Here at WithMe, we think great coffee should come with a little freedom. After all, we designed SipWithMe so users can customize their favorite specialty beverages and on-site teams have less to manage.
When it came time to select our regional preferred roaster for Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Arkansas, it only made sense to partner with a company that has independence in its name and in its roots. Allow us to introduce you to Independence Coffee Co.
Independence got its start on a Texas homestead on October 14, 2003. On that fateful day, Ragan Bond pulled his very first batch of Colombian Supremo out of a little 10-pound roaster. He still has the original one-pound bag and considers it one of his most treasured possessions.
Ragan roasted 2K pounds of coffee that first year and gave 1.8K of it away, all to dial in the bold, deep-roasted style that became the company’s hallmark. Ragan and his wife, Christi, humorously recall giving away 1.8K pounds of experimental batches to friends, neighbors, and anyone else willing to try a bag. Call it the world's most generous taste test.
Suffice it to say, those early experiments paid off. By 2018, Independence was roasting 650K pounds of high-grown Arabica a year. These days, you can find their coffee online, on the shelves of H-E-B and Whole Foods Market, and even in the break rooms of big corporations like ConocoPhillips. They'll be the first to thank their loyal customers and hardworking team for that growth.
For Independence Coffee Co., it all comes back to two things: independence and family. They still roast the old-fashioned way and treat every customer like a neighbor. Ragan and Christi even deliver coffee themselves, so you might just spot them dropping off bags at local grocery stores, corner shops, and family-owned businesses.
Giving back is a big part of their story, too. Through a project called Gathering Grounds, special needs students at Brenham High School run their own coffee cart for teachers and staff, picking up real-world skills like customer service and inventory management. Independence has also been a longtime friend to Adam's Angels Ministry and the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County, and they show up for plenty of other local schools, churches, and community groups.
Proudly GO TEXAN, Fair Trade USA, and Whole Trade certified, Independence works closely with reputable suppliers to buy from farmers who take good care of their land. They're especially excited about regenerative coffee, which is all about helping the land heal and grow healthier over time. Healthier soil means better coffee, happier wildlife and a healthier planet.
What really sets Independence apart is how they roast. There's no autopilot here. The team roasts completely by feel, trusting their own senses over any preset program. They watch the color change, breathe in the aroma, listen for that telltale crack, and taste every batch to make sure it’s just right. Ragan has personally trained all four of his roastmasters, so whether the beans come from Indonesia or Guatemala, they're in capable hands. Independence also believes in "roasting to market," which is a fancy way of saying your coffee doesn't sit in a warehouse for months. It gets roasted, packed and sent your way while it's fresh.
As for what's next, the Independence crew has big plans. They want to reach more coffee lovers, build even stronger relationships with farmers around the world, experiment with new flavors and blends, and keep finding greener ways to do things, from how they source to how they package. And they’ll do it all while staying true to the independent spirit that got them started.
To learn more about Independence Coffee Co., visit independencecoffee.com. And if you’re managing a shared space in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, or Arkansas, let's talk about how SipWithMe can help you “Savor Your Independence” in more ways than one!
