Alisher Kamalov nominates Tio Fallen for the Sprudge Twenty

The Sprudge Twenty nomination

Alisher Kamalov nominated Tio Fallen for the Sprudge Twenty, an annual initiative run by Sprudge in partnership with Pacific Barista Series. Fallen co-owns Three Keys Coffee and leads the company’s coffee program as the Green Buyer, Technical Support, and Business Development Lead. His seven years in the industry began when he built Three Keys from the ground up, starting with roasting coffee and developing a brand inspired by his years as a musician. His work now covers wholesale, retail, consulting, and creative experiences rooted in specialty coffee, jazz, and community. Fallen placed at the SCA US Roasting finals and won various industry awards and commendations. He describes his approach as a combination of a creative, jazz, and improv style with a methodical, scientific, and result-driven mindset.

Kamalov, who mentored under Fallen while learning coffee roasting, describes Fallen as a mentor, inspirational leader, teacher, entrepreneur, and an original voice. Kamalov notes that Fallen taught him and his team every facet of a roasting operation, including creative mission, business operations, logistics, community outreach, and customer relationships. Kamalov watched Fallen build Three Keys and found learning from him invaluable, even as Fallen was figuring things out in real time. Fallen does not describe a singular moment of coffee revelation, but instead says his realization came from seeing coffee as an opportunity to have a direct and meaningful impact on his local community and the broader coffee industry.

Industry economics and coffee philosophy

Fallen argues that great coffee alone is no longer enough to sustain a business in the current market. He says the industry requires excellence in business strategy, storytelling, education, product innovation, and the maintenance of meaningful relationships throughout the supply chain. The current economic structure of the coffee supply chain is not sustainable. He notes that every link in the chain, including producers, exporters, importers, roasters, cafes, and consumers, operates under increasing financial pressure. This pressure results from everyone being asked to absorb higher costs while preserving quality. Fallen believes the industry must place intentionality on economic sustainability for every stakeholder from the producer to the barista.

Fallen maintains that while quality remains the foundation, the industry requires excellence in business strategy, storytelling, education, product innovation, and the maintenance of meaningful relationships throughout the supply chain to address the needs of a more informed consumer base. He observes that many potential coffee consumers continue to be overlooked. He wants the industry to think more holistically about the value it creates, who it creates it for, and who still is not being invited into the conversation. He finds joy in introducing specialty coffee to communities of color that may not have seen themselves reflected in the culture or stories of the industry. He says that making coffee more approachable without compromising quality strengthens the entire industry. He says curiosity often replaces hesitation in these communities once the experience becomes accessible and relatable.

Mentorship and personal life

Helen Choi of Luce Avenue Coffee mentored Fallen during the early stages of his career. She provided hands-on exposure to roasting, cupping, and coffee sourcing. This experience reinforced his belief that specialty coffee grows stronger when people share knowledge rather than guard it. Fallen now mentors others through skills development and professional growth to create career pathways in the coffee industry. He advises newcomers to show up every day with humility, curiosity, and a willingness to earn every opportunity. He suggests people focus less on desired titles and more on becoming the kind of person who deserves them.

Fallen lives with his wife and three children. On busy mornings, he brews Three Keys Coffee on a Ratio brewer while getting his children ready for school. He listens to "It Never Entered My Mind" by Miles Davis while brewing. He says the recording is understated, intentional, and unhurried, qualities he appreciates in both music and coffee. His most cherished coffee memory involves finding bags of Three Keys Coffee in his mother’s pantry. His parents supported every dream he pursued, whether it was music or coffee. He says success comes when people closest to him believe in what he has created, rather than being measured by recognition or milestones. He also expresses a desire to share a cup of coffee with his grandfather to thank him for his encouragement, wisdom, and belief.