David Yardley, go get em tiger (GGET)
Go Get Em Tiger's CEO David Yardley shares their plans for Roasted At Origin, a new coffee program where producers also roast the coffee.
Role(s): CEO
Location: Los Angeles-region
Find Online: https://gget.com/
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I always look forward to chatting with David. We met on this podcast a few years ago (link below), and beyond his genial gregariousness, he rarely shies away from the opportunity to be honest when asked a question that might lead down an uncomfortable road. The ending of business partnerships, unions, and evolving roaster-producer relationships are all touched upon during our chat, which was primarily scheduled to chat about the launch of GGET's new coffee program Roasted At Origin.
With Roasted At Origin, GGET coffees are roasted by the producers at origin and shipped to Los Angeles within ten days of roast. For now, the program revolves only around coffees from producers in South and Central America that GGET has had long-standing relationships with.* The first such coffee is their house blend PRISM coffee being roasted in Colombia.**
I haven't spent time parsing the economics or politics of the program (yet), but it's already gaining both supporters and naysayers. Evolution is never easy, but in an industry where the average specialty coffee shop closes in under five years, GGET is looking at the horizon beyond year 10.
When you're done listening to or watching this podcast featuring David, check out the follow-up with GGET's VP of Sales and Marketing, Mitch Fierro.
*Coffees from other regions are still roasted by GGET in Los Angeles, CA.
**GGET sent me a sampler pack, including one RAO coffee and one roasted in Los Angeles, CA. I'll caveat this by reminding you that I'm not a Q-grader or professional taster, but I couldn't tell the difference based on where it was roasted. I intentionally, didn't look until after tasting, and both had the hallmarks of Colombia coffees that make for a pleasant daily driver.
You can click the button below to buy your own sampler to try. Coffee People does NOT receive any sort of compensation for clicks or purchases through this link. It is merely for your perusal, should you choose.
You can listen to our first full-length interview with David from when he was with MoonGoat Coffee on all the major platforms. Here is the direct link to the episode on Spotify.
Coffee Smarter: Advice for budding empire builders from David Yardley ( paraphrased)
More reps now will make you more equipped later. Imagine the type of role you're seeking in the industry and practice the skills you'll need without the pressure of a company depending on you for a successful final outcome. That repetition will make for an easier transition when you are the final say.
Also, don't forget to network!
ROASTED AT ORIGIN: ABBREVIATED PRESS RELEASE
GO GET EM TIGER LAUNCHES “ROASTED AT ORIGIN,” SHIFTING MORE OF ITS COFFEE PROGRAM TO PRODUCING COUNTRIES
Los Angeles specialty coffee company plans to move 20% of its coffee to roasted at origin by the end of 2026 and 70% by the end of 2027
LOS ANGELES, CA — September 2026 — Go Get Em Tiger (GGET) today announced a new approach to its coffee program that moves a significant portion of roasting into the countries or origin.
As part of the Roasted at Origin initiative, GGET is reducing the amount of raw green coffee shipped to Los Angeles and partnering directly with producers to roast select coffees at origin, using roasting profiles developed collaboratively with GGET.
The company plans to move 20% of its total roasting to origin by the end of 2026 and 70% by the end of 2027, making Roasted at Origin a central part of GGET’s long-term coffee strategy rather than a limited release or seasonal initiative.
“Since the beginning, our coffee program has been built around a pretty simple promise: share the beautiful coffees of the world,” said David Yardley, CEO. “Roasted at Origin is a better way for us to deliver on that promise. It brings the coffee closer to harvest, keeps more resources and expertise where the coffee is grown, and creates a more direct connection between the people producing the coffee and the people drinking it.”
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