Birch Coffee

Birch Coffee was founded in 2009 by Jeremy Lyman and Paul Schlader, who met in 2005 and shared a passion for hospitality and specialty coffee. The company opened its first café with modest funding from friends, family, and personal savings. Since 2015, Birch has operated a roastery in Long Island City, New York, where each coffee receives an individualized roasting profile tailored to its origin characteristics—ranging from floral Ethiopian coffees to chocolate-forward Central and South American lots. The founders emphasize direct trade as a relationship-driven practice, with co-founder Paul Schlader traveling regularly to origin farms to engage with growers and understand processing methods. Co-founder Jeremy Lyman focuses on café design and customer experience. Beyond sourcing and roasting, Birch Coffee is involved in industry education, mentoring aspiring café owners and participating in Coffee Fest trade events. The company describes its overarching philosophy as a crop-to-cup journey defined by human connection at every stage.