Women in Coffee: Cartel Roasting Co.

Smiling woman and man in the Cartel Roasting Co cafe, each holding a coffee cup.
☕ Quick Take

Amy Silberschlag co-founded Cartel Roasting Co. in 2008 to build community through specialty coffee, growing from one Tempe location to 11 cafes across three states.

  • Cartel Roasting Co. started in 2008 with a community-first philosophy, now operating 11 locations in Arizona, California, and Texas
  • Amy Silberschlag built the business without prior coffee experience, driven by passion for creating gathering spaces and fostering human connection
  • Cartel sources single-origin coffees through Mercanta importer, prioritizing interesting flavors that work as daily drinkers across various price points

About Cartel Roasting Co.

Cartel Roasting Co. has been sourcing, roasting, and brewing exciting coffee worldwide since 2008. Created by Amy and Jason Silberschlag in Tempe, AZ, Cartel was built to foster community through coffee. They take pride in every step of the process, from sourcing green coffee to roasting and brewing it to perfection. Today, Cartel Roasting Co. has 11 retail locations between Arizona, California, and Texas.

In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, we caught up with Amy Silberschlag to discuss her experience with coffee and the industry.

Q&A with Amy Silberschlag

Why did you get into coffee in the first place? What made you want to pursue a career in the industry?

[Amy] Creating a space and place for people to gather was what initially interested me. Once we started down the rabbit hole of coffee, we fell in love with how simple yet complex the process is from seed to cup, the amount of hands involved in growing, harvesting, sorting, roasting, brewing, and then serving the cup of joy to a human being is mind-blowing.

Did you have any background or education in coffee?

[Amy] No, just an idea of working together to create community. Honestly, I didn’t even like to drink coffee – I just saw how magical it was to bring an incredibly diverse group of people together.

What was your experience as a woman getting into the coffee industry? 

[Amy] I learned that there are a bunch of incredible women in coffee and hospitality in general. Finding ways to encourage, collaborate, and support each other through the ups and downs is awesome!

Two people in a kitchen, one pouring coffee from a glass carafe with filter into a blue enamel mug held by the other.

Tell us about your city. What’s your local coffee scene like?

[Amy] Our coffee scene is fantastic! We started out 15 years ago with the philosophy that “a rising tide raises all ships”. By providing our customers with a memorable experience – perhaps serving them their first Chemex, sharing some home brewing knowledge, or even their first light roast, single-origin cup of coffee— we hoped to awaken their curiosity to the finer side of coffee and that they would take that curiosity with them throughout their life, which would encourage additional coffee experimentation, discussion, community, etc. 

How do you source your coffee? What do you look for?

[Amy] We have grown a beautiful relationship with our main importer, Mercanta, over the years. We work to highlight single-origin coffees that are interesting and delicious and can also be a daily drinker. We also try to find a variety of coffee to fit our customers’ taste profiles as well as price point. 

Tell us something fun or unique!

[Amy] Well, the fun comes from working alongside amazing people who are all aligned with our Just Cause: “At Cartel Roasting Co, we imagine a world where everyone is equal, where community and business meet for good and provide safe space for individuality and human connection; and where opportunities are fostered in order to collectively contribute to healthy change in our communities.”

What are you sipping today?

[Amy] Maria de Dota Peaberry from the San José province of Costa Rica.

Barista pouring Cartel Cold Brew from a can into an ice-filled glass.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who founded Cartel Roasting Co. and when?

Amy and Jason Silberschlag founded Cartel Roasting Co. in 2008 in Tempe, Arizona. Amy started the company without prior coffee industry experience, motivated by her vision to create community gathering spaces. Today, Cartel operates 11 retail locations across Arizona, California, and Texas.

How does Cartel Roasting Co. source their coffee beans?

Cartel works primarily with Mercanta, a specialty coffee importer, to source their beans. They focus on single-origin coffees that are both interesting and approachable as daily drinkers. Their selection considers diverse customer taste profiles and various price points to make quality coffee accessible.

What is Cartel Roasting Co.'s approach to the specialty coffee community?

Cartel operates on a "rising tide raises all ships" philosophy, believing that educating customers about brewing methods like Chemex, light roasts, and single-origin coffees benefits the entire coffee community. They're committed to creating safe spaces for individuality, human connection, and fostering opportunities for healthy community change.

What challenges do women face in the coffee industry according to Amy Silberschlag?

Amy emphasizes the positive side of being a woman in coffee, highlighting the incredible community of women in coffee and hospitality. She focuses on the importance of women encouraging, collaborating, and supporting each other through challenges in the industry rather than dwelling on obstacles.