Our Story

Unravel Sources THE BEST Ethiopian Coffee in the World
How our in-haus coffee merchant is pioneering the shrub-to-cup experience.

Anyone who’s anyone in the coffee biz right now knows it’s time to look to Ethiopia. When Jim Deters opened the first Gravity Haus in Breckenridge, he partnered with Unravel Coffee’s Steve Holt to form a boots-in-the-dirt specialized coffee roaster and retail company. The vision of “coffee for good” unfolded through Holt’s dedication to direct farm access, co-producing and importing coffee straight from Ethiopia in a sustainable way that brings communities together.

Holt has explored the world seeking out growers, sourcing the next best thing. Right now, it’s Ethiopia’s exceptional coffee. The country’s biggest export and lifeblood comprises 90 percent of Unravel’s coffees served in Denver, Breckenridge, Vail and Winter Park along with fueling the brand’s successful online subscription and wholesale programs. Unravel produces 16 distinct coffees with a wide variety of taste profiles.

 

 

“This is handmade coffee,” Holt says. “There’s lots of intention here. There are no machines doing the work. We’ve really invested in relationships, from the growing community to our café community.”

Unravel is involved in every step: choosing the farms that pick the cherries, deciding on fermentation methods, exporting, importing, roasting and serving. It’s something so simple — a pleasurable cup of coffee — that we take for granted. When, in reality, it’s an absolute mess, Holt says.

“We go through all of this work to get this liquid in a cup,” he says. “When it’s done right and you untangle that mess, it’s beautiful.” The journey from the seed of a coffee shrub to the remnant in your cup is the metaphor behind the Unravel brand.

And it all starts in Ethiopia. The epicenter of coffee grows more than 10,000 varieties, each producing a certain set of complex nuances. Unravel sources from the regions of Sidama, Yirgacheffe and Guji — the best in the world. “It’s like a candy store for us,” Holt says.

Unravel ups the game another notch with in-haus roasting. Pair that with Unravel’s glass jar program — not one paper cup has landed in the trash from Unravel — and you’ve got a delicious, intentional cup of coffee you can feel good about.

We’ll see you at Unravel for a groundbreaking cup of the best coffee in the world.