawaii – North Carolina
By 1999, Coffee Bean Corral ownership had passed to Russ and Kathy Denz, passionate home roasters and coffee connoisseurs. Their mission? To make good coffee the norm, not just a treat for special days.
Russ had fallen in love with coffee when he bought his first coffee grinder. After reading about home roasting while shopping for elusive whole beans (it was the 90s), he had to give it a try. And once he started, he knew there was no going back.
One thing lead to another, and soon he and Kathy had purchased Coffee Bean Corral. Russ and his team spent the next decade sourcing the highest quality coffee beans for home roasters around the world.
Terry and Judy Richards
2008 – 2017 | Mississippi
Terry Richards took over the Coffee Bean Corral reigns in 2008 at a pivotal time in the coffee industry. Coffee farms were switching their emphasis from quantity to quality. Jumping in headfirst, Terry worked hard to partner with additional farms and expand the selection of quality coffee beans. This is when the customer-favorite Coffee Bean Matrix came to be, helping roasters across the U.S. discover different flavor profiles and try over 100 beans, regularly.
John Puckett
2017 – Current | Mississippi
After purchasing Coffee Bean Corral from Terry, John continued to make waves in the online coffee bean space. Putting his business skills to good use, John has helped Coffee Bean Corral reach more home roasters, growing the business through some of the most trying and economically uncertain times. By building a team of knowledgeable, helpful, and passionate coffee lovers, John has created a thriving coffee culture. These days, Coffee Bean Corral is the place to come for home, small, and medium-sized roasters.