About US

Sustaining Elements of Coffee

(908) 652-1597

Thank you for visiting our unique website. We are here due to your continuing support of the specialty coffee experience we have to offer you.

Sustaining Elements of Coffee is a small family run business operating out of beautiful northwest New Jersey.


Our passion for specialty coffee has roots in an intimate coffee of the month club started in 2006. This club coached members on how to improve their past decisions regarding coffee and “up their game” to a novice gourmet status in simple ways. Much came out of that experiment. The club members’ past Robusta bean drinking habits transformed into an evolving desire for a true specialty coffee experience as each became more informed gourmet drinkers and more appreciative of the origins of the monthly changing single-origin coffee beans from around the world. These members began to connect to newly found flavors and aromas not noticed previously. Even non-members who did not enjoy coffee welcomed the aromas flowing through the air while whole-bean grinding went on each morning. As that coffee club grew in size and it handled larger amounts of coffee, we needed to find a way to keep the chosen beans of the month FRESH since we would be getting new beans the following month. Surplus monthly coffee beans were sold off to other folks and word spread. Response from these folks was amazing. All had fun reading briefs on the origins of the beans and found the coffee to always be FRESH and full of flavor. They kept coming back to purchase more of the next available surplus selection of the month from another region of the world.



A vision came about in 2012 to keep the passion flowing, open our coffee selections to others and immerse into those ELEMENTS THAT MAKE AN ENJOYABLE CUP OF COFFEE. To accomplish our vision successfully, we realized the importance of staying grounded on a solid foundation with focused goals and in living by its mission.


OUR MISSION

Our mission is to focus on FRESHNESS of WHOLE BEANS and not on the quantity of selections offered. We select and promote coffee beans which serve a sustainable purpose in some way such as being Fair Trade Certified, Rainforest Alliance, or in some other meaningful way. All selected coffee beans will be ROASTED IN SMALL BATCHES. We will continue to support quality local New Jersey specialty small batch roasters. We will provide proper packaging allowing the beans to release carbon dioxide and keep out oxygen and not be concerned with pricey labeling. We will provide clear information on the packaging label listing the country of origin, weight, and the date of small-batch roasting.


Our goals will include assisting those niche coffee drinkers who might not yet be familiar with many of the facets of specialty coffee (but have an interest in learning some of the basics to partake in a better overall coffee enjoyment experience). We want each buyer of our coffees to realize that by simply buying from us they are already contributing to the community of people that labored in producing the coffee as well as to the environment where the beans had been nurtured by the elements.



Through our Frequently Asked Questions section and through blogs, a variety of specialty coffee topics will be explored. Over time, together we can explore each topic in “sips” (each in about the time to brew and enjoy your coffee).



Please support your local specialty coffee roasters wherever you live or travel to just as we do. And most importantly, to fulfill your unique home café experience, we hope you continue to order our specialty coffees from around the world and ENJOY THE SUSTAINING ELEMENTS OF COFFEE!!!

TRAVEL THROUGH FLAVOR!!!



L.P.

President

Sustaining Elements LLC

Frequently Asked Questions

Can't find an answer? Don't hesitate to reach out!

Why doesn’t Sustaining Elements of Coffee (SEOC) offer a larger selection of coffees at one time?

We are a small family run business with a passion to provide freshly roasted coffee in whole bean form to those customers that have an interest in sustainably harvested single-origin specialty coffees.  We notify members of upcoming date(s) of limited roasts ahead of time so they can place orders and get their freshly roasted coffee in a timely fashion after roasting, bagging and packaging is completed.   Travel Through Flavor as you learn “sips” of information about the origins of the coffee ONE COUNTRY AT A TIME.

How long has SEOC been around?

Our passion for specialty coffees has roots in a gourmet coffee club started in 2006.  After several years of evolving experience and brainstorming, a vision came about in 2012 to open our coffee selections to more specialty coffee drinkers and to immerse into those ELEMENTS THAT MAKE AN ENJOYABLE CUP OF COFFEE;  the solution was to form Sustaining Elements of Coffee in 2012.

Why does SEOC only sell coffee in whole bean form?

