Pete Miller Owner/Founder pete@caravancoffee.com

The year was 1990 and espresso was just beginning to hit the Northwest.

I love this coffee culture that was developing in my hometown of Portland, Oregon where one could enjoy great coffee and you found people just‚ "hanging out". I wanted to be a part of this so‚ I moved my family to Newberg, 30 minutes southwest of Portland to open my own‚ coffee shop.

We purchased an old house on Highway 99, (one of the main thorough fares to the beach from Portland), and opened our own coffee shop in the former one car garage while living next door in the old cape cod style house.

The Coffee House was an immediate hit with lines of people waiting for their cappuccino and maybe a scone. Then came the patio with local musicians playing on weekends. The lines grew longer. We decided to expand and that meant my family moving out of the house next door and attaching the house to the coffee shop. This coffee shop continued to grow and is part of my legacy of a great meeting place in this little berg.
Along my journey with coffee, I began seeking out higher quality and something remarkable. I took a trip to Costa Rica and visited some coffee farms. Then to San Francisco to experience the traditional coffeehouses with store front roasting. I had a new dream: a store front roasting in the artisan approach of small batches, carefully crafted by my senses of smell, taste, and sound. After years of developing relationships with coffee farms from every growing region and roasting on a small batch roaster, I developed a local reputation for great coffee. Local coffee purveyors started coming to me asking for help to set them apart from others.

I want to personally invite you to visit me at our Roastery in Newberg where we continue to roast in the old world tradition.

Come on by for a cappuccino and "Taste the Magic!"

Pete

Paul Allen Roastmaster paul@caravancoffee.com

My mum says I was ruined, as far as coffee was concerned, after two years in Europe. Only the best would do after that. So five yeas ago, while on sabbatical from New Zealand in 1999, I met Pete Miller. He revealed my latent passion for great coffee on a visit to Caravan Coffee. Now, after years of roasting for Pete, there may be only one thing I enjoy more than seeking the perfect roast on our 25lb San Franciscan roasters: drinking a "flat white" Tigertail with my two children and wife, Rachel.

Pat Mcgarraugh Operations Manager pat@caravancoffee.com

Coffee has been important to me since I was 3 years old. According to my mother, I would wait for my father to set his cup on the wide wooden arm of his chair, and when he took his hand away, I would sneak a sip. I now have that big chair in my home and enjoy quiet moments sipping a freshly brewed cup.

I have enjoyed getting to know many wonderful people in the World of Coffee. Here at Caravan, we treasure our family atmosphere where we work efficiently as team players while roasting, packaging and shipping coffee orders. Flexibility is the key word around here as the amount of coffee and sundries fluctuate daily and by season. We also enjoy each other’s families while we are competing in a spaghetti sauce contest, singing karaoke or celebrating a birthday.

When speaking with other business owners and managers, I listen with understanding. I was a small-business owner for nineteen years, learning the up’s and down’s of direct sales and retail. I appreciate working at Caravan Coffee and enjoy drinking the best coffee grown all over the world and supremely roasted right here in Newberg, Oregon.

Jeannie Roy-Lewis Tasting Room Hostess jeannie@caravancoffee.com

Hello and welcome to Caravan Coffee. My name is Jeannie. I am here to greet you and answer the phone from 11am to 3pm Monday thru Thursday. I can take you on a tour of our wonderful facility, or pour you a fresh cup of our delicious coffee. I make points with the staff by preparing and distributing samples of products considered for distribution.

I have been in customer service for 17 years and a personal secretary for two large companies, but really enjoy direct contact with our many customers and friends that visit our facility.

I am a kid at heart, so I love to share my new adventures with everyone. Perhaps it is a trait of my native New Zealand. We enjoy life. I am active in the community and paint murals for homes and businesses, and recently designed the school mascot where my two boys attend.

I do hope you can come and visit us. I know we will find your new favorite coffee so you also can be part of the Caravan Family.

