Point of Vue – March 2025
February 27, 2025
Going for Gold
February 27, 2025
Spoonbill Coffee Roasters, a brand-new business in the heart of Lafourche Parish, is helping to support the local community and unique ecosystem of the bayou—one cup of coffee at a time.
Spoonbill Coffee Roasters, located in Thibodaux, was created by resident Elizabeth Cotter mere months ago in December of 2024. “I’m originally from Fairbanks, Alaska, but my husband [Michael Williams] works for Nicholls State University and we moved to Louisiana in 2014—it‘s just felt like home ever since,” explained Elizabeth. “We currently split our time between Alaska and Louisiana, and I wanted to figure out what could be next for my career when I first had the idea for Spoonbill Coffee.”
Elizabeth ran a small, subscription-based “micro” bakery called 12th Street Bakery in Thibodaux for over 10 years, focusing on fresh-baked goods with high quality ingredients, before deciding to transition in 2024 coffee roasting. “I had built up a great client base through my work with the bakery as well as some wholesale accounts, but after 18 years of baking, I was ready for a change,” continued Elizabeth. “I knew a lot of businesses were going to Lafayette or New Orleans to get their artisan coffee, and I realized there was an opportunity to fill that need in our community. My husband roasted coffee in his 20s, so with that breadth of experience, Spoonbill Coffee Roasters was born.”
Spoonbill Coffee Roasters currently offers three different options for coffee beans, all roasted right in Thibodaux. The Brazilian Roast is dark, rich, and toasty with a smooth finish; the Guatemalan Roast is medium-dark with chocolate, red fruit, and a sweet finish; and the most unique is the Restoration Roast, dark with chocolate and red fruit—and also gives back to the bayou in a unique way.
A portion of all profits from the Restoration Roast go to support the Nicholls State University Biology Coastal Plants Program, a planting program which focuses on restoration projects in the marshes of coastal Louisiana. Nicholls Biology students and professors grow the plants utilized in these projects, placing an emphasis on locally-adapted native varieties, and then plant them to help protect our barrier coasts. With help from volunteers, these projects also remove debris from beaches and bayous and provide students with hands-on field experience.
“I’ve lived in a lot of places around the country, but other than Alaska, Louisiana is the first place I’ve felt at home. The saltwater marshes of the bayou are so special,” said Elizabeth. “My husband and I spend a lot of time on the water, boating and fishing, and from what I’ve seen in my 10 years here is that it is changing so quickly and disappearing so fast. I loved what I was doing with the 12th Street Bakery, but in my heart I knew it wasn’t enough. I created the Restoration Roast as a small step towards helping that problem and protecting our amazing ecosystem.”
Not only is Spoonbill Coffee Roasters dedicated to helping protect the local environment, but Elizabeth is also working to uplift community businesses and keep Lafourche Parish thriving. “We currently do not have a brick-and-mortar storefront, which helps us work more collaboratively and flexibly with businesses here,” explained Elizabeth. Through wholesale partnerships, Spoonbill Coffee Roasters is able to provide local businesses with the opportunity to serve or sell their coffee—supporting fellow restaurants, cafés, boutiques, and more in the bayou area. Currently, Spoonbill Coffee’s bagged artisan roasts are available for purchase at Gumbo Weather and Cinclare in Thibodaux. Cinclare also serves the Guatemalan Roast brewed for those dining in the restaurant. Those who are not local can also order the roasts directly from their website, spoonbillcoffeeroasters.com.
For Elizabeth, starting Spoonbill Coffee Roasters has been a rewarding and exciting experience. “It‘s been really exciting to do something new. I ran the bakery for over 10 years, which was fun, but I wasn’t introducing new items and challenging myself. Coffee has been a whole new world for me to explore,” said Elizabeth. “Learning how to roast coffee has been totally out of my wheelhouse, and it‘s been a real challenge—but I’ve been completely immersed in the experience. I’ve been roasting, cupping, tasting, and sampling a lot, and it‘s just been a lot of great new experiences. And from what I’ve seen so far, people have been really excited about what we’re offering, which has been wonderful.”
As for the future of Spoonbill Coffee Roasters, Elizabeth is moving with full steam ahead, planning to expand their presence both online and in person. “My short term goals are to increase the number of wholesale accounts, both with bagged and brewed coffees,” said Elizabeth. “The focus of Spoonbill is to support other local businesses, and we’re hoping to continue to do just that. For all the coffee lovers out there who make it at home, we’re also looking at expanding our online presence and creating a coffee subscription, which will most likely launch sometime this fall. We are really excited to see where Spoonbill Coffee takes us in the future.”
As Spoonbill Coffee Roasters continues to grow, Elizabeth’s passion for her community and the environment shines through in every delicious cup. With plans for expansion and a deep commitment to the bayou region, Spoonbill Coffee Roasters is on track to become a lasting part of life in Lafourche Parish. Whether you’re enjoying it with a delicious meal or from the comfort of your own home, Spoonbill Coffee Roasters is a true testament to the power of passion, purpose, and heart—and of course, a great cup of coffee!
