Our friends at Renfroe Pecan Company featured an article on Rob and Jan's story and the journey of MacDaddy Coffee.
Check it out here: Discover A Love Story Brewed in Coffee – J.W. Renfroe Pecan Company
Even in Florida, there’s something special about a cool morning—the kind that invites you to slow down, wrap your hands around a warm mug, and savor the moment. For my wife and me, coffee has always been more than a drink. It’s been a passion, a livelihood, and a way to build community—one cup at a time.
Back in 1995, we were living in the Gulf Breeze/Pensacola area, both working corporate jobs that would eventually require us to relocate. But we had fallen in love with Pensacola—the people, the pace, the sense of home—and knew we wanted to stay and raise our family here. Instead of moving away, we chose a different path: creating a business rooted in something we truly loved.
That passion came to life in 1998 with the opening of Bagelheads, where we made bagels from scratch and served lots of coffee. Because we controlled every detail of our bagels, it felt natural to do the same with our coffee. Quality mattered. Flavor mattered. And so began our journey into coffee roasting.
I dove deep into the craft, learning coffee tasting and grading techniques from our original Northwest coffee roaster and through seminars and hands-on experience. That knowledge paid off in 2010, when MacDaddy Coffee was officially born—roasted on-site in Pensacola using our first 9-pound roaster. Years later, we expanded with a 33-pound roaster, continuing to roast locally in the Pensacola/Gulf Breeze area.
After 24½ years, my wife and I made the decision to sell Bagelheads and focus fully on MacDaddy Coffee Roasting—a move that allowed us to pour all our energy into what we love most. Today, our coffee reflects decades of experience, care, and hands-on involvement at every step of the process.
Our beans are sourced from around the world, arriving through the nearby Port of New Orleans—one of the top coffee-importing ports in the country. From there, Jan and I carefully select green beans to create single-origin coffees and thoughtfully crafted blends, offering light, medium, dark, and espresso roasts, along with a variety of flavored coffees.
And when those cooler Florida days roll in—even if just for a season—there’s nothing better than a cup of freshly roasted coffee to warm you up. For us, coffee is comfort, connection, and community all in one.
We remain deeply grateful for Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, and for the incredible community that has supported our restaurant and coffee businesses over the years—making it possible to live, work, and raise a family in a place we proudly call paradise.
Sometimes, the best way to stay right where you belong . . . is to follow what you love, with the one you love.
~ Rob Mackey ~