McConnell was an early proponent of direct relationships with coffee farmers, and Caffe Vita is described as a pioneer of the Farm Direct movement, with growers in more than 11 countries. Deming Maclise, a restaurateur who held a minority stake, took over ownership on January 1, 2020.
The coffee is hand-roasted on vintage German machines at three roasteries, in Seattle, Brooklyn and Phoenix. The Bushwick roastery and cafe opened in 2015.