Simply put, roasted coffee stores better and longer in whole bean form.  The industry standard for commercial grade coffees seems to be approximately 18 months while many in the specialty coffee business prefer getting coffee beans no more than 4 months after roasting.   SEOC encourages all of its members to purchase enough coffee to last 4 weeks at a time and to own a Burr type grinder and only grind the amount of beans to be consumed that same day at home.  For members looking to purchase a new grinder, there are several quality choices out there that provide value.  We personally own a Baratza Maestro and suggest you at least consider the Baratza line of Burr type grinders before making your final decision.

How should I store my coffee?

Freshly roasted coffee beans will stay fresh for several months when kept in a heat sealed bag with a one-way valve on it.  Once the heat seal has been broken, we suggest transferring the beans to another container.  We have found one product worth promoting and that is the Friis Coffee Vault.  Coffee Vaults are designed solely for the purpose of storing freshly roasted coffee beans.  We personally own several units.  Store the beans in a cool, dry place away from light.  Never store whole beans or ground coffee in a refrigerator.

What are some guidelines I can follow to obtain a better cup of coffee consistently?

SEOC has spent years exploring coffee related topics from a variety of informed sources.  There are differences of opinion on several topics which is to be expected.  However, we can honestly state there appears to be a “general expert consensus” on the essential basics that can provide guidance to a novice coffee drinker on how to get a better cup of coffee at home.  We have simplified this process in our Top 10 Best Ways to Experience Specialty Coffees.   If you can’t easily locate it on this website, please email us at: customerservice@sustainingelementsofcoffee.com and we will be glad to send it to you.

How long does it take to expect delivery of an order?

SEOC uses the US Postal Service as its carrier of choice.  When a customer chooses a coffee selection in stock, after the order is placed, the order will normally be shipped out within two business days.  The date for expected delivery will be based upon the customer’s chosen shipment method and geographic location.  When a customer orders an upcoming Selected Roast, we ask our customers to please wait until on or about the listed roast date.  After roasting, bagging, and packing is completed, the order should be sent to the carrier the next business day.

There are many coffee companies out there. How does SEOC differentiate itself from most others?

Many commercial operations keep a sizably stocked inventory of various coffees they carry.  These large scale practices promote the use of modernized farming methods including pesticides.  There are long term health related consequences to the people applying these pesticides and to the associated ground water over time.  These practices have provided high profit margins for marketers, yet low-wage situations for the majority of people that grow, pick, and process the coffee.

On the other hand, SEOC provides something refreshing to those looking to learn more about and take part in a SPECIALTY COFFEE EXPERIENCE WITH A SUSTAINABLE MISSION.  Our mission is to focus on FRESHNESS and to carry single-origin coffees that serve a sustainable purpose of some type.  By the 15th century, the majority of coffee produced had been at the expense of underpaid workers.  Now, as our knowledge continues to evolve and we become more informed consumers, we can have the opportunity to give something back to the growers, pickers, and processors that meet sustainable practices through vehicles such as Fair Trade, Organic, and Rainforest Alliance among other movements not yet matured.

So as we Travel Through Flavor, we can also learn a little “sip” of knowledge regarding the origins of the beans as we enjoy our cup.  We invite you to travel with us ONE COUNTRY AT A TIME and set aside just a few minutes to sit and see what flavors and aromas you sense.  Let the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel be your tour guide.

Is SEOC a roaster?

SEOC is NOT a roaster.  We selectively work with specialty roasters that meet SEOC’s quality and sustainable standards.   All selected coffee beans will ONLY BE ROASTED IN SMALL BATCHES.  We will provide clear information on the packaging label listing the country of origin, weight, and the date of small-batch roasting.

Please support your local specialty coffee roasters wherever you live or travel to just as we do.

Suppose I am not satisfied with an order?

SEOC wants every customer to be or become a repeat customer to fully experience Travel Through Flavor.  We promote our customers to learn more about the various flavors and aromas characteristic of each of the major growing regions.  From experience, we have learned some coffees may favor one brewing method over another to extract more or less of the taste qualities that suit a particular coffee drinker.  In addition, adjusting how much coffee to use for a given brewing method can make a difference in one’s overall  experience of the coffee.  If after adjusting the amount of coffee and brewing methods, a customer is not satisfied, we ask you to email us at: customerservice@sustainingelementsofcoffee.com.