Karen Weckerly, Founder and CEO of COROCO Coffee Roaster Collective, had an unconventional start in coffee. Trained as a professional violinist from the age of two, she performed and taught professionally for a number of years. Happily married to Ryan for 20+ years and as a mother of two energetic (and busy!) elementary-aged children, she hung up her violin for a couple of years to focus on family time.
With varied talents and interests, the question of what the “next chapter” would be for Karen’s career looked like an eclectic assortment of music, meteorology, travel, cooking, fashion, martial arts and an odd fascination with grammar. When the opportunity to learn about roasting coffee came along, it appeared to check at least one box nicely.
After some initial intimidation working with the industrial equipment passed, it turned out roasting coffee checked more boxes than simply cooking. Many people have heard of the “Mozart Effect” that music has on the brain, and how music and math are inseparably intertwined in the mind of a musician. Making calculations on the fly while roasting coffee is no different, and no less engaging. Adding energy at the right moment in time to achieve the desired effect, not much different than performing a musical phrase. The Interlude™ Coffee brand is a nod to Karen’s musical background, and the many brands produced at COROCO Coffee Roaster Collective allow her to express her creativity with both roasting and design.
