The Sprudge Twenty Class of 2024 Welcomes John Di Ruocco

John assumed his role as torchbearer at an early age with a grace and vision that has positioned Mr. Espresso as an enduring industry anomaly in the very best way—a coffee roaster that has defied coffee “waves.” John was only 11 years old when our father started importing espresso machines from Italy, but it was clear that coffee was in his DNA. John faithfully rode with our father on machine repair calls and tinkered with any he could at home. After John graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Architecture, it was not long before he returned to his passion, the coffee roastery.

When I joined the family business in 2001, John had already moved from roastmaster to Director of Coffee, where in retrospect he was bridging the gap between the second wave of commodity coffee and the third wave of contemporary, informed values around coffee, from farm to cup. John was uniquely finding the place that honored our father’s Italian tradition of handcrafted, wood-roasted coffee, while embracing newer values that honored those at the heart of what we do, our coffee producers at origin.

John’s developing philosophy informed the coffee program he built based on those values. Recognizing the duality of sustainability extends to natural resources and human resources, John was instrumental in advancing the Certified Organic coffee program as an early adopter in 1992, and the Fair Trade USA designation in 1999, one of the first U.S. coffee roasters to do so.

Most recently, John, our sister Laura, and I opened Mr. Espresso’s first retail outlet, The Caffè by Mr. Espresso. With The Caffè, we pay homage to our family’s coffee legacy in the Italian espresso, wood roasting tradition. The space has been recognized for its simplistic, contemporary beauty, with prominent wood features, a 17-foot-wide oak slab bar and hanging art installation, subtly remind us of the wood roast. The award-winning ceramic cupware was designed for an optimum temperature while consuming. Beyond the contemporary aesthetic, are subtle nods to the Italian coffee bar experience, including no queue for ordering. Just find a spot at the bar. John tapped into his inner architect to advise on many of the key elements. And, he’s behind the coffee, of course.

After working side-by-side for more than two decades, John continues to inspire me with his undying passion for his craft, his boundless dedication to the global coffee community, and his fearlessness to do it all his way. I’m sharing his story with the hope that others in our industry can be inspired to do coffee their way.”

Read Luigi’s nomination and the Sprudge Twenty interview with John here.