"Coffee Revolution" the story of Newhall Coffee

--- Book Review

In "Coffee Revolution," author and founder of the Newhall Coffee Roasting Company, Mitch McMullen, tells the story of how one small micro-roaster competed with the most dominating foe on the planet (a popular Pacific Northwest coffee chain), and lived to tell about it.

He explains how his company grew from an idea for a unique European-style of coffeehouse that would serve espresso and jazz in equal portions, to buying a roaster and roasting his own coffee for "Mitch´s Java ´n Jazz," to becoming a recognized roasting company whose blends of coffee sit right next to Starbucks an Dunkin Donuts on the shelves of major market chains.

It´s a fascinating human-interest story for the casual reader (and coffee drinker), telling how the former pro basketball player´s promising career ended abruptly with a diagnosis of a heart condition. That "closed door" opened another as he considered a new career in business.

McMullen says he owes his entrepreneurial spirit to his dad, an "alpha male" with a successful product placement business. He taught his son that although the lifestyle of a salesman is highly risky, there is limitless earning potential in sales.

McMullen also gives inspirational credit to his older brother, Corey McMullen, whose own basketball career and life were cut short by Leukemia. Dedicating himself to his brother´s memory, McMullen started an annual fundraising campaign for the Los Angeles Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, placing a photo of Corey and a mention of the coffee company´s support on every bag of coffee.

"Coffee Revolution" is also a positive success story that will inspire and instruct new entrepreneurs in any business. McMullen is honest about his mistakes and tells what he learned from them. He´s also candid – never arrogant – about his accomplishments and triumphs. His attitude is "you can do it too" and "here´s how."

Using his own coffee roasting company, McMullen illustrates how to build a brand name, the value of persistence, public relations, and market strategy, and how to use a "small business" status to your advantage. In an Appendix, he lays out his detailed Marketing Plan and gives a candid look at his company´s strengths and weaknesses.

McMullen is unabashedly patriotic, as is witnessed in his Patriot Blend coffee. Firmly believing that America should support its troops – regardless of its feelings about the war – he found a way in early 2003 to begin shipping coffee to American Armed Forces in Iraq via the Red Cross. In 2006 he vowed to donate one pot of coffee (in 2.5 oz packs) to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for every pound of Patriot Blend coffee that customers bought.

McMullen is also not ashamed of his faith and freely refers to the Biblical principles he follows in his business and personal life. The business plan for the original Mitch´s Java ´n Jazz café openly stated that its "Divine Purpose" was to lure people away from bars and into their non-alcoholic espresso bar. Along with "the best cup of espresso/cappuccino in town," McMullen offered live entertainment (subtle background jazz, blues & reggae by local high school and college bands) in a safe, smoke-free/drunk-free environment. People loved it.

"Coffee Revolution" is an easy read with large print and many photos, newspaper clips, and copies of documents and letters throughout the text and in a 65-page section in the back. Readers will be informed and inspired by McMullen´s true story. They may even want to rush out and buy a bag of the Newhall Coffee Roasting Company´s coffee. I know I did.

"Coffee Revolution" by Mitch McMullen is available in paperback for $14.95. For details, visit http://www.newhallcoffee.com/