Introduction
If you love coffee, then you should know that the specialty coffee industry is growing. The question is: how can you get involved in this growing industry? Here are some ways that you can support black-owned roasters who are leading by example when it comes to supporting diversity in their products, sourcing and hiring practices. By doing so, not only will your morning cup of joe taste better but also help elevate these small businesses and improve your community as well!
More than 50% of Americans drink coffee everyday.
Coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world, with more than 50% of Americans drinking coffee every day. The global coffee market is worth $100 billion and it's the second most traded commodity in the world after petroleum. It's also grown in over 70 countries around the globe, which means there are plenty of people to talk to about your product!
Itâs no surprise that coffee is so popularâitâs delicious and has many health benefits (see below). Even better: people have been drinking it for hundreds of years. That being said, specialty coffee has only recently begun to gain momentum as a burgeoning industry within our beloved cup-of-joe industryâand we want to help you get started!
There is a growing trend of focusing on specialty coffee.
The industry has been called âthird waveâ and the drivers are often referred to as slow coffee, single origin, and roasters who care about quality and sustainability in their sourcing practices.
The third wave of coffee is a movement in specialty coffee that seeks to elevate the profile of this drink as an artisanal product. Third-wave enthusiasts (such as myself) believe that extraction methods should be carefully controlled by skilled baristas and roasters who source only the best beans from small farms with impeccable environmental practices. It's not just about taste; it's also about knowing where your cup comes from!
Third-wave coffee roasters are putting diversity at the forefront by hiring and sourcing from black-owned roasters.
As specialty coffee continues to grow, black-owned roasters are putting diversity at the forefront by hiring and sourcing from other black-owned roasters. We've put together a list of our favorite coffee shops that have devoted themselves to this mission:
- Blue Bottle Coffee (Oakland, California) - A third-wave coffee roaster focused on the quality of their product and its connection with the people who drink it. They're known for their dedication to sustainable practices in farming and sourcing, as well as being one of the first companies in America to offer healthcare benefits for all employees regardless of gender identity or sexuality.
- Intelligentsia (Chicago) - In addition to using only fair trade certified beans sourced from farmers around the world, Intelligentsia is committed to ensuring that all employees share wealth equally through profit-sharing programs. This means your barista will be able to afford a new pair of shoes without worrying about how they'll get home!
Coffee has a huge environmental impact and going green is becoming more important in the industry.
Coffee is a huge industry in the United States and has become an essential part of our lives. As much as we love coffee, itâs important to consider how much of an impact it has on the environment.
The environmental impact of coffee production
Coffee plants are typically grown under shade for about five years before being harvested, which helps protect the soil from direct sunlight and prevents erosion. The trees also act as a natural filter for the water running through them, keeping out pollutants while allowing clean water to pass through into streams and rivers below. This same shade is used to grow other crops that can be sold or eaten by people living nearby so they can benefit as well! However, this doesnât mean that there aren't any problems associated with growing coffee: deforestation is still one major problem happening today because many farmers want more land (and thus plant more trees) so they can grow their crops without worrying about getting enough sun exposure (which means no shade).
By supporting black-owned roasters, you are supporting the local economy and helping others around you to thrive.
By buying from these businesses, you're creating jobs for people in your community, which helps keep money circulating in the area rather than being spent on overseas or out-of-state companies.
Supporting small, black-owned businesses like coffee roasters can help elevate them, improve your community and even make your morning cup of joe taste better too!
Small businesses are often overlooked in the media and overlooked by society as a whole. There are many reasons this happens: big business has more money to spend on advertising campaigns, they're easier to identify because they operate out of larger offices (which makes it easy for people in the industry to find them) and they have more resources available than smaller companies do.
By supporting black-owned businesses you can help empower the community around you while also improving yourself! When we support one another we all become stronger together, which means we will be able to reach further heights with our goals than if we were working against each other.
Conclusion
When we think about specialty coffee and its role in the industry, it's important to remember how much work goes into making your morning cup of joe. The people who roast beans for you are passionate about what they do and want to create something that tastes great. By supporting small businesses like this one, you are helping them grow as well as giving back to your community by keeping jobs local instead of shipping them overseas where they may never materialize at all!