Our mission is to serve the best possible coffee to our customers. To support the farms and producers economically, socially, and environmentally. And to be an active participant in the enrichment and diversification of our communities.
Recognized as Roaster of the Year in 2012 — a national once in a lifetime award given by Roast Magazine — Bird Rock Coffee Roasters is proud to have put premiere coffee on the map in San Diego. A regular contributor to the international coffee industry, a consistent winner of scores above 90 from Coffee Review, the recipient of a 2017 Good Food Award, and with a Q-Grader certified roaster on site, Bird Rock's staff is sought after throughout the world for their coffee expertise.
Going beyond the perfect latte, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters has a top-quality roaster on site, a pour-over bar featuring the top seasonal varietals, weekly cuppings open to the public for a sneak peak into the newest offerings, and a deep dive into the selection process and all things coffee. Bird Rock Coffee Roasters goes beyond the confines of the fair trade structure and engages in direct trade with farmers, and is proud to serve the best coffee, prepared with the utmost respect to those who grew it.
Jeff Taylor
Owner Operator CEO and Secret Agent of Caffeination
Jeff Taylor purchased Bird Rock Coffee Roasters from his friend and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters founder in 2017. But Bird Rock Coffee was not his first foray into coffee. Taylor founded his first coffee company in 1993 and after opening several cafes in Topeka, KS, and Kansas City, launched PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. in 1997.
By 1999 it was clear there were problems in the supply chain of coffee and finding quality coffee was very difficult. So, while working on the founding committees of the United States Barista Competition and the World Barista Competition, judging many national and international competitions, Taylor began exploring what was possible at coffee’s origins.
His goal soon became to help producers in the development of Micro-Lots and improving coffee cherry selection and processing so he could offer his customers around the United States a higher quality of coffee than was available at the time.
By 2008 Taylor had volunteered on the Roasters Guild Board, of the Specialty Coffee Association, and was on the Board of Directors of the SCAA. Now traveling and working with farmers and developing his own brand of Direct Trade, he was building lasting relationships with producers that would allow both PT's Coffee and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters to secure exceptional product lines from at least 5 different countries in Latin America.
In 2009, PT's Coffee became the 4th roaster in the United States to take home the coveted Roaster of the Year Award from ROAST Magazine. Bird Rock Coffee soon followed in 2012 with the award making Taylor and his partners the only two-time winners of the award.
Coffee excellence and his family are his twin passions. Taylor is married to Olivia “Maritza” Suarez-Taylor, Bird Rock Coffee’s Director of Quality Control and Queen of the Bean for both companies. They have a 9-year old son named Phoenix.
Maritza Taylor
Director of Quality control
Maritza has been in the coffee industry since 1999. She began her career as a quality control analyst for the Colombian Coffee Federation (FNC) in Bogota, serving for five years.
In 2003, she accepted a position with Neumann Coffee Group in Bogota to work in Quality Assurance for Specialty Coffee. Neumann Coffee Group has 46 companies offering green coffee services in 28 countries around the world.
Maritza was one of Colombia's first four coffee professionals certified by the Quality Coffee Institute as a Q-Grader. Shortly thereafter, she became one of seven Certified Instructors of the Q-Grader Program in Colombia.
Maritza is now the Director of Quality Control for PT's Coffee Roasting Co. and our sister company, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters. She continually builds relationships with producers and works to ensure that all of our Direct Trade partners are meeting, or surpassing, our quality standards.
Tony Gomez
Head Roaster & Production Manager
Where are you from: Born in Mexico and raised in San Diego.
Favorite Daily Drink: At least one cup of drip coffee daily, water in the afternoon, and an occasional Modelo Especial on a hot afternoon.
What do you love about working in coffee: I love that the product I work with brings joy to others (for the most part), and I get to experience/taste different varieties and processes of coffee that I wouldn't be able to do otherwise.
Other Cool Stuff: I like to tinker with equipment and electronics, and I have recently started my very own orchard with various fruit trees, such as guava, avocado, citrus salad, persimmon, fig, and pomegranate.
Roger Chagnon
VP of Operations
Where are you from: San Diego, born and raised (just like Anchorman!)
What do you love about working in coffee: Oh man... so many things. First, on a personal level I absolutely love having access to amazing coffee everyday and being able to play around on awesome coffee equipment. But bigger picture, I love all the problem solving that comes with working in coffee. There is so much collaboration involved in everything from cafe operation to marketing to planning for the future. It's so fun to work with so many different people and integrate so many ideas and points of view. Every day is an adventure (or maybe that's just all that coffee talking!) I love it.
Fun facts about you: Proud pug and frenchie dad. I am an avid hobbiest. Every few months I become obsessed with some new interest that leads me down obsessive YouTube watching and article reading. Hmmm, what else... I also love information management, meditation and tv shows/movies.
Other Cool Stuff: I think I shared everything in the previous questions. But, I think everyone should know that if you want to prepare great coffee at home, you should start with buying great beans and then make sure you've got filtered water and a good quality burr grinder. Then you can rock and roll and be the best coffee brewer on your street. Have fun out there!
Joseph Rusk
Head of IT
Where are you from: Originally from sunny So-Cal
Favorite Daily Drink: Cortado with Oat Milk, "Kids" Temp.
What do you love about working in coffee: I cherish the close-knit family culture among peers who genuinely care about each other. Additionally, the unwavering commitment to sourcing great coffee from incredible farms worldwide and the environmental responsibility we uphold. We go beyond the bean to impact people directly, and that's truly special. The coffee industry connects unique individuals, which is amazing.
Fun facts about you: I'm a dog lover, a connoisseur of sour beer, an RC airplane pilot, an avid fantasy book reader, and enjoy impossibly difficult video games.
Other Cool Stuff: I've been in the coffee industry for over 10 years, and to me, great coffee is all about the enjoyment, regardless of the roast or its origin. It's that simple.
M'lissa Thomas
Head of Product Development
Where are you from: Originally from Long Beach
Favorite Daily Drink: Cortado
What do you love about working in coffee: I appreciate this company's values and the collaborative spirit of the organization.
Fun facts about you: I hiked Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park at night, was a Junior Rodeo barrel racer, and have a passion for brewing kombucha and fermented foods.
Other Cool Stuff: I hold a degree in Food Science and Safety, enjoy experimenting with food and drink, consider my two dogs as my children, and am an enthusiastic camper and gardener.
Alexis Solivan
Customer Service
Where are you from: San Diego
Favorite Daily Drink: Tea or a cappuccino, depending on my mood.
What do you love about working in coffee: I enjoy gaining knowledge about coffee and connecting with individuals who share the same passion. Having worked in the coffee industry for some time now, creating bonds with diverse individuals gives me a sense of belonging to a community.
Other Cool Stuff: I love the beach, charcuterie boards with wine, and EDM.
Jeff Taylor
Maritza Taylor
Tony Gomez
Roger Chagnon
Joseph Rusk
M'lissa Thomas
Alexis Solivan