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We add a $0.25 Shuumi Land tax to every purchase at Gold Leaf Cafe. Click here to learn more

Jen Apodaca

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Jen Apodaca likes to think of herself as a roaster's roaster. She started roasting in 2005 for McMenamins Inc. in Portland, Oregon in a tiny isolated shop. Learning by trial and error and chatting up the occasional brave coffee professional willing to break the code of silence.

Moving back to California, Jen roasted for Intelligentsia and later with Blue Bottle as the West Coast Production Manager. At both locations she had the benefit of working on large experienced roasting teams and the luxury of several amazing teammates to turn to when facing obstacles. Most recently she helped launch The Crown with Royal Coffee as their Director of Roasting. It was these team experiences that inspired her to help others get better at the craft and help people make connections in the industry.

Jen runs Pulley Collective in West Oakland which is a shared roasting space, She serves as the Vice Chair for the Coffee Roasters Guild with the Specialty Coffee Association and she is the Founder/CEO of #shestheroaster - which promotes and encourages self-identifying womxn in the coffee industry to become professional coffee roasters. She is a certified Q Grader and the 2019 US Cup Tasters Champion.

 
 
 

Karina Vlastnik

Flowerhead Tea is your direct connection to natural wellness through full-flavored teas, floral tisanes, and potent powders. They are on a mission to encourage you to slow down, listen to your body, and change your life through the daily ritual of drinking tea. 

Owned and operated by Karina Vlastnik, Flowerhead has bloomed into a multifaceted, ethically sourced tea and chai company inspired by the evolving vibrations and diverse terrain of Northern California. The teas themselves are hand-blended in small batches with quality ingredients and were each created with intention and approachability in mind. The Flowerhead vision is that self-care is necessary medicine to sustain everyday life, and that plants and herbs are here to guide us into healing and happiness. Whether you have seen them at the farmer's market, popped up at your favorite cafe, cruisin' around in the Steep Jeep, or on top of Mount Tam with a thermos in hand, they are here or there to share their love of tea with you.

 

Auset is a New York City native, currently residing in Oakland, California. She has worked in the food services industry for over 13 years. Her training began learning vegetarian and vegan cuisine, working as a cook at a not-for-profit yoga and meditation retreat site in Upstate New York, and India for a few years. After her time there, she attended and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and studied Culinary Arts. Shortly after, Auset traveled through Italy and France WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farm) on organic farms and Bed and Breakfast, learning authentic French and Italian cuisine.

It is very rare to have a gluten-free dessert that is also refined sugar-free, and vegan. Or a vegan dessert that isn’t loaded with sugar and is also gluten-free. This is how the idea of Sweet Love came to be. All Sweet Love desserts are vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. No one gets left out.


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Firebrand is a mission-driven bakery creating quality jobs through the craft of artisan baking.

 

Emily Winston

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Growing up in suburban NJ, Emily had access to plenty of good bagels. But, the ultimate bagel was from H&H in New York City. Upon learning of its closing, Emily embarked on a five-year journey to create a bagel that she longed to eat. She nailed it.

Boichik’s storefront is located in Oakland and we are lucky enough to partner with them and offer amazing bagels!