Coffee roasting expert appointed to OSU advisory board
Thursday, October 22, 2020
Sound businessman, innovator, visionary and strong entrepreneurial spirit are words to help describe the newest member of the Oklahoma State University Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center advisory board.
Appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate, Dan Jolliff, owner of U.S. Roaster Corp and Roasters Exchange in Oklahoma City, joins the 16-member Industry Advisory Committee to help oversee the center’s mission and vision.
“After all the help I have had from Oklahoma and OSU, I look forward to working with the board,” he said. “Getting a chance to help others like I have been helped will be a pleasure.”
A native of Wilson, Oklahoma, Jolliff developed an attraction for the coffee service business as he watched his father become successful in the Nestle Coffee Co. In 1979, while attending Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma, Jolliff launched Coffee Professionals, a service and supply company for southern and central Oklahoma.
As the business developed, Jolliff’s creative nature and entrepreneurial spirit gave him ideas to broaden his view to buy and refurbish coffee processing equipment and create and engineer his own equipment.
In 1994, Jolliff launched Continental Brokers and Consultants, while still owning and operating Coffee Professionals. Then, in 1998, he sold Coffee Professionals and launched Roasters Exchange, as well as U.S. Roaster Corp in 2004.
Both U.S. Roaster Corp and Roasters Exchange, business divisions of Continental Brokers and Consultants, specialize in restoring and refurbishing used equipment, as well as the innovation, development and engineering of new and emerging technology equipment and instrumentation for coffee and cocoa cleaning, roasting and grinding.
Jolliff visited the center and met with Roy Escoubas, FAPC director; Tom Coon, OSU vice president for agricultural programs; and center faculty and staff. The Oct. 15 visit also included a tour of the FAPC facility.
Although Jolliff may be new to the Industry Advisory Committee, this is not the first time he has had interaction with FAPC.
FAPC’s relationship with Jolliff sparked in 2009 when his company began manufacturing a flagship roaster, the Revelation. This roaster is the world’s first industrial roaster to meet air emission standards of southern California.
A more recent project involves helping Jolliff market a small, smokeless electric coffee bean roaster with cloud connectivity.
The new mini coffee bean roaster design is based on the Revelation and can roast a batch of beans in 8 to 16 minutes, depending on the recipe. Target customers for this roaster include small coffee shops in the United States, China and Europe that want to add whole bean roasting to their operations.
The mini Revelation allows users to connect a handheld electronic device to download and upload profile formulations with scalability from small to large roasters. The roaster also includes an interchangeable drum that is dishwasher safe.
Jolliff said working with FAPC on the mini Revelation has helped the business grow.
“It’s been an educational experience as a business owner, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without the help of OSU,” he said. “Having an open line of communication with OSU to get help, solve problems and answer questions is second-to-none.”
Jolliff will join the other advisory board members during the next biannual meeting Dec. 3.
Escoubas said he is looking forward to having Jolliff on the Industry Advisory Committee and having him interact with the other committee members.
“Dan is a sound businessman, innovator and visionary who has a strong work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and passion to help his fellow man,” he said. “His experience in the manufacturing and coffee roasting industry makes him an excellent resource to the committee.”
FAPC, a part of OSU’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, helps to discover, develop and deliver technical and business information that stimulates and supports the growth of value-added food and agricultural products and processing in Oklahoma.
MEDIA CONTACT: Mandy Gross | FAPC Communications Services | 405-744-0442 | mandy.gross@okstate.edu