When Colby Barr and Ryan O’Donovan founded Verve Coffee Roasters in 2007, they started by the beach in east Santa Cruz. They later opened a stand-alone roasting facility, and just before Thanksgiving, they debuted...

In casual conversation and interviews, pretty much every barista, café owner and specialty coffee roaster claims mutual respect. It’s almost as if these companies aren’t actually competing for caffeinated dollars. Still, with all the...