Meet our team
Unravel Merchants is the culmination of over a decade of experience in farm ownership, agricultural operations, and production, strengthened by strategic collaborations with other producers and the expertise of a highly capable team. We’re a specialty green coffee company led by Steve Holt in Evergreen, Colorado, co-producing remarkable coffees alongside Ashenafi Argaw of Ardent Exports in Ethiopia. With deep roots at origin and a team committed to excellence, we offer direct access to the farm and the ability to work with you to develop the profiles you’re looking for.
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Steve Holt (Founder & CEO Unravel Merchants - Evergreen, CO)
As the inaugural associate and current shareholder of Ninety Plus Coffee, a distinguished producer of single origin, single-variety specialty coffee in Panama and Ethiopia, Steve committed over a decade to shaping its brand. His expertise lied in developing taste profiles through meticulous fermentation formulas and nurturing business ties across 40 countries. Having previously served as a shareholder and brand strategist at Novo Coffee Roasters in Denver around 2003, Steve has seamlessly merged his profound understanding of coffee agriculture with market dynamics. In 2019, he embarked on a journey back to his origins, establishing Unravel Coffee, a roaster and retail venture in Denver, CO. Soon after, he forged a robust partnership with Gravity Haus, integrating seven outlets within its pristine hotel locations including Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen, Winter Park, Steamboat, Moab, and Jackson Hole. Strengthening the link with coffee origins, Steve launched Unravel Merchants in 2021, facilitating the co-production and importation of coffee from Ethiopia and El Salvador. This initiative not only caters to Unravel Coffee but also supplies other specialty roasters across North America, Australia, and Asia.
Ashenafi Argaw (Founder & CEO Ardent Coffee Export - Ethiopia)
Ashenafi started his career in coffee at the Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union in 2002 and served in different management capacities with a focus on establishing client relations and export logistics. Moving to North America In 2012 he joined Ninety Plus Coffee and played a key role as Global Sales, Global Logistics, and Operations Director. In 2018, Ashenafi returned to Ethiopia to start Ardent Coffee Export and quickly established key partnerships in coffee growing communities, acquiring farms which include wet/dry mills in Sidama, Yirgacheffe, and Guji. His team consists of several project site directors, mill operators, and thousands of community farmers and workers. His commitment to community, he established the Ardent Children Center to support orphan children in the coffee growing areas of Ethiopia by providing care, support, security, food, education, and leadership skills. Ardent has received numerous awards including one of the top distinguished producers/exports presented by the president of Ethiopia, Mrs. Sahlework Zewde by helping Ethiopia earn 1.4 billion USD in the fiscal year of 2022 post Covid.
Zayde Naquib (Unravel Merchants/Frequency Media - Los Angeles, CA)
Starting his specialty coffee journey in 2008 after work in the film industry, Zayde has been at the forefront of innovation in coffee, founding Bar Nine in 2013, which became known for its progressive brewing practices, glass takeaway model, and gratuity-free service. In 2017 he received Rising Star recognition from StarChefs for his work in coffee roasting, which included featuring an experimental process Gesha produced by Ninety Plus in a volume blend along with rigorously dialed in grinderless packets for fine dining restaurants, bridging technology and specialty coffee acumen. In 2019 he began work on what is now a patented process to produce espresso in batches. From the glass jar program to solar energy for the roasting business, his focus in sustainability led to profound shifts in energy savings and inspired many across the coffee industry. In 2024, Zayde sold his patent and shares to Bar Nine and founded Frequency Tea, which aims to innovate in the tea space, from sourcing to extraction. With both Frequency and his work with Unravel, his aim is to highlight the stories behind the production and foster meaningful relationships.