When William Murad came to San Anselmo from Brazil for an internship with a software company, little did he know that he would return to Marin years later as a coffee producer.
Murad comes from a family of coffee farmers who have grown crops in Brazil since 1840. The South American country is the world’s largest coffee producer, and in 2016, grew 2,595,000 metric tons of the bean.
“I’m a 10th generation farmer,” says Murad, who just returned from the family’s plantation where they are are currently harvesting beans to produce his specialty Unleashed brand of coffee for sale in the States.
The company is headquartered in San Rafael, where Unleashed does all its bean selection, testing and distribution. Murad partnered with Valerian Hrala, who roasts the beans in Berkeley before they return to Marin to be packaged and sold wholesale and online.
The name of the company, Murad says, “not only refers to the release of the flavor of the coffee beans, but to all of the untapped potential of the many people and entire communities who work hard to produce coffee.”
Along with a commitment to making delicious tasting beans, he and his family believe strongly in the fair treatment of workers. By cutting out the middlemen, Murad wants to ensure quality control of the beans, and distributes profits in the form of higher wages to those involved in the process.
Unleashed produces six whole-bean blends, available in 12-ounce packages, color-coded to denote different blends and flavor profiles. All, except one dark roast, are medium roast. Acaia, Mini Me and Farm Blend are a few of the offerings; the company’s website provides a helpful chart that rates the sweetness, fruitiness, acidity and body of each blend.
Unleashed beans can be found at United Markets in San Rafael, Terra Linda’s Scotty’s Market and Toby’s Feed Barn in Point Reyes Station. For more information, visit unleashedcoffee.com.
