After two fun years of establishing Plowshares, I have decided it is high time to get some help and open a new chapter for this young company. Plowshares is proud to announce the arrival of two great additions.First up is John Battaglia who will take over as head roaster and green buyer for Plowshares Coffee.
John Battaglia began his career in coffee as a barista in 2001 at a small town cafe, while attending college. When he moved back to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2002, he began working for Alterra Coffee Roasters.
In his time with Alterra, John was a barista, a wholesale delivery driver, and in 2006, began his training as a roaster. It was this opportunity that opened up his perspectives on coffee. After attending several industry events and having the honor to visit coffee growing regions, John knew he was a part of something special. His time with Alterra from 2002-2009 was what fostered his passions and solidified his direction in the coffee industry.
In 2009, John moved to Seattle, Washington and began his barista training with Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Company. Within months, John was offered the great opportunity of serving as Zoka's head roaster and green buyer.
After a long drive from the Pacific Northwest to the Atlantic Northeast, John now finds himself roasting coffee with Plowshares Coffee Roasters. Presented with another great opportunity at a great company, John is very excited to be here.
Elicia Picciurro
Elicia’s taste for coffee began in 2002 with the start of her career at Alterra Coffee Roasters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While at Alterra, Elicia worked with an amazing group of people and acquired an extensive amount of knowledge during her 6 years at Alterra.
Elicia's interest in coffee continued with a move to New York City working with Gimme! Coffee. Similar to her experience at Alterra, several talented baristas at Gimme! Coffee guided her further into the world of coffee. It was at Gimme when Elicia truly realized that teaching others about espresso, both as an art and science, and wanting to achieve a concise and current understanding of the wonderful variables involved from seed to cup was her calling.
Following her stay at Gimme, Elicia headed west moving to Seattle, WA where she worked for Zoka Coffee Roasters and Tea managing two of Zoka's high volume cafes. Elicia was also part of the team selected to open their Kirkland café. After moving on from Zoka, Elicia's excitement for great coffee continued while managing Mighty-O Donuts in Seattle, WA where she oversaw the improvement of their coffee program.
Once again Elicia has found the draw of New York City too much to resist joining Plowshares Coffee Roasters as head of their wholesale training and customer service and outreach. Elicia's goal is to continue to develop her passion for coffee, excelling in great customer service, and being a valuable contributor to the industry. She is very happy to be a part of an amazing company and to provide her experience to the continuing growth at Plowshares Coffee Roasters.
