In 1995, Counter Culture was co-founded by Brett Smith, who envisioned building a company guided by the “triple bottom line”—balancing people, planet, and profit—and Fred Houk, whose passion for coffee and environmental stewardship shaped our early path. Together, they built a roasting company devoted to responsible coffee sourcing.

In 1997, we launched the Sanctuary line of shade-grown coffees from Latin America, raising awareness of the vital role shade-dense coffee farms play in protecting biodiversity and migratory birds. Over three decades, our partnerships have shown us that a single practice doesn’t define environmental responsibility, and each community finds its own path to care for the land.

Some farms, however, have made dense shade a defining feature of their coffee cultivation. Often owned by passionate bird and wildlife enthusiasts, like Fred, these farms see canopy cover as essential to the health of their land and the ecosystems it supports. The 2025 version of Sanctuary is a blend of coffees from two such farms: one in India and one in Guatemala. Each is home to unique migratory birds and distinct coffee varieties. The blend is as deep in flavor as it is in purpose, honoring both biodiversity and quality.