Desert Sun Coffee Roasters, Durango

At a glance

• Roasts inDurango, CO
• VisitorsOpen to the public

Desert Sun Coffee Roasters is one of the beloved local roasters we follow in Colorado: an independent roaster based in Durango. Here is what their own pages and public sources say about them, in our words.

Their story

Desert Sun is a member owner of Cooperative Coffees, an importing cooperative owned by its roaster members, which lets it deal with farmers directly. The company says that, through the co-op, it shared in the 2020 Sustainability Award from the Specialty Coffee Association, in the business model category. All of its coffee carries USDA organic certification, and the company says it pays more so farmers are not shortchanged.

The team page lists Zachary Ray as Chief Bean and Brian as head roaster, with Sean McLain handling sales and marketing. Through its co-op the company reports ties with 28 farmer groups across 13 producing countries on direct and Fair Trade terms, and it funds grants such as seed banking with the Anei cooperative in Colombia. In February 2026 Sean traveled to Guatemala to visit two farmer cooperatives, including the Asociacion Chajulanese in the town of Chajul in the Ixil region.

A newer line of canned drinks, a Peru coffee and a coffee lemonade shandy, is brewed hot and chilled from 140 to 40 degrees in about a minute.

What they roast

Roast levels run light, medium, dark and very dark. House blends include Southwest Morning, Mesa Verde Blend and Italiano Blend. Single origins on the list when we checked: Sumatra Gayo Mountain, La Fem Las Diosas of Nicaragua, Peru Cajamarca, Guatemala and Ethiopia. Espresso: Sunrise Espresso; Viva Espresso. Decaf: Mountain Decaf. Offerings change with the seasons, so this is what their own pages listed on 2026-09-28.

Where to drink it

Open Monday to Thursday, with Friday visits by appointment.

Address

284 Sawyer Dr, Unit C, Durango, CO 81303
Roastery and office.

Why buying from Desert Sun Coffee Roasters matters here

Blends carry Four Corners names such as Mesa Verde and Southwest Morning, and the about page traces each bean's trip to Durango. The Mesa Verde Blend was first roasted only for Mesa Verde National Park and was later offered to home buyers in bags. Wholesale buyers are told that 3 cents from every pound goes to an impact fund for reforestation, carbon capture and composting projects.

Every bag bought from a Durango roaster pays roasting and cafe wages in Colorado, and the coffee reaches you days after roasting instead of months. That is the reason the club exists. Why local roasters matter.

About this listing

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• Easy Coffee Roasters, Durango
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