Meet April!
Pronouns: She/her
What’s your position at Ritual?
National Sales Manager
How long have you been working at Ritual?
For 10 years!
What is your favorite thing about working at Ritual?
My favorite thing about working at Ritual is the ability to grow and learn new skills! In addition to my primary responsibility of fostering relationships with all of our wholesale partners, I’ve had the opportunity to enhance my technical coffee skills in many different ways, been able to tap into my creative side by contributing to the marketing team, and gain invaluable leadership training that has helped me contribute to making Ritual the best company it can be. And of course, I love all the free coffee!
What’s your favorite drink?
The first thing I do each and every morning is brew one of our drip coffees on a Chemex brewer, and then I sit quietly and savor it slowly for as long as I can. It’s my daily ritual! When I visit one of our cafes, my go-to espresso drink is an almond milk cappuccino, but I’m definitely a sucker for our delicious seasonal signature beverages. Right now I live for a “Keke Palmer” created by my talented co-worker Layla Smith!
What’s your favorite coffee shop when you’re out of the Bay Area?
I’m a loyalist so I love visiting my wholesale accounts when I travel! Some of my favorites are Flower Bar in Santa Cruz, Bru and Coffee For Sasquatch in Los Angeles, and Frost Me Gourmet in San Diego.
Any brewing technique tips or secrets?
I always follow the Ritual Brew Guides on our website for every brew method! For home brewing tools, I highly recommend investing in a Baratza Encore grinder and a Hario gram scale with a timer. With those two tools, you can get the perfect grind particle size and measure your coffee, water, and timing for any brew method you want to use.
What’s your first coffee memory?
I remember as a little kid being woken up out of a deep sleep by the smell of brewed coffee. My dad would set the timer on his coffee maker each night to brew Folger’s Coffee super early the next morning so that when he came downstairs, it was all ready for him to enjoy.
The best coffee you’ve ever had?
The best cup of coffee I ever had was at one of the farms we work with in Guatemala known as Hacienda Carmona. The coffee was brewed as a concentrate, which they held in a little glass bottle decanter and then mixed in front of us with boiling water. It was served in precious porcelain tea cups, and I enjoyed it on their huge, wrap-around patio overlooking the exquisite gardens and gorgeous mountains surrounding the hacienda. It was magical!
What are your non-coffee interests?
I am the mom of a rambunctious six-year-old son named Findlay, and most of my free time is spent with him! We really enjoy doing outdoor activities like swimming, biking, and camping, but we also love to visit museums and make art together. We absolutely live for going to the beach! I’m also a big-time foodie and have a passion for cooking.
Anything else?
Before I worked for Ritual, it was my absolute favorite coffee company. It’s been an immense pleasure to learn from and spend my days working with the best people in specialty coffee!
