Episode Details

Cat & Cloud Podcast 

Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/

Episode Summary

Chris Baca and Jared Truby sit down with Rachel Keen, green coffee buyer at Counter Culture Coffee, about her winding path into the role — from barista in New Zealand to farms in Costa Rica and Colombia, teaching English in Japan, and an educator job that turned into green buying. They cover the real, day-to-day of the job, how global events impact coffee prices, stories about big characters in the coffee industry, and Counter Culture's...culture, volume, hiring philosophy and much more. 

CHAPTERS

0:53 — Intro and Welcome to Rachel Keen

4:04 — Getting Into Coffee around the World

9:20 — From Barista to Green Buyer

13:50 — Storytime with Coffee Character

28:00 — War in Iran's Impact on Coffee

31:00 — Tasting at 10 & Coffee Conspiracies

36:00 — Becoming a Green Buyer

41:00 — A Day in the Life

57:00 — Shout-Outs & Closing

Podcast Info and Contact: www.catandcloud.com/podcast

Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/

Webstore: Buy Our Coffee! www.catandcloud.com/

Roasters Choice Subscription www.catandcloud.com/collections/subscriptions

Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/wholesale

Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first.

Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. 

The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations. 

Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby

Produced by Casey Ryan

July 2026