In this episode of Cost of Goods Soul, Andrew pulls back the curtain on his seven-year journey with Bellwether Coffee, the world’s first commercial electric, ventless, automatic roaster designed to let almost anyone start roasting in-house. He breaks down how Bellwether’s combination of hardware and a curated green coffee marketplace removes traditional barriers to entry—from sourcing and profiling to consistency and quality control—so operators can own more margin and build real roasting businesses without becoming full-time roastmasters.
Andrew contrasts this model with the old-school supply chain, where wholesale roasters capture most of the value and many café owners are now closing their doors as costs climb and community support thins. He makes a passionate case for democratizing coffee, diversifying revenue streams through things like subscriptions and online sales, and telling a clear, honest founder story instead of giving up quietly. This is part industry rant, part love letter to independent operators, and part open invitation: if you’re a coffee, bakery, or food-and-beverage owner hanging on by a thread, Andrew wants to brainstorm with you—not as a consultant, but as someone who refuses to quit on his own coffee story.
