“We want to show off the specialty coffees of the world,” says Zach Pritz, who moved from Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his wife Candice to open a bulk roasting operation in Hendersonville. Photo by Tim Robison
Zach Pritz has learned plenty about roasting specialty coffee in previous jobs and now, along with his wife, Candice, has brought that knowledge to Hendersonville. The young roasters, who moved from Ann Arbor, Michigan, opened ShareWell Coffee Co. & Roastery last October and debuted at the Asheville Coffee Expo.
They’ve set up shop inside Wine Sage and Gourmet on Main Street, where they turn imported green coffee beans into blends like Mad Mountain Mama and the Killer Cold Brew.
Zach, who was the head roaster at RoosRoast Coffee in Ann Arbor, and Candice, who majored in sport management at N.C. State, spend multiple evenings each week roasting and bagging beans. They sell bulk coffee inside the store and online, but also at local vendors Crate Wine Market, Johnson Family Farms, City Market, and the Hendersonville Community Co-Op, in addition to doing coffee education and pop-up events.
How do you drink your coffee?
Zach: Good point. I drink it black, preferably espresso, if I can find a good espresso, or a pour-over.
Candice: I love an Ethiopian pour-over. Those are always the best.
Why the name ShareWell?
Candice: The name is important to us. The best way we know how to love people is through what we love, and that’s coffee. Great conversations happen over coffee. It breaks down barriers and creates community naturally that way. It gets you started in the morning. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, you like coffee.
What are you doing differently?
Zach: We really are focused on buying green coffee that is the highest quality possible. We want to show off the specialty coffees of the coffee world. I love that aspect of being in the business — being able to find that coffee that is delicious and has tons of flavor. I relate it to the fine-wine industry.
Why did you choose Hendersonville?
Candice: I’m from Hendersonville and Zach’s family used to vacation every year in North Carolina. We both had our hearts set on laying down roots in the area. When we started putting pen to paper and making a business plan, we knew we wanted to start a coffee-roasting business and didn’t know of too much specialty coffee going on in the Hendersonville area.
What does roasting do to green coffee beans?
Zach: Roasting is just an incredible process of finding the sweet spot that each coffee offers. We buy these coffees that are amazing and high quality and then our roasting process is to show what the farmer has done. I’ve heard it recently that when a farmer is done processing their coffee, it’s at the highest quality possible, so by the time we get it, as a specialty roaster, we’re trying to uphold that quality. That’s our take on coffee.
For more information about ShareWell Coffee Co. & Roastery, check out their website (www.sharewellcoffee.com) or visit their Hendersonville location at 416 North Main St. 734-780-0452.
