Nice to meet yoU
So what had happened was…
Our names are Mike Madrid and Donny Brazeal, and we started Project Buna in 2019 to make specialty, third-wave coffee more accessible to everyone. We want you to discover great coffee and be able to enjoy it at home, so to that end we produce both freshly roasted coffee and group experiences called Crowd Crafted Coffee. While we enjoy nerding out on coffee and demystifying the specialty industry, we ultimately believe that great coffee is simply the coffee you like, the way you like it.
our Name & logo
“Buna” is an English translation for the word “coffee” in the Semitic language Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. We chose this word and its characters as our name and logo in order to reflect the ancient roots of this drink, while simultaneously looking ahead to coffee’s future throughout the world. Coffee is both one of the most ancient and modern of drinks, one of the most global and local of products. Its power to connect us in community transcends the power of its caffeine (though seriously… we do need caffeine).
our origin story
We became friends while stationed together overseas onboard a US Navy destroyer. Along with like-minded members of the crew, we formed a “coffee buyers club” where everyone ordered beans from a few top-ranked roasters and then pooled it all together. The group had the opportunity to try upwards of 50 different roasters from across the US, as well as experiment with different brewing methods – all while out at sea. The social aspect fostered a great sense of camaraderie, while the variety and quality of the beans ignited our own passion for coffee.
get involved
If you want to learn more about great coffee, then join us and be part of the project! You can order whole-bean bags from our seasonal menu online, or get a group together and start your own Crowd Crafting experience. You can subscribe to our newsletter and follow our social media accounts to get the latest content or tell us what you want to hear about next. We’re looking forward to roasting for you!
With passion, Donny & Mike