Local Business Works to Make You More Comfortable and Healthier at the Same Time

A family-owned business operating out of Everett caught my eye recently. The company makes the brand of products known as Coffee Tamer for people who love their coffee but struggle with its acidity. Coffee Tamer's website states that it turns any coffee into low-acid coffee.

Coffee Tamer on the go, photo courtesy of CoffeeTamer.com 

The father-daughter duo, Steven Loyd (Founder) and Ashley Loyd (CEO) are the faces behind Coffee Tamer.

Despite the company's name, the Loyds have more than coffee on their mind. Other products include Wine Tamer ("Make any wine a low acid wine"), and CalciBlend, which includes shaker bottles or packets with the same acid-reducing formula that can be used on food and in beverages. 

All products include a natural mineral formula that reduces acidity in foods and beverages without affecting the flavor or aroma. The Loyds want you to imagine an easy, proactive approach to combat occasional acid reflux, heartburn, acid indigestion, and stomach discomfort. A sprinkle of Coffee Tamer reduces acid BEFORE it enters the body. 

I recently had the chance to ask Steven about the company and his background. I learned that after years of struggling with digestive discomfort but not wanting to give up his coffee, Steven discovered Coffee Tamer. 

"While teaching at the University of Washington I was introduced to a technology called Coffee Tamer, which reduces the acidity in coffee without changing its flavor. This product also profoundly improved my health, sparking my natural curiosity."

Steven's original studies at the University of Washington had prepared him for a career in medicine, so he had a naturally keen interest in human health. 

"I had no idea that I was about to spend the next 20 years delving into this revolutionary technology," says Steven.

He devoted himself to testing Coffee Tamer's safety and physiological effects on the human body, refining its composition and delivery, improving manufacturing techniques, seeking FDA review and classification of the product as a "food," and securing numerous patents.

Ashley Loyd Enters the Coffee Tamer Business

Steven's daughter Ashley has always exhibited a keen interest in business. He recalls that at the age of thirteen she asked, "Dad, can I have a company named after me?" He responded affirmatively, and subsequently, arranged for a lawyer to establish "Ashley Loyd & Co." He presented his daughter with a stock certificate for her birthday. "To my surprise, she was delighted with that piece of paper and expressed a desire to understand the many ways she could develop her business."

Ashley pursued her interest in business by studying at Washington State University and later earned a Master's Degree in Business from New York University Stern School of Business. Her career progressed through increasingly significant roles in various robust businesses. 

"One Christmas, I asked Ashley for business advice (about Coffee Tamer), and she ended up consulting with us," explains Steven. "Her exceptional work reminded me of that spark she had for business as a young girl, and it was clear to me that she was still interested in creating value and fundamentally had what it took to develop this business."

He adds, "It is refreshing to have a strong-minded, trusted partner with very different perspectives than mine. Better decisions are usually the result."

By January 2024, Steven and Ashley started raising awareness about Coffee Tamer. "We also founded Galahad Life Sciences, Inc. to continue researching products like Coffee Tamer that enhance life and extend health span," adds Steven.

A family business: Ashley, Gayle, and Steven Loyd have partnered on Galahad Life Sciences, which researches products like Coffee Tamer

 

Ashley remarks, "Although my family has been manufacturing Coffee Tamer, CalciBlend, and Wine Tamer for years, we are now managing the distribution and sales as well."

Steven Loyd's Many Interests

Steven has an interesting background. "I was raised in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington with degrees in History, Psychology, and a Master's in Business Administration. My study of psychology was deeply rooted in science, as I had initially prepared for medical school. However, I decided not to pursue medical school and chose to study law instead. While at Willamette University for law school, I became an analyst and advisor on City Light projects."

He later joined Randy Revelle's staff on the Seattle City Council and then participated in Ravelle's campaign to become King County Executive. "Afterward, I joined Harbor Properties (Bullitt Family Office), where I focused on acquiring property in downtown Seattle and redeveloping the First Avenue Corridor from Pike Place Market to Pioneer Square," says Steven. "This work, in collaboration with Cornerstone (Weyerhaeuser Corp.), culminated in significant projects like the Harbor Steps development, the renovation of the Showbox, and the construction of 98 Union and other buildings on First Avenue."

Later, Steven partnered with Herb Wax to start Wax, Loyd & Company, an investment bank specializing in mergers, acquisitions, and capital placements for middle-market companies. "Additionally, I joined the faculty at the University of Washington Foster School of Business as an Affiliate Professor in Entrepreneurial Finance."

That last move to the University of Washington is where Steven was introduced to the Coffee Tamer technology. 

From pre-med to law, to property development and investment banking, from teaching to a business start-up. Somehow it all makes sense!

For more information, visit https://coffeetamer.com. From there, you can check out the website's blog, with many essays exploring the science behind Coffee Tamer, tips for healthy eating, and an interesting entry by Ashley Loyd about the history of coffee and Seattle's coffee culture... "Few cities can match the quirky charm and caffeinated fervor of Seattle... With 17.4 coffee shops per 100,000 residents, it exceeds the average city by 38%." Her essay concludes, "So, whether you prefer a simple drip coffee or a fancy espresso concoction, raise your mug to the magical bean that brings us together and keeps us buzzing with joy."

Photo courtesy of CoffeeTamer.com