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Coffee Pedalers

Two-Wheel Delivery Arrives

Jan Sturmann

     Oakland has benefited from some brilliant ideas in the past — Art Murmur, Children’s Fairyland, any of Arizmendi’s pizzas — but who knew the greatest idea was yet to come? Enter Bicycle Coffee Company, delivering pounds and pounds of fresh, organic, fair trade, family-farmed, locally roasted coffee, all on two wheels.
     The bike thing isn’t just a gimmick. They don’t have an 18-wheeler meet them halfway to their destinations. Everything is hauled with the push of pedals, thanks to donations of Globe bicycles, boasting designs inspired by urban living for the eco-conscious and progressively-minded, and SF’s own Mission Workshop, providing durable backpacks for hefty loads. While this method of delivery calls for careful consideration when it comes to the location of each customer, they offer weekly deliveries to offices, grocery stores, cafés and restaurants in Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco.
     “I’ve been riding for a long time, and it’s something I’m fascinated with,” says Brad Butler, who co-founded the venture with his cousins Cameron, Brandon and Matt McKee and longtime family friend Mikael Kirkman. While others might have taken a look at the hills in the Bay Area and leased a truck, these guys chose biking as a happier, healthier, greener alternative. “It’s not just about pushing volume; it’s about keeping us outside and doing something we enjoy. We wanted something to sustain our finances and our happiness.”
     It all began with a trip down to Central America, where Cameron and Matt hung out with coffee farmers and learned how to roast with a wok and a wooden spoon. Eventually they upgraded to a manual popcorn popper and then converted a barbecue grill, developing a discerning palate for choosing quality beans. Today, they roast in a custom-made 20-pound drum over an open flame in their Oakland Warehouse off 24th Street.
     Oaklanders with a love for local and an appreciation for delicious coffee can find these roasters at the Grand Lake Farmers market every Saturday for a hot cup or a bag of freshly roasted beans. And, yes, even propane burners brewing more than 500 cups for the marketgoers are also on a bike, which was designed by Mike and Matt and made entirely of reclaimed wood and metal. The beans can also be found at many local grocery stores listed on the website (www.bicyclecoffeeco.com, 415-374-3361) as well as Bay Area Whole Foods (the Oakland location sells iced coffee from the dark roast). Offices would also be wise to shift their Starbucks fund over to the fellows at Bicycle Coffee for some greener PR. After all, if you are going to wake yourself up with a cup of coffee, wouldn’t it be nice to awaken to a better world? Bicycle Coffee is a great start.