Tiffany Middleton Packaging and Shipping Coordinator tiffany@caravancoffee.com

I began my coffee journey as a barista in a McMinnville, Oregon coffee shop in 1996. Over the years, I’ve had various opportunities to learn different aspects of the retail coffee business, working in an espresso drive-thru and managing a sit-down café. After taking a short break from the industry, last year I again found myself drawn back to coffee. This time, however, I’ve had the chance to see the coffee business from the wholesale side.

I started working at Caravan Coffee labeling and packaging coffee and pulling orders together for local deliveries. Over time, I have taken on more responsibilities in the daily operations here at Caravan. I have become very familiar with our product lines and I now have the duty of maintaining our warehouse inventory. My main job, however, is to prepare invoices, make sure UPS shipments are ready by 3:30pm and pallet orders are assembled and ready for 4pm pick up. I am a familiar voice on the customer service line, and I am more than happy to take your order or answer your questions. I look forward to getting to know you and provide you with the best service possible.

When I am not working, I enjoy spending time at home with my husband, one neurotic dog and two enormous cats. On the weekends, we often work on various home improvement projects. Whatever is on our agenda, we find that we just can’t start the day without a really great cup of coffee. Luckily, I always have fresh roasted beans on hand.

Jody Schmiedel Assistant Roaster jody@caravancoffee.com

Jody here. I believe something Divine drew me to this job in the spring of 2006. Maybe it was the wonderful aromatics surrounding our facility. I feel this is the place I am to be. I began working in the warehouse, blended the beans for roasting, and now I am learning the fine art of coffee roasting as Paul’s Roasting Assistant.

The proof is in the cup of a great roast, but I still prefer, what you might call a Fu-Fu drink, a 20oz double-blended Irish Cream Mocha with a splash of French Vanilla whip cream and a chocolate-covered coffee bean…but it all starts with a good roast.

Before I came to Caravan Coffee, I acquired a lot of knowledge from various experiences, much of which I am putting to good use at our facility. If something is broken, I fix it. If it needs to be moved or reorganized, I do it.

On a personal note, before coming to Caravan, I had the luxury of being a stay-at-home Dad. During this time, my wife worked as a barista at a local coffee shop where I first became charmed by the variety of beans and the history of this unique berry.

Jeff Fredricks Delivery jeff@caravancoffee.com

Hello, my name is Jeff and I have been with Caravan Coffee since fall of 2003. For 30 years I owned my own construction business. Now retired, I deliver coffee, blend coffee and drink coffee! When I am not at work, you can usually find me on the golf course. I am currently working on a new product that is sure to help improve your golf score.

If you have a coffee shop in the Portland/Salem area, I will be your delivery driver bringing fresh coffee to your doorstep. See you soon!

Jen Powell Coffee Packer jen@caravancoffee.com

Born & brewed into a coffee-driven family in Newberg, Oregon, I had no choice but to appreciate the aroma and mystique of a robust, flavorful cup of java.

Adventure & Mission trips throughout the world have given me opportunities to experience coffee in many cultures as far away as Israel, Egypt & Australia, but my favorite are roasted right here at home by Caravan Coffee.

I took this part-time, fun-filled position while working in the Nursing field and discovered a depth I hadn’t expected. I prioritized my life around my addiction and gave up the other job for one that filled me up and added froth to my life.

Don Ormsby Advisor don@caravancoffee.com

My coffee career started in 1989 in one of Portland’s original espresso bars, where I worked as a barista for 2 years. The coffee culture has come a long way since then. For the next 12 years. I owned and operated two cafes in the Portland area.

In 2002 I decided to sell my businesses and look for a new direction and that’s where I found Caravan Coffee. I soon learned what the coffee world is really about, wonderful single origin coffees, direct relationships with farmers and a company passionate about fresh roast to order coffee and great customer service.

I am proud to be apart of Caravan Coffee and look forward to having the opportunity to introduce you to artisan coffee roasting that will assure your success.

I encourage you to call and arrange a tour of our facility followed by a traditional cupping of our fine coffees.

See Ya Soon,
Don Ormsby