Coffee and Tea · San Rafael, California
Equator Coffees
A Marin County roaster built on close ties with coffee farmers.
- Founded
- 1995
- Founded by
- Helen Russell, Brooke McDonnell
- Based in
- San Rafael, California
Their story
Equator Coffees was founded in 1995 by Helen Russell and her life and business partner Brooke McDonnell. Before roasting, the pair ran two espresso carts in the Bay Area. Brooke started with a small tabletop roaster and the business grew by selling wholesale to cafes and restaurants, eventually reaching hundreds of accounts.
The name nods to the band around the Equator where coffee and tea grow, and the Bengal tiger on the label has been part of the brand for decades. Equator is a certified B Corp, and the founders have long tied the company's growth to values like offering health insurance to staff.
The company has its roots in Marin, with a roastery and cafes around the Bay Area, and it even purchased its own coffee farm, Finca Sophia, in Panama.
How it's made
Brooke McDonnell traveled to origin early on to meet farmers directly, and the company stresses transparency about where each coffee comes from. Equator has supported growing partners in practical ways, such as a revolving credit loan to a cooperative in Ecuador, and it roasts its coffee in the Bay Area.
Our featured pick
Jaguar Espresso Coffee Beans (10.5OZ)
$19.50
Equator's organic, fair-trade certified blend reminds us of an intensely dark chocolate – perhaps the one flavor in espresso that both traditionalists and new world lovers can unanimously agree they want in their cup. Well, we're yet to find anyone who disagrees. It's sure to cut through milk and cream – you'll find a little candied nuts, spice and depthy fruits to keep things three-dimensional.
Shop Equator Coffees
13 in stock
Human connection and kindness through the portal of coffee.
Why we carry them
Equator is a Bay Area original, and we appreciate how much care goes into their relationships at origin. It's a dependable, delicious coffee from neighbors just across the Golden Gate.
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