J Beardsley
Co-Founder
From Military Service to Specialty Coffee:
Our Louisville Roastery Story
Our NAME
The word Möte means “meeting” or “gathering” in Swedish; a fitting name for something that exists to unite.
To us, Möte isn’t just a brand. It’s an invitation. An invitation to slow down, to show up for each other, and to see coffee as more than caffeine. Whether you’re connecting with a friend, fueling your next creative project, or taking a quiet moment for yourself, Möte is there to make that experience intentional and exceptional.
We believe the world doesn’t need more noise; it needs more meaningful moments. Möte is our way of creating them.
Our story
Mote was created with a simple mission: to serve people through craft coffee and meaningful connection. Born in Louisville and built by friends who value quality, creativity, and community, Mote exists to elevate the everyday.
We believe great coffee is more than a drink, it’s a shared experience. That’s why every detail, from sourcing to roasting to design, is guided by intention. We create spaces that bring people together, support local partnerships, and reflect the culture around us.
At Mote, every cup is a reflection of our values: craftsmanship, connection, and the freedom to express. One cup at a time, we’re here to warm the spirit and build something that lasts.
Our MISSION
Möte is dedicated to crafting quality products that foster genuine community connection. Our coffee is thoughtfully sourced, carefully roasted, and skillfully brewed to ensure every cup delivers a remarkable experience, one that blends intention with creativity. Beyond the coffee, we strive to bring people together by creating welcoming gathering spaces, partnering with local organizations, supporting fair trade, and practicing equitable hiring.
Vision
To build a culture where friends and coffee meet, strengthening local communities and celebrating creativity in every bag.
Core Values
- Purpose-Led
- Community-Rooted
- Creative Expression
Meet the Team
Jonathan’s coffee journey began with a single cup that made him pause: “Coffee can taste like this?” He started out homebrewing beer, then traded late nights for early mornings, moving from homebrew experiments to coffee roasting experiments, roasting his first batches in his garage before becoming Mote’s Head Roaster.
At Mote, he built the roasting program around developing flavor profiles, running pilot batches, and guiding quality control aspects to balance consistency with discovery. For Jonathan, roasting is equal parts science, craft, and storytelling, a way to connect guests to the people and places behind each lot. When he’s not at the roaster, you’ll find him supporting, mentoring, or crafting the next seasonal release for the Mote community
Frank Beifuss
Co-Founder
Francis is a Special Operations veteran, a successful serial entrepreneur, and an attorney. He has a developed sense for business development and risk management, with a track record of keeping both his own and clients’ businesses on the right track.
Francis also has developed a love for, in his words, “actually good coffee.” Working in Central and South America, he was introduced to coffee he felt was perfect on its own, and has been chasing that experience ever since. At Mote, Francis not only provides his legal expertise, he also works alongside his good friends and partners, whether it be the day-to-day, navigating major transactions, or his favorite role, quality control.
Justin Kumor
Co-Founder
Justin is a Special Operations veteran, technologist, and entrepreneur with a deep appreciation for purposeful, high-quality craftsmanship, whether in the field or in a cup. After years of leading innovation in defense and aerospace, he teamed up with close friends to found Mote Roasters.
Mote means “meeting” in Swedish, and that idea shapes his approach: a collaborative roastery, seasonal releases, collab roasts, and partner brews, in a space where craft coffee meets a spirit of adventure. His travels sharpened his palate for clean, expressive coffees, roasted for consistency and discovery. Inspired by Sweden’s fika (pronounced “fee-kuh”), a pause for coffee, conversation, and something sweet, it shaped Mote Roasters’ welcoming environment.