La Barba Coffee: more than what's in the cup.

• Author: Sasich, Chris
• Position: READERS' CHOICE

Salt Lake City -- Whether it's part of a morning ritual or a much-needed afternoon pick-me-up, many of us rely on that cup of coffee to help get us through our daily grind. Despite the proliferation of coffee shops, not all cups are brewed equal. Casual drinkers and coffee snobs can rejoice, LA BARBA COFFEE is raising the local coffee game.

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"When it comes to just the product that's in the cup, I think where we stand apart from the others is that we're a very accessible cup of coffee. The average person can really enjoy it, but also the coffee enthusiast who wants to geek out on every aspect of the nuance of it," said Josh Rosenthal, president and CEO of La Barba Coffee.

After witnessing the coffee scene in Portland, Rosenthal realized that there was nothing comparable in his longtime home of Salt Lake City. He sought out partners that helped him marry brand management, marketing skills and a passion for coffee, and together they launched La Barba in November of 2012.

The company grew quickly, said Rosenthal. "Right out of the gates we had No Brow Coffee--at the time, they were our first coffee account. Our first restaurant account was Pago. Our first market account was Caputo's," he said. "We used all of those really recognizable, reputable brands and locations to help us launch into what is now about 140 restaurants, markets and coffee shops."

La Barba goes through the extra effort to deliver the finest product to its customers. The company gets its beans through direct trade--meaning its buyers talk directly to small boutique farms in South America, bypassing fair-trade and...