Our Coffee
We do things differently.We are private client, artisanal, small-batch roasters of exceptional specialty coffees.The coffee we roast and sell is always organic, in season, and freshly roasted! This means what we sell varies based on global growing seasons and the logistics of moving the finest available specialty coffees to our roastery.We use no post-production chemicals or oxygen absorbers to prolong shelf life. Our coffee is therefore best consumed as close to the roast date as possible. Towards that end, we only sell coffee locally, here in the Nashville metropolitan area. For best results, you should strive to enjoy our whole bean coffee as close to the roast date as possible. Buy smaller quantities, but more often, and savor the pleasure of truly fantastic coffee!Wherever you find our coffee, here's what you can count on in terms of our latest coffee offerings:Always organic. We know what's in and on mass-market coffee, and we don't want that in our bodies, or yours. We certainly won't sell it to you. We only roast organic coffee. It's also non-GMO. It's a bit more expensive, because it's safe, better, and it's worth more.Always top quality. Even within organic coffees, we only roast the very best coffee we can find. With our coffee blends, each individual coffee could easily stand on its own as an exceptional single origin coffee. Our top quality blends are perfect for our discriminating customers who prefer artisanal coffee quality along with year-round consistency and predictability in high-use environments.Always Fair Trade Certified. We practice the Golden Rule. We value our brothers and sisters in the production chain who share in our values and commitment to sustainable quality. We want them to succeed and thrive. Towards that end, we do our part to ensure they're treated fairly--economically, morally, and spiritually.You can always find out what we're roasting, and where you can find us, by visiting our Instagram!
Where to buy
We do things differently.We are private client, artisanal, small-batch roasters of exceptional specialty coffees.The coffee we roast and sell is always organic, in season, and freshly roasted! This means what we sell varies based on global growing seasons and the logistics of moving the finest available specialty coffees to our roastery.We use no post-production chemicals or oxygen absorbers to prolong shelf life. Our coffee is therefore best consumed as close to the roast date as possible. Towards that end, we only sell coffee locally, here in the Nashville metropolitan area. For best results, you should strive to enjoy our whole bean coffee within two weeks of the roast date.OFFICE COFFEE
This is our primary distribution method. Life is too short to drink second rate coffee! Per our business model, all profits are directed back into our local community for our common benefit. Supporting us supports your community!If you'd like to have fresh, organic, exceptional specialty coffee delivered directly to your office as often as needed, we will make that happen--that's how we do the most good for our community. Your employees will love you. Promise. Top-shelf specialty coffee also makes a great client gift. Nothing says "Thank you!" to a client like a bag of the world's finest coffee, roasted to perfection! Contact us to make arrangements!RETAIL COFFEE
If you're an exceptional retailer, hotel, restaurant, or country club in the Nashville metropolitan area, we welcome you to carry our coffee. We offer nice margins for volume buyers. We are highly selective with our vendors. As a vendor of our world-class, limited distribution coffee, we increase the high value customer count to your fine retail location. Your patrons will love that you're supporting the community as well! Contact us to make arrangements.EVENT COFFEE
We provide coffee for very select local events. Contact us to inquire about our support. You can find us at our community's special events by following us on Instagram.HOME COFFEE
Finally, we'd also be delighted to roast for you and your family. We can hand deliver directly to your estate or home in the Nashville metropolitan area. Contact us to make arrangements.As always, per our business model, all profits are directed back into our local community for our common benefit.
Learn!
Welcome to our learning page! Below, find links to a wealth of coffee knowledge to help you enjoy your cup to the fullest!
The Perfect Cup
Welcome to our learning page! Below, find links to wealth of coffee knowledge to help you enjoy your cup to the fullest!
Coffee
• Buy great coffee. We suggest ours!
• Always buy organic coffee, even if it's of a lower quality. You don't want what they spray on mass-market coffee in your body.
• Get your grind the right size for your pour over or machine.
• Following coffee water ratios provided by your device manufacturer. When in doubt, use 16:1.
• The 30/30/30 Rule: Buy within 30 days of the roast date (if it doesn't have a roast date--put it back on the shelf). Brew or pull within 30 minutes of grinding. Consume within 30 minutes of brewing or pulling.
• Don't let your fine coffee sit on a heater--it breaks down the flavors you pay for, and gets bitter, fast! Drink it!Water
Exceptional water is the unsung hero behind every cup of coffee. Use exceptional filtered water. "City water" chlorine and fluoride destroy fine coffee (and neither are good for you).Brewing or Pulling
•Brew coffee to water at 16:1 unless instructed otherwise.
• Use a great machine, or a quality pour over or press. We buy locally, so our money stays in the community. We like our friends at The Kitchen Store. They sell top quality goods. They sell the Technivorm Moccamaster, which is absolutely tops for brewed coffee. Tell them Triana Coffee sent you. They'll take good care of you!
