Bonito Coffee Roaster
Bonito Coffee Roaster is a company.
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Updated: ·
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Leadership Team
Key people at Bonito Coffee Roaster.
Bonito Coffee Roaster is a company.
Key people at Bonito Coffee Roaster.
Bonito Coffee Roaster is a small-batch coffee roasting company based in Ojai, California, founded by Carlos Ramirez, specializing in sustainably sourced beans from Nicaragua and other regions. It roasts high-quality varieties like Pacamara, Catuai, Dark Beetle, and espresso blends, serving local stores, hotels, events, and offering online sales, with a focus on farm-to-cup sustainability from farming to delivery.[1][2][3][5] The company solves the problem of accessing exceptional, ethically sourced specialty coffee by direct farmer partnerships, small-batch roasting to order, and eco-friendly practices like compostable packaging and bike delivery, targeting coffee enthusiasts, locals, weddings, and events while maintaining work-life balance amid growth from 250 pounds weekly to potential doubling.[1][2][3]
Carlos Ramirez, head roaster and owner, grew up in Ocotal, Nicaragua, amid subsistence agriculture, which instilled a deep appreciation for sustainable farming.[1][2][3] After moving to Los Angeles in 2005, he earned a degree in food marketing and business agriculture from Cal Poly Pomona and worked in quality assurance for Dole's banana supply chain before relocating to Ojai in 2016, drawn by its resemblance to his hometown.[1] Inspired to enter coffee, he attended the Specialty Coffee Association show in Seattle, trained with the Roasters Guild, and began home-roasting, distributing samples at parks and events—including 100 bags for Eric Burdon's concert at Libbey Bowl—which sparked commercial traction with local accounts like Caravan Outpost.[1][2] Facing zoning issues, he moved to an industrial unit in Bryant Circle, officially launching Bonito Coffee Roaster around 2017-2019, starting small with family and friends before expanding.[1][2]
While not a tech company, Bonito rides the wave of sustainable foodtech and direct-to-consumer trends in specialty coffee, leveraging e-commerce for online orders and event tech like portable battery-powered carts amid rising demand for traceable, eco-conscious products.[2][3][5] Timing aligns with post-pandemic growth in localism, glamping (e.g., Caravan Outpost), and wedding/event markets valuing farm-to-table authenticity over mass production.[1][4] Market forces like consumer preference for ethical sourcing (nano-lots, no middlemen) and small-batch freshness position it favorably against industrial roasters, influencing Ojai's ecosystem by supporting local venues and modeling scalable sustainability for craft food businesses.[1][2][3]
Bonito is poised for graceful scaling—doubling from 250 pounds weekly via team expansion and new products like instant/cold-brew—while upholding artisanal ethos amid trends in sustainable agtech and experiential events.[1][2] Evolving e-commerce, broader direct-trade networks, and climate-resilient farming could amplify its influence, potentially inspiring regional roasters. This farm-rooted gem exemplifies how personal passion drives resilient, community-anchored growth in craft coffee.
Key people at Bonito Coffee Roaster.
