The River Road Story
From our humble beginnings, coffee was a passion and an integral part of our family life. Creators, Stanislaus and Marie Melancon, would begin every day with a piping hot coffee. Mrs. Melancon, known as "Mam Laus" by customers and friends, made sure everyone in the house enjoyed a cup of her homemade brew when they stopped in for a visit.
Realizing the positive energy the Melancon's coffee created among family and friends, the couple decided to start their own country coffee shop. They named it River Road Coffees. Gathering together and sharing stories delighted the Melancon family. River Road Coffees was their way to share that joy with folks all over Baton Rouge.
Many years have gone by since, and now, new generations of the Melancon family share the authentic coffee Southern Louisianans have grown to love. They savor every opportunity to share the joy of great coffee with their community. Every sip of River Road Coffees should brighten your day, helping you feel right at home —be it Baton Rouge or Timbuktu.
We want you to experience the very best that coffee can be. That's why we're proud to select, blend, roast, package, and distribute the time-honored River Road Coffees tradition. Our coffee is specially blended to maintain the same quality flavors that Papa and Mam Laus enjoyed with their family and friends each day.
Try River Road Coffees, and we’re confident you’ll go from just drinking coffee to loving it.
Our Founder
John Melancon, Founder
John Melancon founded River Road Coffees in 1998 with a desire to provide all coffee-lovers with an unusually good blend that was unparalleled in both quality and taste. Armed with over 30 years of prior experience in the coffee industry, John possessed the skills and expertise needed to manufacture and distribute superior specialty coffees. John persevered to make River Road Coffees a reality because of his belief in people’s inherent right to get a REALLY great cup of coffee at a reasonable price.
Throughout River Road Coffees’ 17-year run, John has perfected the art of employing a specialized freshness valve bag and the industry’s shortest shelf time to ensure an optimal experience for his coffee-loving clients and friends. Because of John’s unwavering dedication to providing people with only the highest quality of coffee and customer service, River Road Coffees rapidly continues to grow its regional reach in both retail and delivery locations, providing unusually good coffee to new neighbors and friends each day.
Our Leadership
Ian Melancon, Second Generation Owner
Given his genetics, it probably comes as no surprise that John’s son Ian was born with a love of coffee (literally) running through his veins. Ian’s penchant for a great cup of joe, coupled with his insane skills in the kitchen, led to a natural interest in the family business. Under the tutelage of both his dad and local coffee shop owner Deborah Sowers, Ian was a quick study who was able to apply his caffeine smarts to developing his own specialized methods for roasting and sourcing quality green coffee.
Ian’s unique approach and superior ability to draw out and enhance a roast’s flavor led to the development of River Road Coffees’ signature Baton Rouge blend, named after the city that the Melancon family calls home. Ian continues to build upon his industry knowledge and expertise through his active membership in the Roaster’s Guild and Specialty Coffee Association.
Ian’s genuine passion and excitement for his craft drives his unquenchable thirst to explore the latest discoveries and trends in coffee innovation, and he regularly consults with world-class roasters to ensure that River Road Coffees remains on the leading edge of specialty coffee production. In addition to producing the best cup of coffee imaginable, Ian also enjoys long walks on the beach.
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