Support Local Communities with Black-Owned Coffee Businesses
For many people, coffee is an integral part of their daily routine, providing a boost of energy in the morning or afternoon. However, did you know that supporting Black-owned coffee businesses can positively impact local communities and entrepreneurs? At NOIREPACK, we recognize coffee's significant role in our communities. As the second most-traded commodity in the world, coffee has the power to create jobs and support business ventures that strengthen and empower our communities.
At NOIREPACK, we are committed to promoting and supporting Black-owned coffee roasters across the country, from Baltimore to Old Pasadena. Our specialty artisan roasters are changing the conversation around coffee and inspiring pride in our communities. Each of our Black-owned roasters has a unique story to tell, and we are dedicated to sharing it with the world.
In this post, we will explore how coffee businesses foster diversity in their shops, how they promote diversity and inclusion, and how you can support them. Let's dive in and learn how we can help uplift local communities.
Supporting Coffee Communities Through Black-Owned Businesses
Supporting Coffee Communities Through Black-Owned Businesses
Supporting coffee communities through Black-owned businesses promotes economic growth and diversity in local communities. Coffee has been a part of our world for centuries, originating in Ethiopia, according to the International Coffee Organization (ICO). With so many amazing Black-owned coffee companies out there that deserve our support, buying beans or freshly brewed coffee from these small businesses does more than wake you up; it helps stimulate the local economy too. Shopping at small businesses, like the nine featured Black-owned ones, ensures that roughly 67 cents of each dollar spent remains within the community.
BLK & Bold, founded by Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson in 2018, focuses on closing the gap in how coffee has been positioned to support its consumers' communities. They donate 5% of profits towards impactful initiatives such as youth programs, enhancing workforce development, and ending youth homelessness.
BLK & BOLD
BLK & Bold pledges 5% of its profits to initiatives aligned with sustaining youth programming, enhancing workforce development, and eradicating youth homelessness in Iowa and nationally. Their efforts are making a meaningful impact on our Black youth, one cup of coffee at a time.
Cup Uplifts People was founded by Tony Forte, LaRon Batchelor, and Angela Yee, who share a vision to provide equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their economic background. Every purchase made through CupUpp™️, an online ordering platform for specialty coffees sourced directly from around the world, provides living incomes for producers overseas and philanthropic donations towards scholarships.
Eastlogue Coffee Co, owned by Carlisa Johnson, bridges cafes with farms, providing transparency to customers and building trust between roasters and customers while supporting fair wages for farming families abroad and investing in local communities through job training initiatives. Smales Café + Roastery, owned by Tyéll Coleman, emphasizes quality control operations during production and invests 10 percent back into projects focused predominantly towards enriching education for young people interested in becoming part of specialty coffee.
By supporting these unique Black-owned businesses, we ensure they can continue doing what they love while giving back to their community. We must all support small business owners, especially those passionate about making great-tasting coffee!
Coffee Businesses Uplifting Diversity and Inclusion
Coffee is not just a beverage but can uplift people and communities. Black-owned coffee businesses make a remarkable difference in the coffee industry by promoting diversity, inclusion and supporting small businesses, entrepreneurs, and local economies. Here are a few inspiring coffee businesses that are creating a real impact in their communities:
In 2020, CUP (Coffee Uplifts People) came into existence to promote diversity, inclusiveness, representation, and equity in coffee experiences. They prioritize local sourcing whenever possible and pay fair wages while eliminating upcharges for dairy milk alternatives. Additionally, they use direct trade practices to create relationships with farmers that benefit both parties involved.
Boon Boona Coffee is another business that aims to create strong relationships with African coffee producers while exploring traditional East African brewing methods. Their goal is to represent Africa's heritage through their unique roasting styles, allowing customers to try new flavors they may have never tasted.
BOON BOONA COFFEE
Boon Boona has formed long-lasting, sustainable relationships with coffee producers, exporters, and importers in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, and many more African nations, focusing on supporting woman-owned growers. This means that they cannot only source some of the best coffee from Africa, but we're also able to share a larger share of our profits directly with the growers while helping develop the African coffee industry.
Maggy Nyamumbo founded Kahawa in 1893 as a way to give back to African female farmers who are often underrepresented in the industry. Customers can tip these women farmers through QR codes on every bag of beans purchased from Kahawa 1893, which helps them earn extra income while also benefiting their community.
Lastly, Portrait Coffee has dedicated itself to making a local impact in southwest Atlanta. Their name seeks "to change the picture that comes to mind when folks think of specialty coffee" and include those who have been cropped out due to social injustices or systemic racism throughout history. Through direct trade practices, they support local entrepreneurs and celebrate their history.
These inspiring companies prove that our love for coffee can lead to collective growth and positive change within our communities.
Inclusive Coffee Shops Established to Foster Diversity
As a nation, we continually strive for diversity and inclusion in all aspects of life. Coffee shops have become integral to our communities, providing places to gather, relax, and share ideas. This is particularly true for entrepreneurs who rely on coffee shops as their workspaces and meeting spots. Recently, black-owned coffee businesses have emerged with an aim to foster diversity in our local communities and support small businesses and the local economy.
Sip & Sonder is one such example. Established in 2017, it fosters an inclusive atmosphere for those who have felt like outcasts in other coffee shops. It's a welcoming space where customers can share ideas freely without judgment or fear of alienation due to their race or gender identity.
BD Imports, based in Georgia, has three core values:
Work with quality suppliers.
Create sustainable communities through supply chain investments.
Empower women through equitable compensation.
All three are essential for giving back to the community while maintaining quality standards.
Red Bay Coffee, founded by Keba Konte in 2014, seeks to hire and serve people of all backgrounds, including people of color, the formerly incarcerated, women, and people with disabilities, providing them with meaningful employment opportunities that help them build better lives for themselves and their families.
Kyle Ramage and Lem Butler founded Black & White Coffee Roasters with the goal of making specialty coffee more accessible. They also strive to provide career growth opportunities for coffee professionals, particularly baristas from minority backgrounds who are often financially and socially impacted by racial injustice within the specialty coffee industry. Lem's victory as the first black Barista Champion at the 2019 US Barista Championship highlights the movement toward greater representation and equal opportunity in the industry.
These are just a few examples of how inclusive coffee shops can support local communities by creating job opportunities for those who may have felt alienated elsewhere while giving back through sustainability initiatives that benefit employees, suppliers, and customers alike. So the next time you visit your favorite cafe, why not support these amazing businesses?
In a Nutshell
Supporting Black-owned coffee businesses is crucial for promoting economic growth and diversity within local communities. These businesses provide entrepreneurs and small business owners opportunities to thrive while offering high-quality coffee experiences. By patronizing these establishments, we can all support and uplift these amazing Black-owned coffee businesses.