In the early 90’s, a couple of university students embarked on a Costa Rican adventure that continues to this day.
Adrienne had changed her major six times while at Colorado State, finally settling on public relations and finishing her studies at the University of Costa Rica. Lance had studied international relations at the University of Wisconsin and planned on becoming a lawyer or secret agent. They met at the famous, but now defunct, Mar y Sombra restaurant on the beach of Manuel Antonio and became fast friends and eventually business partners.
At some point, Lance was “asked to leave the country” by Immigration, having committed the heinous crime of teaching English to the children of Quepos.
Adrienne extended her summer vacation in Costa Rica and began investigating why she couldn’t find a decent cup of joe in a country so famous for its coffee. It turned out they were exporting the best beans and leaving the rejects for local consumption. Adrienne decided that had to change. So she bought a coffee roaster and some books on the art of roasting and hung her shingle in the tiny former banana republic of Quepos.
Café Milagro, artisan coffee roasters was born. It was December of 1994. Lance graduated from the UW and moved back to Costa Rica to become a partner in 1996.
Today, Café Milagro remains an independently owned and operated business. Small but dynamic, we have two distinct locations:
In Quepos, you’ll find Café Milagro – Tostador de Café, our original location where we roast Costa Rica’s finest coffees daily.
In Manuel Antonio, take time to explore El Patio de Café Milagro, our restaurant, bar and café.
Café Milagro is served in Manuel Antonio’s finest hotels and restaurants and is exported to coffee lovers around the world.
We are co- founders of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Quepos and during Lance’s 4 year tenure as president of the organization, he made sustainable development its priority.
We also founded Titi Conservation Alliance along with other responsible area business owners to protect what we all love about Manuel Antonio. With Adrienne as its president, this non-profit organization works to save the endangered Titi Monkey from extinction through reforestation of the Naranjo River Biological Corridor and environmental education in area schools.
And as Costa Rica’s first member of One Percent for the Planet, Café Milagro Coffee Roasters donates 1% of sales to the environment. Fast Company magazine considers 1% of sales “the gold standard for corporate philanthropy”.
We invite you to enjoy Café Milagro, a company committed to the environment and our community. With the simple act of enjoying a moment with us or when ordering Café Milagro coffee online, you’re helping to make Costa Rica a better place to live, work, vacation, and swing from tree to tree! We appreciate you.
¡Pura Vida!
– Adrienne & Lance
