Coffalo Coffee

When the pandemic hit in 2020, Christopher James lost his job, but found his calling. From his West Des Moines home, he began roasting coffee in small batches using a clean hot air roaster. 

With no gas or emissions involved, he started by roasting just one pound per hour. Determined to keep things eco-friendly, he also made a choice that would become part of Coffalo Coffee’s identity: delivering orders by bike.

As Christopher puts it, “One less car on the road is a good thing.” 

Today, Coffalo roasts 60 pounds of beans per hour. James still handles every delivery himself, and Des Moines residents can often see him cycling around town with his loyal co-pilot, Bugsy the pug, perched on the back of his bike. Wearing her signature doggy helmet and doggy goggles, Bugsy is a hit with customers wherever they go. 

Before Bugsy, there was Sushi the original delivery dog. Blind and deaf, Sushi inspired the idea when James was looking for a way to get her out of the house.

“I give her credit for lifting the company to a certain point and then passing it off to me,” he says.

Coffalo doesn’t just serve great coffee, it’s also committed to doing good. Each month, James donates a pound of their  “Roam Free Roast” to the Buffalo Field Campaign, a nonprofit that protects and herds wild buffalo in the Yellowstone region. 

 Coffalo has come a long way from a one-pound-per-hour roaster, but it’s still a one-man operation. Christopher James continues to roast, package, and deliver every bag himself, with Bugsy by his side. Coffalo has recently expanded into the Iowa City area, and you can now get their roasts at all three New Pioneer locations.