• If you're going to buy a home espresso machine, there are many to choose from. Don't skimp here. Get a brand with good tech support, as espresso machines generate a lot of pressure, and sometimes need parts and service. The good brands have both.
Merch
Everybody loves Merch.Take at look at ours!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What's a "social business?
A: Glad you asked! Read more here.Q: What are you roasting right now?
A: Get the latest on our Instagram!Q: What does your company name mean?
A: Triana, a historic neighborhood in Seville, Spain, served as a vital merchant trading hub where ships from the Americas and Africa docked along the Guadalquivir River during Spain's colonial era. This riverside district's strategic position facilitated maritime commerce, contributing significantly to Seville's prominence as Spain's primary port for New World trade while maintaining its distinctive character through pottery traditions and flamenco heritage. Triana served as one of western Europe's first ports to import coffees from around the world, as early as 1645.Q: What's the significance of "SUPREMO" as seen on the bottom of your logo?
A: Supremo, in Spanish, in this context, denotes a product of the very highest order. Supreme. The best. In English, we might say "none better."Q: Do you have any tips for making great coffee at home?
A: Absolutely! Click here.Q: What kind of coffee roaster do you use?
A: World class coffee deserves a world class coffee roaster. We use the very best. We use a custom San Franciscan, made right here in the United States by true artisans of the craft.Q: Do you teach a coffee class or a roasting class?
A: We teach both! We happily teach for entertainment purposes, or for professional purposes. In either case, you'll learn a lot about coffee, meet some great people, and have a fantastic time doing it! Contact us for more information.Q: Do you rent time on your roaster?
A: Not normally. Our roaster stays very busy. Reach out via our contact form. We'll keep in touch if we have extra capacity.Q: You're a social business. To whom do you direct your profits?
A: We have priorities, and we feel our priorities have the most positive impact on our community. Generally speaking, we prioritize local environmental stewardship, and education. We all need a clean environment to thrive. We all benefit from a well-educated populace. We keep our money close to home, where it's more effective and accountable.If you have an idea which would benefit our community, reach out via our contact form. We'd love to hear from you!Q: Who decided to give away all the profits?
A: Fair question. Here's the answer.Q: How can you give away all the profit and stay in business?
A: Our employees have a solid, sustainable, honest living. The true delight is in giving the rest away to our community, for our common benefit. It's really that simple. Click here to learn more.Q: The idea of giving all profits away for benefit of the community sounds crazy. I love it! Will someone speak to me or my group about this?
A: Absolutely. Click here to contact us now.
Coffee Class
We love to talk about coffee!We offer a coffee class for socialization and entertainment, as well as one for aspiring coffee roasters and baristas.SOCIALJoin us out at our roastery on the grounds Belle Lavande Estate near the Natchez Trace Parkway.We'll give you Coffee 101, roast up some exceptional coffee, and have some laughs. This is a fantastic night of fun where you can enjoy some fellowship, learn a lot, and leave with some of the best roasted coffee in the world--that YOU roasted! As always, all profits are redirected back into our community, for our common benefit.2 hour class. $75.00 each, four minimum, six maximum. This includes one bag of world class coffee, which retails for approximately $39.00.With notice, we can roast as much coffee as you like at the retail rate.BUSINESSJoin us out at our roastery on the grounds Belle Lavande Estate near the Natchez Trace Parkway.We'll give you Coffee Business 101, roast up some exceptional coffee, and have some laughs. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore whether the coffee business is for you.This is an excellent, must-do course for aspiring roasters. Get straight-talk about the business, pros and cons.Baristas really benefit from a deep dive into the mechanics and science of coffee roasting. After this four hour class, you'll know more than 99% of the people in the world about coffee.As always, all profits are redirected back into our community, for our common benefit.4 hour class. $150.00 each, four minimum, six maximum. This includes one bag of world class coffee, which retails for approximately $39.00.With notice, we can roast as much coffee as you like at the retail rate.For both classes, you'll leave with a generous supply of fantastic coffee that you roasted yourself!Reach out via our contact form to get started!
Special Events
When you want to serve your guests the very best artisanal, small-batch specialty coffees in the world--freshly roasted--choose Triana. We'll roast your coffee within 24 hours of your special event, ensuring your guests enjoy the finest available coffee experience.Because we're a social business, and we direct all profits back into our community, we choose not to maintain a brick and mortar storefront. We roast on the grounds of Belle Lavande Estate in West Nashville, at the top of the Natchez Trace Parkway. We then serve you and your patrons, and by doing so continue our mission to serve the community.You and yours get the world's best coffees. Your community gets all profits. Everyone wins!Reach out via our contact form to get started!
