Zoka Coffee

Zoka Coffee Company roasted its first batch of coffee in the fall of 1996 and opened its original Greenlake coffeehouse in Seattle on January 7, 1997. Founded by Jeff Babcock, who remains CEO, the company has grown to four cafes in the Seattle area and operates its own roastery in Bellingham, Washington, where a four-person team roasts coffee in small batches each weekday on a 1963 German PROBAT Iron Coffee Roaster. Bags are hand-packed after roasting. Zoka practices what it calls "Family Direct Trade," purchasing many single-origin coffees directly from farmers, visiting farms, and maintaining long-term partnerships. The company name derives from a Colombian term for the regrowth of a coffee tree after pruning. Zoka has received recognition including wins at the National Barista Championships in 2002 and 2005, Macro Roaster of the Year from Roast Magazine in 2008, and a Good Food Awards Finalist designation in 2022. In addition to its cafes, the company offers direct mail-order and wholesale services.