Stonecutter Coffee Series: Ethiopia Guji Natural

44 North Coffee was founded in 2010 by Melissa Raftery and Megan Wood on Deer Isle, Maine, named after the 44 degrees North latitude where the island sits. The women owned roastery started in a 300 square foot space inside a historic schoolhouse before expanding into a dedicated 2,000 square foot production facility in October 2020. All coffees carry both Fair Trade and Organic certification, with 95 percent of green beans sourced through Cooperative Coffees, a member cooperative the roastery joined in 2010 and became fully vested in by 2018. The owners sit on the cooperative's Impact Committee, which has invested over $900,000 in farmer led projects since 2015 through a fund that allocates 3 cents per pound of green coffee sold. The business has a particular focus on women produced coffee throughout its supply chain, from Guatemala to Maine.