Coffee sourcing is undergoing a quiet, tech-enabled revolution, and there are few people better equipped to talk about than Kat Melheim.
Through her roles at Black & White, her time on a Hawaiian coffee farm, and now at Algrano, Kat has been part of a shift toward greater transparency and accessibility, especially in the roasting and green buying realms.
The digitization of coffee sourcing isn't just a convenience play - it's fundamentally altering who gets to participate and how value flows through the supply chain.
I wanted to understand if we're witnessing a true disruption or just a repackaging of the same old power structures with a tech interface. Kat's perspective, from someone who's operated at multiple points in the value chain, offers some great clarity on what's really happening here, and what roasters who are just coming onto the green buying scene need to know about sourcing digitally.
What You'll Learn00:00 Breaking Down Coffee Roasting Secrets
07:00 Modern Coffee Sourcing Evolution
15:15 Defining Direct Trade vs. Direct Sourcing
21:03 Algrano: Simplifying Coffee Trade Logistics
24:10 Digital Marketplaces vs. Traditional Importing
30:22 Current Challenges for Coffee Importers
34:01 How Technology Transforms Producer Relationships
37:33 Overcoming Forward Buying Hesitation
40:09 Algrano's Transparent Business Model
44:06 Building Meaningful Producer Connections
46:01 Kat's Origin Journey: Farm to Roastery
53:34 Creating Immersive Origin Experiences
58:08 How to Connect with Kat and Algrano
Where to Find Kat MelheimMentioned in the EpisodeThe Coffee Think Tank podcast is a show about trends, ideas, and innovations in coffee by Fresh Cup, hosted by Garrett Oden. Subscribe to Fresh Cup for more industry insights at freshcup.com.
