Alice Good Specialty Coffee

Alice Good Specialty Coffee is an independent coffee company located in Verona, Wisconsin, founded by a family team including Ralph Stern, Laura Serrato, Sara Serrato, and Camilo Beltran. The company’s name originates from a personal family anecdote involving a code phrase used by the founder's father to signal that all was well during long-distance calls, serving as a foundational philosophy for the brand's mission of fostering connection and kindness through coffee.

The company’s operational model is deeply rooted in a commitment to social justice and economic equity within the coffee supply chain. Motivated by the 2019 social protests in Colombia, the founders sought to create a business that functions as a 'love letter' to the country, aiming to shift the traditional coffee trade paradigm by ensuring that a larger share of the economic value remains within the producing nation rather than being captured entirely by intermediaries in the global north.

In practice, Alice Good distinguishes itself by roasting its coffee beans directly in Colombia before shipping them to the United States. This approach is designed to support the local Colombian economy by keeping the value-added process of roasting at the source. Beyond the coffee itself, the company actively sources other retail items, such as chocolates, t-shirts, and glassware, from Colombian vendors to further support the local ecosystem.

The physical café in Verona serves as a community hub and a cultural space. It features an art and photography gallery dedicated to showcasing Latin American artists who align with the company’s core values of sustainability, social justice, and harmonious cooperation. The space is designed to be an inviting environment that encourages community gathering, reflecting the founders' desire to create a 'third place' that feels both authentic and welcoming.

Alice Good’s sourcing and operational philosophy represents a specific effort to address the systemic imbalances in the coffee industry, where producing countries often receive minimal profit after the export stage. By integrating the roasting process into the country of origin, the company attempts to shorten the distance between the farmer and the final consumer, while simultaneously providing a platform for Colombian culture and craftsmanship in the United States.

Today, the company continues to operate as a specialty coffee roaster and retailer, maintaining a focus on high-quality Colombian beans and a transparent, mission-driven business model. Its presence in the Wisconsin coffee scene is characterized by its dual identity as both a local community café and an international trade project, emphasizing that the journey of a cup of coffee involves a complex, years-long process that the company seeks to honor through its direct-to-consumer and direct-from-origin practices.