Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronika Kuznetsov
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia, and almost 7 years ago, I came to the U.S. with my family to provide a better future for our son. It has been, and still is, a very challenging time for us. When we arrived in 2017, we didn’t know anyone, had a language barrier, and had no idea what kind of job we could quickly find to start earning money, so we took any job we could get.
It was very difficult to fall from the pedestal of “I am an intelligent, educated woman with a Bachelor’s degree in PR management,” and start taking on jobs like a waitress or a food delivery driver.
During this time, I worked in catering, at a floral studio, as a shopper for Instacart, and even as an assembler of special devices in manufacturing.
For a long time, I didn’t know which direction to go in until I started focusing on my inner feelings and realized that I had always loved coffee and wanted to learn more about it. That’s how my journey as a specialty coffee roaster and educator began. Besides roasting, I also teach coffee classes, which I call “Know Your Cup,” for those who want to learn more about coffee and improve the taste and experience of their daily cup.
For several years now, I have been selecting and roasting coffee for my roastery, Deep Ocean Roastery, and I’m currently dreaming of opening a larger space to expand and grow even more.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been, and still is, a very bumpy road! Lol.
Every day is a challenge, and honestly, I never thought it would be this difficult. I think many people who start their own business face a lot of unexpected surprises, and most of them aren’t exactly pleasant, especially if you’re an immigrant and everything is so new to you.
The main challenge for my specialty coffee roastery, of course, is finding funding for growth, because no matter how great and wonderful you are, it’s impossible to achieve any significant growth without financial investments.
Another challenge I’ve faced is explaining to potential customers why they should start drinking specialty coffee, and why it should be mine! 🙂 That’s why I put a lot of energy and love into my coffee classes, where I can share knowledge and demonstrate that coffee, like wine, can be a very interesting and complex drink.
At the moment, we are trying to find a suitable space (that doesn’t cost as much as a wing of a Boeing plane) to grow further as a company and start roasting larger volumes. And I would say that is a BIG challenge!
Anyway, in my mind, I have a perfect vision of how I want the business I love to look. I hope we can bring it to life.
As you know, we’re big fans of Deep Ocean Roastery. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I am a certified coffee roaster by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), and I have my own brand called Deep Ocean Roastery. The name was born out of my love for both coffee and the ocean, as I’m also a diver.
We roast only the highest-grade coffee, known as “specialty grade.”
An important thing to note is that my roastery is a woman-owned business. It’s still small, but very proud!
All the coffee we offer is personally selected by me, and I plan to continue doing so in the future because I truly care about the quality and taste of the product.
At the moment, we offer light and medium roast coffee from six different regions. Additionally, we produce coffee drip bags and capsules for Nespresso machines.
I would love to dive deeper into the drip bags because they are a convenient way to brew coffee, especially for anyone traveling for work or pleasure, or simply for those who want a great cup of coffee anywhere. You could be at the top of a mountain, hiking in the woods, or staying at a hotel. All you need is a cup and hot water—nothing else. You can find them on our website, and if you have any questions, I’m always happy to help.
What sets me apart from other roasters?
Maybe I’m a dreamer, but if you truly believe in what you’re doing, you can change the lives of many people.
In my case, I offer coffee classes for anyone who wants to learn more about specialty coffee and, most importantly, change the way they experience coffee. It’s not just about taste—it’s about being mindful in how you live your life, whether you’re having a cup of coffee, tea, a bowl of poke, or any other food or drink. I call this approach “Stop for a second”—fully immerse yourself in what you’re doing at that moment. For us, constantly surrounded by information, it’s harder than it seems, believe me.
In the future, I also want to become more involved in the lives of the farmers who grow the coffee we enjoy. As a roaster, I know I can make a positive impact on their lives by helping them improve the results of growing and fermenting coffee cherries. I hope that day comes sooner rather than later.
I’m very proud of my brand. We may be small, but we have learned and achieved so much along the way, despite the fact that it’s just the two of us—me and my husband. Almost everything you see, including our website, was created by our own hands.
We take a very personal approach with every client. If there’s a problem or a question, all they need to do is reach out, and on the other end, it will be me.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
We didn’t have an established business during that time.
Pricing:
- Drip bags from $11
- Whole Bean coffee from $19
- Coffee Classes $60
- Aluminum Pods from $17
Contact Info:
- Website: https://deepoceanroastery.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deepoceanroastery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeepOceanRoastery
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@deepoceanroastery
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@deepoceanroastery
Image Credits
Nina Platonova, Natalia Fediunina, James Carroll
