WESTHOPE - Jo Khalifa wanted to open a retail shop in Minot two years ago when she realized something was missing - the smell of a fresh cup of coffee.

So she decided to roast her own, in a new building on her Bottineau County farm.

Khalifa's business, MoJo Java, incorporated in May. The "Mo" is short for her husband, Mohamed. Organic certification is pending, and Khalifa also is building a Web site.

She gets most of her coffee beans from Colombia and Indonesia, with smaller amounts coming from Panama, Mexico and Bolivia.

"This will be the first and only coffee company in North Dakota to be certified organic," Khalifa said.

Khalifa said there are a lot of variables involved in making good coffee. She compares it to the process of making wine.

Her experience comes mostly from her savvy taste buds, Internet research and visits to auctions in Seattle, where she has met many producers of fine coffees.

Khalifa's prices are higher than what customers pay in a retail grocery, but she said she guarantees freshness and flavor. In just a month of business, she has landed customers around the country. She also is blending coffee beans for a company's private label.

"If people want coffee to call their own, I'll sit down with them and work with that customer," Khalifa said. "This is a private roasting company. It's a really unique niche in the market and if somebody wants a blend, I'll be their warehouse."

Khalifa plans to market MoJo Java through the state Pride of Dakota program to gain more exposure.

"I have a strong passion for this," she said. "I feel this is what I was born to do."