#64: Wes & Jen Farnell (Eight Ounce Coffee) - What Makes a Good Café, Coffee Hardware & Expanding a Business

Hello & welcome to episode #64 of the rose bros podcast!

Today we are joined by Wes & Jennifer Farnell – co-founders of Eight Ounce Coffee - an 8 figure specialty coffee equipment business.

Started in 2011 as a side gig selling AeroPress and KeepCups to an emerging crowd of specialty coffee baristas and home coffee enthusiasts, Eight Ounce has grown their line of products into what it has become today.

Think of Eight Ounce as the suppliers of the “hardware” that coffee drinkers use to brew their coffee including everything from home use pour-overs to commercial late machines in cafes.

Eight Ounce is now the biggest specialty coffee equipment distributor in Canada, selling to almost four thousand cafes, roasters, hotels, kitchens and lifestyle stores in Canada and the USA.

Operating out of a twenty thousand square foot warehouse in Calgary, with team members in Montreal and Toronto - Eight Ounce has managed to grow their business even during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In addition, in 2018 Canadian Business Magazine ranked Eight Ounce No. 40 on the annual Growth 500 - a ranking of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies on five-year revenue growth.

We sat down for a smooth cup of Rose Bros Coffee and discussed the origins of Eight Ounce, how to make a good cup of coffee, what makes a good cafe, growing a business, coffee hardware advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and a lot more!

Also, the rose bros podcast will always be free, but you can now support the show by making a single contribution, or signing up for a monthly substitution at rosebros.ca/podcast!

Any support is much appreciated as the show continues doing its best to entertain you. 

Enjoy!