Normal Roasting Company, nestled in the heart of Burwell, Nebraska, has become an unexpected hub of community and craftsmanship, roasting beans with passion and precision that rival any urban coffee roaster.
Owners Josh and Sara Holmquist purchased Normal Roasting in March of 2017. Since then, they moved the business from Arcadia to Burwell and have grown the business to be a staple in their community and the Nebraska coffee ecosystem.
Inside of the freshly painted storefront, there is more than meets the eye. Normal Roasting Company is a business with many facets: wholesale coffee, equipment technology and support, retail and more.
With each cup, they’re not only energizing locals, but also putting Burwell, Nebraska on the coffee map.
And because they’re a local company, speed is one of their key advantages. Once Normal orders coffee from the distributor, they can have it delivered within 48 hours—faster than Amazon Prime.
“I can get 3,000 pounds of coffee faster than you can order something from Amazon Prime,” Holmquist said.
However, following the recent podcast recording, Normal Roasting Company made a significant announcement. The business would be closing its public-facing coffee shop to transition in a new direction.
“We’ve experienced exponential growth in the roastery, and as much as we love inviting the public in, showing what we do, and serving our community, it is time to shift our focus,” read the announcement on Facebook. “We have a handful of new, big things on the horizon for that facet of Normal Roasting Company, and we need physical space and time in our work weeks to think, dream, plan, and execute.”
Learn how Normal Roasting Company has transitioned its focus as a small business on this episode of Building Nebraska!
The Building Nebraska podcast is powered by the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
