FRINJ is a pioneering seed-to-cup company producing world-class coffees from California terroir.
Our Story
Coffee Beyond the Tropics
Conventional thinking holds that exceptional coffee only grows at high altitudes in the tropics. In 2002, FRINJ founder Jay Ruskey challenged this when he partnered with UC Farm Advisor Dr. Mark Gaskell to plant California's first commercial coffee trees. In 2017, Jay co-founded FRINJ Coffee with Andy Mullins, Juan Medrano, and Lindsey Mesta to support and scale Southern California's emerging coffee industry.
Today, FRINJ works with farms stretching from San Luis Obispo to San Diego. In January 2026, we became the first California coffee to compete at the prestigious Dubai Coffee Auction. Our coffees have been chosen by World Brewers Cup competitors and featured on exclusive omakase menus in Los Angeles, Seoul, and Tokyo.
What Makes California Coffee Exceptional
Complex, Floral and Fruit-Forward
California's coffee farms defy every rule. At 10-12 degrees north of the Tropic of Cancer and just 0-200 meters elevation, these conditions would produce mediocre coffee anywhere else. But Southern California's unique microclimate offers something unexpected: temperate weather, mineral-rich volcanic soils, and 12-month growing seasons.
This extended maturation—twice as long as traditional origins—allows cherries to develop exceptional complexity. The result is coffee with distinctively elegant, floral, and fruit-forward character that reflects California's unique climate and soil.
Farming the Future
Growing coffee where it shouldn’t exist required reinvention at every level. We collaborate with UC Davis and leading biosystems researchers on climate-resilient agriculture. In 2017, FRINJ worked with UC Davis on the Coffee Genome Project, with material from one tree, UCG-17, used to sequence the Arabica coffee genome for the first time. FRINJ now maintains one of the world’s finest disease-free Arabica collections while refining precision irrigation, protective tunnels, and regenerative practices that build healthier farms.
From planting through processing to the final cup, FRINJ upholds rigorous quality standards and innovative post-harvest techniques to produce exceptional coffee from unconventional terroir.
Experience it firsthand at one of our upcoming events.
Farm Partners in California
GROWN TOGETHER
Our farm partners are at the heart of everything we do. Together, we cultivate coffee with intention, blending regional knowledge, responsible growing practices, and a shared pursuit of exceptional flavor.
Condor Ridge Ranch - Goleta, CA
The first coffee farm in California. Originally planted in 2002 by FRINJ co-founder Jay Ruskey, Condor Ridge Ranch earned global recognition when one of its washed Geishas was selected for the 2026 Dubai Coffee Auction, a milestone for California coffee on the world stage.
Finca 1890 - Carpinteria, CA
Located in the Santa Barbara County foothills, Finca 1890's coffee grows intercropped with Inga "Ice Cream Bean" trees that naturally enrich the soil. Geisha and other varieties share the land with a lively barnyard community including a Sicilian donkey, Navajo Churro sheep, and Nubian goats, making this one of California's most distinctive agricultural settings.
Silent Springs - Moorpark, CA
Tucked into Ventura County, Silent Springs grows Laurina, Geisha, and other varieties beneath tunnel shade canopies borrowed from California's berry farming tradition. The structures shield the trees from wind and climate extremes, creating a protected microenvironment that produces coffees of refined complexity.
Williams Canyon - Ventura, CA
The largest coffee farm in California sits in the heart of Ventura's avocado country. Nearly 20,000 trees produce Geisha, Laurina, Pacamara, and other distinctive varieties across a landscape that has long defined California agriculture.
Rancho Delfino - Carpinteria, CA
Set in the Santa Barbara County foothills, this farm produces Geisha and Caturra of exceptional quality and competition pedigree. Its coffee earned national recognition when Onyx Coffee's Elika Liftee selected Rancho Delfino Geisha for his 2023 US Brewers Cup championship routine.
Mraz Family Farms - Morro Hills, CA
Situated on the rural northern edge of San Diego County, Mraz Family Farms is the project of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jason Mraz, who is as serious about farming as he is about music. The farm grows Geisha, Laurina, Pacamara, and other varieties among the rolling hills that define this quietly agricultural corner of Southern California.
Our Values
Farmer Founded
Founded by farmers, FRINJ believes exceptional coffee begins with the people who grow it. California farmers receive over half the sales value—compared to 2-5% globally—supporting ethical livelihoods and long-term sustainability.
Earth Grounded
Decades of hands-on farming shaped a deep respect for soil. Under co-founder Jay Ruskey's leadership, FRINJ invested in intercropping and regenerative practices that build healthier farms and better coffee.
California Innovated
Growing coffee in California demanded reinvention. FRINJ continues refining resilient growing systems using precision irrigation, protective tunnels, targeted nutrition, and field-level sensor technology—pioneering a new terroir for coffee.
