Our Story
It all started with a passion for great coffee
…and two strangers meeting on an airplane.
Graham was a full-time coffee connoisseur, working as a barista at a hip Northern California coffee shop and developing beverages for brands on the side. Immersed in the world of coffee, he started learning about the stark inequities within commodity coffee trading – even as specialty coffee grows in popularity, many farmers are struggling to stay in business.
Graham felt he could create an ethical coffee company that supported farmers through direct trade and delighted customers with uniquely satisfying flavors. He met Guillermo Moran, a Bay Area coffee roaster with a unique tie to origin, and knew he’d found the right coffee partner. (Learn more about our direct trade relationship here.) Graham had the mission and the coffee, and now he needed the product. He’d been experimenting with a carbonated root beer cold brew, but he needed help creating new flavors and bringing the product to market.
Twenty miles away, Louis was also looking to turn his love of coffee into a company. As head chef of Sonoma’s Glen Ellen Star, he spent countless hours trying to stay cool and caffeinated in a hot kitchen. His take on an espresso tonic – espresso, sparkling water, and a squeeze of lemon for balance – produced a refreshing burst of energy without the sugary weight of most cold coffee drinks, and he knew that nothing in stores replicated that experience. Taking what he’d learned about the power of high-quality real ingredients from fine dining, Louis wanted to bring his chef-crafted flavors to the world of coffee.
Fate stepped in, via an airline seating assignment that sat Graham’s partner next to Louis’s father-in law. 90 days later, VIVIC was born. Together, Graham and Louis developed the three original flavors and learned how to take their products from the kitchen to store shelves. Now, they’re excited to share these products with coffee lovers everywhere.
Meet The Founders
Graham Gould
Co-Founder
A connoisseur of the unusual, Graham was enjoying escargot at age six and crafting complex meals for his friends in his early twenties.
Graham’s love of offbeat flavor combinations began at home. Growing up with a Swedish stepmom whose culinary explorations brought many different cuisines to the table.
His career in beverage began as a barista at a Northern California coffee company, where he transitioned to head of beverage development.
As a beverage developer, Graham’s refined ability to perceive nuanced flavors led him to create dozens of imaginative coffee recipes like a smoked campfire mocha served with a glass dome filled with the smoke of sage. These beverages immediately caught the eyes of industry professionals, further encouraging his creativity.
When he’s not developing new VIVIC recipes, Graham creates intuitive art and is designing his own clothing.
Louis Abruzzese
Co-Founder
For Louis, finding the perfect ingredient for each dish is fundamental. After dipping his toes into corporate finance, Louis pivoted to pursue his passion: cooking.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he apprenticed at Napa Valley’s iconic The French Laundry. Working under Thomas Keller, Louis’ skills and passion grew. After the apprenticeship he worked as chef and restaurant manager at Glen Ellen Star for 5 years, until he decided to launch a catering business and his own wine label.
Farmer, vintner, chef, caffeinator. The art and science of ready-to-drink sparkling coffee flows distinctively from Louis’ versatile hands.
“You can’t solve a problem on the same level that it was created. You have to rise above it to the next level.”
- Albert Einstein
Our Values
Our Values are people centric. We believe that everyone; from the suppliers, designers, manufacturers, to the consumers, are stakeholders. At VIVIC, we thrive to foster long term relationships that extend beyond business, creating a culture of trust and reliance. We do this with our direct trade partnership as well as our sourcing of only high-quality ingredients with no additives.
The name VIVIC, stems from the word ‘vivification’, meaning to bring life to. We want to see the coffee industry change to equalize the profits and create more longterm sustainability, so we’re doing our part. But we can only do so much. We rely on you, the consumer to help get the word out and vote with your dollar.