About Us

GNJ Coffee Roastery was born from a lifelong love of bold flavors, early mornings, and the simple, grounding ritual of a good cup of coffee. GNJ stands for Greater New Jersey, where founder John Kesoglou grew up working in diners, surrounded by the clatter of plates, the smell of bacon, and the bottomless drip pots that kept the place humming.

John didn’t come into coffee through a third-wave café or a formal tasting lab. He started behind the counter; filling cups, wiping booths, and learning that coffee was more than caffeine. It was comfort. It was connection. And it had to be good, even if it came from a battered glass carafe at 5 a.m.

Years later, with a background in engineering and technology, John’s curiosity about coffee deepened. He began tinkering; not with machines this time, but with grind sizes, water temperatures, and roast profiles. As his palate sharpened, so did his respect for the entire coffee chain: from origin and varietal to roast development and extraction. What started as diner refills had become an obsession with getting it just right.

He realized the same principles that made him a great engineer; such as precision, consistency, and problem-solving; could also guide him in roasting. GNJ Coffee was created to bring together craftsmanship and character; bridging the honest work ethic of his Jersey roots with the intentionality of specialty coffee.

At GNJ, every batch is personal. No gimmicks, no shortcuts. Just clean, honest coffee, roasted with respect for the farmer, the process, and the person who drinks it. Whether it’s a single-origin pour or a signature blend, GNJ aims to spark conversation, fuel ambition, and bring people together.

From the diners of Jersey to the roastery in Oregon; this is coffee without pretense, crafted to connect.