Snake River Roasting Company

Founded in 2007, Snake River Roasting Company has established itself as a prominent specialty coffee roaster in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The company is defined by its high-altitude roasting environment, operating at 6,237 feet, which the brand highlights as a core component of its identity and production process. The roastery emphasizes a commitment to small-batch, made-to-order coffee, aiming to capture the aesthetic and adventurous culture of the Teton mountain range in its product offerings.

In November 2021, the company underwent a significant ownership transition when founder Ruth Ann Petroff sold the business to the Outpost Group, a local holding company that had previously been one of the roaster's largest wholesale accounts. Despite the acquisition, the company maintained its operational continuity, with all employees transitioning to the new ownership. Petroff remained involved in the venture during the transition to assist with training and knowledge transfer, ensuring the preservation of the company's established standards.

The company operates a flagship 3,000-square-foot cafe located in central Jackson, which serves as a primary venue for customer engagement and product testing. This space, which features a loft and outdoor patio, allows the roasting team to experiment with brewing methods and share their sourcing philosophy directly with the public. The cafe functions as a hub for the local community, offering a range of coffee-based beverages, food, and retail merchandise.

Sourcing at Snake River Roasting Company is managed through direct relationships with specialty coffee importers. According to the company's leadership, this process involves a rigorous annual curation where the team tastes numerous samples to identify coffees that meet their quality benchmarks. Because coffee is an agricultural product subject to seasonal variation, the team emphasizes the necessity of constant evaluation to maintain consistency and quality across their diverse range of single-origin offerings and signature blends.

The company’s product line often pays homage to local geography and culture, with blends named after regional landmarks and activities, such as the 'Gros Ventre' and 'Kirby’s First Tram.' These products are marketed to both local residents and a national customer base through an e-commerce platform that emphasizes freshness by roasting to order and shipping on a next-day schedule. The brand also maintains an active presence in the specialty coffee industry, participating in events like the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) expo to explore new processing methods, such as anaerobic fermentation.

Today, the company continues to balance its role as a local fixture in Jackson Hole with its broader e-commerce operations. By focusing on high-altitude roasting and a transparent, relationship-based sourcing model, Snake River Roasting Company positions itself as a bridge between the specialty coffee industry and the mountain lifestyle of Wyoming. Its current operations reflect a blend of traditional craft, regional identity, and a modern approach to direct-to-consumer specialty coffee retail.