Delivering Excellence Sets Us Apart
At Mercon Specialty, we are passionate about delivering the finest specialty coffees, with world-class customer service and logistics, and relentless commitment to origin, farmers, and communities.
In 2019, Mercon Specialty launched in Seattle to support independent roasters by sourcing and delivering the world’s most extraordinary coffees. Our presence in origin, focus on sustainability, and expertise in global logistics allows us to provide world class service to our clients.
Mercon Specialty is part of Mercon Coffee Group, one of the world’s top coffee suppliers. Mercon Coffee Group is a vertically integrated green coffee supplier with a global reach of more than 60 countries. Mercon’s expertise spans the entire supply chain, from farms and production, to trading, logistics, and risk management.
We are a team of coffee enthusiasts and experts. We are committed to investments in local coffee-growing communities because we've seen first-hand how this creates a better coffee world. Our LIFT program is a shining example. Finally, like you, we are passionate about great coffee and delight in discovering new coffees whose taste transports us to the other side of the world.
The Mercon family coffee tradition dates back 1953, offering a wealth of knowledge and decades of leadership in the specialty coffee industry. From farming and processing, to blending and roasting, our expertise allows us to tailor our services to every client’s needs.
You can trust our team to be the partner who can help you grow and succeed.
Craig Russell
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Craig is passionate about coffee but more importantly, about making an impact in coffee communities. That’s why he is a board member of Seeds for Progress, a non-profit that provides quality education in coffee growing communities.
Jolene Zehnder
DIRECTOR OF SALES & OPERATIONS
Jolene loves coffee and it translates in her passion to giving back to coffee growing communities. She is committed to social responsibility and sustainability in the coffee industry and loves working closely with producers in origin.
Mark Inman
DIRECTOR OF SPECIALTY COFFEE
Mark is a prominent figure in the specialty coffee industry, having entered the field in 1998 driven by a passion for exceptional coffee and a desire to combine business with environmental and social progress. With over two decades of experience, he has been a leading advocate for sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and social justice within the industry.
Neil Oney
Green Coffee Quality Manager
A competitive pinball player who happens to be a talented and skilled cupper. He has been a barista competitor, a barista competition coach, and was a primary author of the SCA’s level one barista curriculum. Neil is also an Authorized SCA Trainer and Q Grader.
Noah-Briannon Martin
QUALITY CONTROL ASSISTANT
Noah joins the team seven years into their coffee career. They have worked in various cafes as training lead, and obtained their Green Coffee Foundation certification. Noah is thrilled to start their green coffee career aims to continue expanding their knowledge of the coffee universe and obtain their Q-Grade Certification.
Michelle Dunaway
SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE
As a Honduran, Michelle is an expert on coffee from this beautiful country and even though she loves talking about coffee from any origin country in the world, she has a soft spot for coffee from her native Honduras.
Emily Smith
SALES EXECUTIVE
A self-proclaimed coffee geek, Emily is constantly learning more about this fascinating and evolving industry, which has made her an extraordinary coffee educator. She is passionate about helping others and working with people that share her love for coffee.
Camila Topke
SALES EXECUTIVE
Camila Topke was born and raised in Guatemala, where she spent much of her childhood on coffee farms. During her time in Guatemala, she joined the Women in Coffee Chapter of the International Women in Coffee Association (IWCA) and in 2014 became Vice President of the Guatemalan Chapter.
Serena Beze
SALES EXECUTIVE
Serena, a Miami native, has always been passionate about creating memorable experiences for people. She discovered her love for multiple facets of the coffee industry and found that the world of green coffee offered a space to merge her skills and passions.
Crystina McKenna
NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Crystina joins us with over 16 years experience in the coffee industry, having held various roles in cafes and forming strong relationships with roasters. She manages our website and online sales, bringing her expertise and style to create an enjoyable customer experience.
Cynthia Heng
SENIOR MARKETING SPECIALIST
Cynthia joined our team in Seattle with a degree in strategic communications and business administration. She has been working in marketing for corporate office coffee services over the last 5 years and is excited to begin a career in specialty coffee.
Eric Chastain
ROAST PRODUCTION
Eric got to know coffee at the early age of 7 years old, and since then his love and passion for coffee has only grown. He is our primary roaster and is dedicated to quality and consistency.
Betty Leiva
SPECIALTY COFFEE COORDINATOR
Betty’s coffee career started just after receiving a degree in Chemical Engineering. Working for an exporter to improve their processes, she discovered her love of coffee and switched gears to focus on specialty coffee, getting her Q Grader license and judging in several Cup of Excellence competitions.
Bruno Felipe de Lima
SPECIALTY COFFEE COORDINATOR
Bruno’s love of coffee started early. Growing up on his family’s farm in Brazil, he learned all about coffee farming and how to make it better. Since then, he has been focused on specialty Brazilian coffee, including serving as a judge in the Cup of Excellence and other competitions.
María Ampie
SALES OPERATIONS SPECIALIST
Raised in Nicaragua around coffee farms and graduated as an Industrial Engineer, María has a rooted passion for coffee and logistics. She joined Mercon Specialty in June 2022 and has since been committed to ensure coffee gets to our customers, keeping track of the beans and their quality from the country of origin to our client's door.
Delivering solutions for your sustainable coffee needs is what we do best, drawing on a full array of resources, global connections, and a passionate, expert team.
An important thing to know about Mercon Specialty is that we are committed to helping you grow your business and will support your objectives, whether you’re looking to buy a single bag or much more.
A Broad Network of Producers
We nurture mutually beneficial relationships with producers and suppliers worldwide.
A Global Footprint
We have origin presence in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Brazil, Vietnam, and Ethiopia.
Fairest Trade
Our farmers are paid premium rates and receive technical and financial assistance to enhance productivity.
Coffee That Gives Back
Giving back is foundational to who we are, and we invest in education to support the development of coffee-growing communities.
Quality Control
From purchase to shipment, we follow strict quality controls to ensure all steps of the process are traceable throughout the supply chain.
Curated Offerings
We seek out micro-lot, estate, and premium coffees grown in an eco-friendly and socially conscious manner.
