Sweet Maria's and the Home Roasting Boom | Oakland News

Sweet Maria’s, the West Oakland coffee bean powerhouse, has turned a basement mail-order biz into a thriving community hub—shipping millions of pounds of green beans and fueling America’s home roasting boom. Founded by Thompson Owen in the ‘90s, the company now employs 30+ people and caters to roasters nationwide, from popcorn-popper beginners to AI-equipped pros. With pandemic-driven hobbyists flooding the market, Sweet Maria’s saw sales of entry-level machines nearly double—and while growth slowed post-pandemic, rising costs of pre-roasted coffee keep demand strong. For Owen, it’s never about the tech—it’s about hands-on craft, experimentation, and building a real coffee-loving community where every roast tells a story. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/49a777f6b360b4f0