Switchback Coffee Roasters

Switchback Coffee Roasters was established in 2010 by Brandon DelGrosso and a business partner in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The company originated from a desire to improve the local specialty coffee landscape, which the founders felt lacked a sufficient emphasis on the nuanced acidity and inherent potential of high-quality coffee. The operation began in a garage using a small eight-pound roaster, initially serving only a close circle of family and friends before expanding into a professional roasting and retail enterprise.

The company’s growth trajectory included the acquisition of the Fifty Fifty Cafe in February 2015, which served as a pivotal moment for the brand's expansion. Today, Switchback operates multiple cafe locations in Colorado Springs, including its Shooks Run Cafe and Roastery. While the company has grown, it maintains a focus on ensuring that each location provides a consistent standard of excellence while simultaneously reflecting the unique character and atmosphere of its specific neighborhood.

Switchback’s sourcing philosophy is centered on quality, consistency, and accessibility. The company does not prioritize specific certifications like organic or fair-trade labels. Instead, it focuses on direct relationships with producers and importers to secure high-quality green coffee. The company explicitly states that it frequently pays prices for its green coffee that are significantly higher than standard fair-trade premiums, viewing these direct partnerships as the most effective way to ensure quality and support for farmers.

The roasting process at Switchback is described as a deliberate, time-intensive practice. The team conducts extensive cupping sessions, tasting hundreds of samples to identify coffees that exhibit distinct terroir, unique flavor profiles, or exceptional cup quality. Once selected, the beans are roasted in small batches with the goal of highlighting the natural characteristics of the origin rather than masking them through heavy roasting.

Beyond the technical aspects of coffee production, Switchback emphasizes a mission of community building. The company frames its business model around the belief that coffee serves as a catalyst for gathering and intentional conversation. This philosophy extends to their internal culture and customer service, where they aim to create environments where diverse groups of people feel a sense of belonging.

As a business, Switchback has navigated the challenges of scaling a specialty coffee brand. This has included efforts to recapitalize operations to facilitate growth into new markets while managing the capital-intensive nature of roasting and cafe management. The company remains headquartered in Colorado Springs, maintaining its status as a prominent local roaster dedicated to the specialty coffee segment.