Barista Fundamentals

Over 30 Years Of Smart, Sustainable, Exceptional Coffee In Your Cup

In the remote highlands of 9th century Abyssinia, now Ethiopia, a lone goatherder named Kaldi noticed his goats were full of energy, dancing, and prancing, after eating a small red fruit from a nearby shrub. Not wishing to be left out of the fun, he tried the cherries and soon he was dancing, too. According to legend, Kaldi and his goats had discovered coffee.

In 1988 we opened the Dancing Goats^® Coffee Bar in Olympia Washington, serving locally roasted Batdorf & Bronson^® coffee. A few years later, the two beloved Olympia institutions merged, paving the way for decades of innovation in the quest to create great coffee. 

It’s a long road from Abyssinia to your cup. But we’re glad to be on that journey with you. See our history timeline.

From Farming To Roasting To Your Cup, Making High-impact Coffee For You

We want to do more than make the best coffee. We want to make it the right way. 

• Growing.  We were building direct relationships with coffee farmers long before phrases like “Direct Trade” had any buzz. We’re proud to have decades-long relationships with many of our coffee producers around the world, promoting sustainable, environmentally-friendly processes that result in the best beans.
• Processing. Our growing partners are the best at what they do. The cherries are picked at peak ripeness, milled, sorted, and shipped across the world. 
• Roasting. Our artisan roasters don’t begin roasting your beans until you’ve ordered them. That ensures maximum freshness for every order. It’s how we make sure you have the best cup of coffee possible. 
• Brewing. All of our staff receive in-depth training from our award-winning coffee instructors. Our baristas don’t even get to use the machine until they’ve spent a few months learning just the right way to make your drink. 

We put a lot into our coffee. At every step of the way, we want it to be perfect when it hits your cup. 

A Dedication To Low-impact Sustainability Practices

Excellent coffee is our passion; it’s also an important part of your day. But we don’t make or drink it in a vacuum. Every step of the way we’re concerned about our impact on the world. That’s why our roastery is:

• 100% green-powered- the first in the US 
• Puts power back into the grid
• Near-zero landfill waste
• Near-100% composting and recycling

Coffee helps start all our days. But we’re also always thinking about tomorrow. See our sustainability timeline.

A Commitment To Community Impact

• Dancing Goats^® Coffee wouldn't exist without a home- and we’ve got two. Though Olympia is our birthplace, we’ve been in Atlanta for over 25 years. The Northwest is part of our DNA- the rain, mountains, and trees are part of our coffee, but so are the vibrant culture and the people of Atlanta. Our team is a proud part of the communities we call home.

• Do you have an idea of how we can give back? Let’s talk. We’re happy to connect with our neighbors. Learn more about our Corporate Giving Program. 

We’re People Who Love Coffee

• When you work here, it’s not hard to get amped up  (and not just because of all the coffee). We love working with each other. We love making coffee the right way. We love coming up with new ways to bring you the best coffee. Our team is where expertise meets true passion for doing things the right way, every time. 

• We’re always looking for talented people who love coffee and love working with great people. Check out our careers page, and let’s do some good together. 

Great Coffee Done Right

• This is a lot of words about us. We’d rather let our coffee do the talking. We hope you enjoy the fruits of our hard work. Try some of our coffee today.