In 1995, Helen Russell and Brooke McDonnell, partners in life and business—coffee obsessed and passionate about growing something of their own—set out to do something bold: build a coffee company rooted in quality, sustainability, and social responsibility. Practices that have now become commonplace for people and planet-aware businesses were second nature to Helen and Brooke in the 90s. Equator helped pioneer the direct trade model, becoming an early adopter of Fair Trade certification in 1999, and in 2011, Equator became the first Certified B Corporation coffee roaster in California, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to blending quality with positive social and environmental impact. From establishing a world-class coffee farm in Panama, to bringing to market the first annual harvest of Regenerative Organic Certified coffee ever commercially available, Equator has never wavered on what matters: exceptional coffee, sourced with care and shared with intention. Decades later, Equator Coffees has evolved from a humble roasting operation into a recognized leader in the coffee industry with award-winning coffees, cafes across California, and a thriving wholesale program serving quality-obsessed top chefs and businesses from coast to coast.
Keywords: california, coffee, tea, beverage, women-owned, roaster, wholesale, bay area, blends, decaf, organic, fair-trade, quality, green-certified
Sector: Manufacturing
Size: 50-249 employees
B Corp Certified – Impact Score: 90.4
