Alma and Topeca have long been hallmarks of Tulsa coffee culture. Topeca stands out as an agricultural producer that grows, roasts, brews and sells beans through its own retail shops; cofounded by an Army veteran turned fifth-generation coffee farmer with its headquarters and coffee shop located in Canton Georgia and offering subscription service plans.

Topeca offers its coffee in three downtown locations as well as local grocery stores. Director of Coffee Ian Picco recently visited TulsaPeople studios to talk about his passion for sourcing, roasting and serving coffee.

This company specializes in growing, roasting and importing premium-grade coffee beans. Through its vertically integrated business model, they maintain control of every aspect of production from seeds to cups – including El Salvador farms where some of their beans come from!

Picco explained that Topeca prides itself on producing high-quality coffee through rigorous growing, harvesting and roasting processes. He stressed the roasting step as critical because it affects flavor; they aim to bring out all natural characteristics found within each bean by roasting to enhance this process.

Finca Ayuteqpeque Bourbon Natural from El Salvador is the latest offering from his company and boasts notes of lemon tea and nectarine with a crisp yet sweet finish, grown in El Salvador’s northern mountains – creating “an exceptionally well balanced cup,” according to him.