About
Triana Coffee: A Social Business Model for NashvilleTriana Coffee operates as a specialty coffee roaster in Nashville, Tennessee, distinguished by its commitment to social business principles rather than conventional profit maximization. As a private client, artisanal, small-batch roaster sourcing exceptional specialty coffees globally, the company channels all profits toward local community development initiatives. This operational model positions Triana Coffee as a practical application of social business theory within Nashville's urban economic landscape.The company's framework draws directly from Muhammad Yunus's conceptualization of social business as articulated in his seminal work on poverty alleviation through market-based solutions.¹ Yunus defines social business as "cause-driven rather than profit-driven," operating as "a non-loss, non-dividend company" that achieves financial sustainability while prioritizing social impact over shareholder returns. Triana Coffee embodies this principle by maintaining economic viability while systematically directing surplus revenues toward community benefit rather than private wealth accumulation. This approach mirrors the Grameen-Danone model's emphasis on addressing multiple social challenges through integrated business operations.The company implements its social business mandate through three operational pillars that address distinct community needs. First, economic inclusion manifests through employment practices that prioritize hiring opportunities for underserved Nashville residents, creating pathways to economic participation for marginalized populations. Second, environmental stewardship guides sourcing decisions and operational practices, emphasizing sustainable supply chain management and waste reduction within local operations. Third, community reinvestment ensures that financial surpluses support targeted community service projects, establishing a direct link between business success and neighborhood development.This model demonstrates how social business principles can function within American urban contexts, particularly in cities like Nashville where economic growth has created both opportunities and disparities. By maintaining financial self-sustainability while optimizing for social impact, Triana Coffee represents an alternative to traditional corporate social responsibility approaches. The company's success depends not merely on financial performance but on measurable improvements in community well-being generated through its operations. This integration of social purpose with economic sustainability offers insights into how businesses can serve as vehicles for community transformation while remaining commercially viable.
Contact
Hey there! Thanks so much for stopping by! We're waiting to hear from you! Let us know what's on your mind!
Thank you
Message received!Ours is not a desk job, and we're often without internet access for a day or two when away on coffee buying trips.(Also, Russell likes to fly fish. A lot.)Please be patient!
Meet Russell Melvin
Russell Melvin traveled the world for more than forty years in a non-coffee "day job." All the while, he searched out the finest restaurants, cafés, coffee shops--and green coffee beans.As a lifetime coffee hobbyist, he had a long-held dream of some day turning his attention to becoming an artisanal roaster of exceptional specialty coffee. When retirement loomed large, he started planning for the dream. That day came. Now he works everyday to perfect an art he patronized for a lifetime. (He also spends a fair amount of time driving around the United States taking pictures and searching for the best fly fishing spots!)Russell operates Triana Coffee as a social business, redirecting all profits to causes in the Nashville community which have meaning to him. Generally speaking, that includes environmental stewardship and high quality, practical education.Russell often says he "will never sell anything less than his very best effort." When you trade for Triana Coffee, you can be confident you're getting the very best coffees in the world, roasted with love, using his very best effort.Russell often shares his many blessings. He has never met a stranger. Please, have a cup with him when your paths cross! Talk about coffee (or fly fishing), laugh, and become friends.
Major Russell Melvin, United States Air Force
James 2
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
What is a social business?
Triana Coffee: A Social Business Model for NashvilleTriana Coffee operates as a specialty coffee roaster in Nashville, Tennessee, distinguished by its commitment to social business principles rather than conventional profit maximization. As a private client, artisanal, small-batch roaster sourcing exceptional specialty coffees globally, the company channels all profits toward local community development initiatives. This operational model positions Triana Coffee as a practical application of social business theory within Nashville's urban economic landscape.The company's framework draws directly from Muhammad Yunus's conceptualization of social business as articulated in his seminal work on poverty alleviation through market-based solutions.¹ Yunus defines social business as "cause-driven rather than profit-driven," operating as "a non-loss, non-dividend company" that achieves financial sustainability while prioritizing social impact over shareholder returns. Triana Coffee embodies this principle by maintaining economic viability while systematically directing surplus revenues toward community benefit rather than private wealth accumulation. This approach mirrors the Grameen-Danone model's emphasis on addressing multiple social challenges through integrated business operations.The company implements its social business mandate through three operational pillars that address distinct community needs. First, economic inclusion manifests through employment practices that prioritize hiring opportunities for underserved Nashville residents, creating pathways to economic participation for marginalized populations. Second, environmental stewardship guides sourcing decisions and operational practices, emphasizing sustainable supply chain management and waste reduction within local operations. Third, community reinvestment ensures that financial surpluses support targeted community service projects, establishing a direct link between business success and neighborhood development.This model demonstrates how social business principles can function within American urban contexts, particularly in cities like Nashville where economic growth has created both opportunities and disparities. By maintaining financial self-sustainability while optimizing for social impact, Triana Coffee represents an alternative to traditional corporate social responsibility approaches. The company's success depends not merely on financial performance but on measurable improvements in community well-being generated through its operations. This integration of social purpose with economic sustainability offers insights into how businesses can serve as vehicles for community transformation while remaining commercially viable.
¹ Muhammad Yunus and Karl Weber, Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism (New York: PublicAffairs, 2007).