Mark Stell, Managing Partner

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Mark Stell likes to travel the world in search of growers committed to high-quality coffee. He learned how to determine quality through his early career stint as a roaster and gained management and retail experience as owner of Abruzzi Coffee Roasters, a small Portland company. It wasn’t until opening Portland Roasting in 1996 that Stell was introduced to the grower component of the coffee business. Once he began his travels to coffee-producing countries, he developed a deep appreciation for the growers and their commitment and love of the land.

Mark oversees a staff of 29 and is responsible for green coffee sourcing, purchasing and financial management of the wholesale roaster and green coffee wholesale business. His leadership has earned the company local and national recognition for its business achievements and sustainability initiatives. For five years running, Portland Roasting was recognized as one of Portland’s fastest growing private companies by Portland Business Journal. In 2005, the company won the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s Sustainability Award for its Farm Friendly Direct™ Program, and this year was a finalist in Willamette University’s Ethics in Business Award Competition.
Mark also sits on several boards locally and nationally.  Recently he founded Portland Global Initiatives a local Non-Profit that host World Water Day Portland event.  This event primarily promotes the need around the world for clean drinking water systems in poor countries.  For more information on how to get involved go to www.worldwaterdaypdx.com 

When not traveling or managing his team, he retreats with family to his cabin in the shadow of Mt. Adams and tries to sneak in a fly fishing trip here and there.

Mark's Blog



Bali Coffee

August 12, 2008

We arrived in Bali from Medan, the island just south of Java, on Wednesday Night. Bali (if you are not aware) is also a part of Indonesia along with Sulawesi, Papua, Flores, Sumatra and Java.
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Flores Coffee: Is potential enough?

August 12, 2008


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A Day Off in Sumatra

August 12, 2008

Last week the group I traveled with had one free (or no coffee) day. We decided to go to Bukit Lawang, an area of Gunung Leuser National Park. We started out about 9 am with a 3 hour drive to get to the park. An hour of it was just getting through the city of Medan with traffic.
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Announcing the Sumatra Farm Friendly Direct Program

August 07, 2008

Mark travels five hours into the countryside to visit an orphanage and hospice program in need of our assistance.
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Day 6 and 7: Lake Tawar Ache

August 06, 2008

Mark travels to the farm where we buy our organic Sumatran and has a run in with a 6-legged friend.
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Day 5: Cupping Coffee in Medan

August 01, 2008


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Day Three and Four: In the Lintong Area and Simalungun of Sumatra

July 31, 2008


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Day One and Two: The Island of Sumatra

July 30, 2008

Managing Partner Mark Stell has just arrived in Sumatra in search of our next Farm Friendly Direct farm.
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My February Travels in Uganda and Rwanda

April 09, 2008

Managing Partner Mark Stell writes about his latest travels and his experience in the forest of Rwanda with 500 pound gorillas.
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A City of Portland BlueWorks Business
City of Portland BlueWorks Business