Dan Meza-Fuentes

How did you start in coffee/tea?
I got my start in coffee when I was going into my freshman year of college as a double major in History and Philosophy. I figured if I was probably going to be broke, I might as well have a way to stay caffeinated for all the reading and writing that I had to do. I have no regrets whatsoever.

Favorite thing about the industry?
There’s so much to fall in love with—the rabbit hole literally never ends. I feel like every corner I’ve turned within the industry has only revealed more depth. Not only do I love exploring all the niches and nuances of coffee, but I also love seeing something click for someone else and watching them get hooked, too. Being able to share the fun and nerd out with others has to be my favorite part.

Fun Fact?
My family is from Turrialba, Costa Rica, and I spent a lot of time there as a kid. While the region isn’t as notable for coffee production as Tarrazú, Valle Occidental, or Valle Central, there’s a large coffee farm that I have fond memories of exploring when I was young. Kind of ironic, considering what I ended up making a career out of.