Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Portola’s Jeff Duggan on Imbibe’s 75 People to Watch List – SOCO & The OC Mix

Portola’s Jeff Duggan on Imbibe’s 75 People to Watch List

When his first son was born with a heart defect that required multiple surgeries and constant care, Duggan and his wife, Christa, found their lives turned upside down. Duggan started the coffee business that would eventually free him from his tech job’s long hours, and Christa left her career to care for their son and help the business grow. With a small commercial roaster, Duggan found a bakery that let him set up shop, and in 2009 he opened Portola Coffee Roasters. Two years later, his passion for coffee—paired with his frustration at having anything less than complete control over the final brewed cup—led to the opening of the flagship café, Portola Coffee Lab, in Costa Mesa. “We were aiming for something scientific, modern and energetic,” says Duggan. “We’re very process-based. Everything we do is for a reason, and we’re never fully satisfied because we know there is always more to discover.”

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