FreeForm Coffee Roasters

Daniel Garland Jr. is no stranger to Sedona or running a business in Red Rock Country: His family was the original proprietor of Indian Gardens Oak Creek Market, the oldest continually operated general store in the area. Garland and his wife, Monica (pictured), ran the store for a decade before transferring ownership in early 2021 to focus on their new venture, FreeForm Coffee Roasters.

Garland’s connection to coffee dates to his days at the University of California-San Diego, where he worked at a coffee cart on campus. “In fact, I kind of courted Monica while I was working at the coffee cart,” he says. “I always enjoyed the craft of serving coffee and drinking coffee.”

While still operating Indian Gardens, Garland expanded the café’s coffee options by installing a full espresso bar and learning more about the craft. “We ultimately got to the point where we felt like we had outgrown any of the locally roasted coffees that were available to us at that time,” he says. “And we were maybe a little bit young and naive and over-energetic, and we decided that we would just dive into roasting our own coffee.”

That was how Garland Coffee Co., now known as FreeForm Coffee Roasters, was born. Originally, there was no plan to make it its own business, but 2020 and COVID-19 changed everything. With the Indian Gardens café being forced to shut down, Garland was able to shift his focus. “We realized that while we couldn’t serve customers in our café, what we could do is continue to roast and sell coffee online and serve other wholesale customers who were able to be open,” he says. “It was finally an opportunity for me to really focus on this coffee roasting experience and craft. And I just fell in love with it.”

Within a few months, the Garlands had sold Indian Gardens and made FreeForm their primary business. “Coffee’s been one of those things that’s a bottomless rabbit hole — the more you dive into it, the more there is to learn and the more passionate you become about it,” Garland says. “It’s been really satisfying for me, as someone who likes to have a creative outlet and continue to learn.”

FreeForm operates around the slogan “Positively Charged Coffee,” a reference to both Sedona’s energy vortexes and the company’s mission of making a positive impact. For the latter, the three areas of focus are environmental sustainability, social impact and innovation, and all three contribute to the Garlands’ process of sourcing coffee beans. “We’re really trying to support producers who are thinking outside the box with how they’re growing and processing their coffee,” Garland says. “We really enjoy working directly with producers who are focused on the environmental health of their farms, and organizations that treat people fairly and pay a living wage for pickers and processors.”

So, what makes a good cup of coffee? Even as a purveyor of quality coffee, Garland says it’s subjective. “I think there’s room for all sorts of different preferences in coffee, so I don’t think we’re the type of company that tells people what’s good or bad,” he says. “If coffee is grown with intention and a focus on quality over quantity, then it has a story to tell. It’s a really cool way to travel the world over your morning cup.”

As for Garland himself, his favorite way to prepare coffee is via pour-over, with no cream or sugar. But if you like yours with all the frills, he won’t judge. “Specialty coffee can sometimes have a reputation of being snobbish or snooty,” he says. “We’re really opposed to presenting that type of experience in our café. We want to meet people where they’re at.”

Doug Berry discovered FreeForm’s coffee when the business’ café opened in the heart of Sedona last year. He says the consistency of the coffee is important to him. “I like it a certain way, with temperature, flavor and just the right amount of water,” Berry says. His go-to order is a flat white, and he says he gets it the same way each time he visits the coffee shop. “FreeForm is adding a much-needed coffee experience in Sedona,” he says.

FreeForm’s coffee comes in a variety of roasts and blends, some of which are available year-round and others that are seasonal. It can be purchased at the coffee shop in Sedona or through the company’s website.