If you wander slightly off of Main Street in Keene, NH, you will find a a small Roastery and Espresso Bar attached to an antique store. This hip little space, a hidden gem for many locals, is home to Terra Nova Coffee. Now owned by Jeff and Eliza Murphy, Terra Nova Coffee is a staple of many residents frequenting the Brewbakers Cafe on Main Street.
Terra Nova Coffee is unique in that it is one of the few 100% USDA Organic and ethically-sourced coffee roasters in New England. “We are able to track every bean all the way back to the origin, which includes USDA certification in our facility, but also to international organic certifications at the source,” says Jeff Murphy. “What makes us unique though, is the people behind the product. This includes every hand along the supply chain, and most directly—our passionate team of roasters and baristas. We roast in small batches in our beautiful manual roaster in our tasting room where we customers are able to sample any of our coffees via pour over or our custom La Marzocco espresso machine.”
Jeff particularly loves their single origin Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, with its complex floral, tea, and blueberry notes. But he finds that he has different "favorites" throughout the year. “Coffee origins can change from lot to lot based on growing conditions each season. It's always exciting to cup new lots and experience these variances and adjust our processes to best suit their profiles.” And if you want to try something a little different, Jeff recommends the delicious espresso blend in their Vanilla Cardamom Latte with local Manning Hill Farm milk.
Choosing to be part of the downtown Keene community and selling locally is important to Jeff. “Downtown Keene is a special place. I am amazed every year how many visitors we see coming from around the country, and around the world to experience our quintessential downtown. It is beautiful and unique, and we have a culture in Keene of support for existing and new businesses that operate in our growing footprint of downtown. It is the partnership between our citizens, businesses, and city officials that has really fortified downtown Keene as a key point in our local economy. We are excited for the growth and development that is slated in the coming years in Keene!”
Jeff not only sells locally, but buys locally as well. As a downtown business, he knows how important it is to support his friends and neighbors. “The local food movement and economy is important to me because it is what makes our region unique and special. By supporting local businesses; you are supporting your neighbors, helping to create jobs, reducing our carbon footprint, and supporting a strong network that can not be replaced by giant corporations or Amazon. The local food movement is important to me because fresh and direct is always best! I love interacting with our local farms and producers; learning about their processes and seeing behind the scenes of their work, knowing that our support goes directly to local families and individuals.”
“Being a small business owner wearing many hats every day,” says Jeff. “I have found Food Connects to be a valuable partner. They have helped us reach out to dozens of new customers by identifying potential sales channels, distributing samples, and marketing assets. Our wholesale customer base has grown throughout our time with Food Connects, and with two weekly deliveries we are able to get product to our customers quickly and maintain the freshness that we can stand behind.”
We are excited to continue to grow with Terra Nova. Be sure to stop in to one of their locations next time your are in Keene to meet the unique people behind the coffee. And keep an eye out for their seasonal Fireside Blend to hit the shelves this holiday season!