Throughout her career in the coffee industry, Phyllis Johnson has encountered many industry leaders who are not used to seeing a Black woman working in coffee. While visiting coffee farms worldwide and serving on boards for associations like the National Coffee Association, Johnson — the co-founder and president of coffee importing company BD Imports — says she’s often felt like people were wondering why she was there.
Johnson’s experiences inspired her to start the Coffee Coalition for Racial Equality, a nonprofit that provides support and mentorship for Black coffee professionals and develops training programs surrounding diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. The coalition aims to close the opportunity gap that Black professionals often face in the coffee industry regarding education, business development and capital compared to their white counterparts.
“There are no Black heroes in coffee,” Johnson says, referring to the lack of Black leaders in the industry. “There’s so much work to be done, but there are also so many beautiful stories to be told.”
Shoppers can participate in closing the opportunity gap for Black coffee professionals, Johnson says: When you buy from Black-owned coffee companies, you economically support them and expand their customer base. Below, we rounded up Black-owned coffee companies you should know about. We confirmed with each brand on our list that they’re at least 51% Black-owned, which aligns with the Census Bureau’s definition of a Black-owned business.
Black-owned coffee brands to shop
NoirePack
After working for corporate coffee companies, Edward McFields channeled his love for the drink into NoirePack, a shopping platform that sells beans from Black roasters nationwide. McFields says his goal for the company is to act as a hub, giving people access to multiple Black coffee roasters in one place and helping businesses reach a larger customer base. NoirePack sells roasters’ coffee in individual bags and various packs.
Blk & Bold
Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson, founders of Blk & Bold and lifetime friends, say the name of their company represents the product they sell — black coffee with bold flavor — and who they are. “We’re two Black men on a mission to do something bold,” Johnson says. According to the brand, BLK & Bold pledges 5% of its gross revenue to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that support and instill confidence in children.
Kahawa 1893
Founder and CEO Margaret Nyamumbo is a third-generation coffee farmer who went to business school in the U.S. but returned to Kenya to prevent her father from selling the family farm. “Growing up, I saw that women in my area supplied almost all coffee production labor but were under- or uncompensated,” she says. “I founded Kahawa 1893 to help empower the women that make the coffee trade possible, who are truly the backbone of the industry.” Customers can scan a QR code on each bag of Kahawa 1893 beans to tip the women who produce the coffee. Kahawa 1893 matches all tips.
Monday Coffee Co.
Before opening their Chicago-based business in October 2020, Amanda Harth and Felton Kizer did not have much formal training in coffee. But Harth saw that as an advantage. Monday Coffee Co. was an opportunity to build a company based on their personal goals as business owners without feeling tied to industry norms or traditions. “Our mission is to change the narrative around how people experience coffee and coffee culture,” Harth says. “It’s more important than ever to have conversations about representation in the industry.” Monday Coffee Co. offers three roasts sourced from a roaster in Michigan. Two roasts — No. 1 and No. 3 — are always available as staple menu items while roast No. 2 is seasonal.
Bad Beans Coffee
When founder Derek McKeith worked as a barista at his neighborhood coffee houses, customers often said they wished for a better-tasting java selection. “I heard this so much over time, I just wanted to solve the problem,” McKeith says. Bad Beans Coffee offers fair trade beans worldwide, including Mexico, Brazil and Tanzania. The brand also sells tea.
Three Keys Coffee
Getting into the coffee industry without established connections is hard no matter what, but co-founders Tio and Kenzel Fallen say it’s even harder for Black individuals. Thus, the husband and wife team decided to take their approach to connect with customers and bring coffee, music and art together. Each bag of Three Keys Coffee beans has an artistic design corresponding to a curated Spotify playlist created by the company.
Campfire Coffee
Quincy Henry and his wife, Whitni, wanted to combine their love of camping and coffee when founding their business, Campfire Coffee. Based in Washington State, the brand roasts beans over an open flame. Henry says that not everyone in the industry is on board with Campfire Coffee’s “unconventional” roasting method, but he sees this type of innovation as looking toward the future. “We represent a stark contrast from the norm, but that brings about a great opportunity to rewrite the playbook of what coffee can aspire to,” he told us.
Reveille Trading Company
After medical retirement from the Coast Guard, Calvin Harris met coffee producers in 50 different countries for two years. He later founded Reveille Trading Company, which Harris told us has direct-trade relationships with coffee producers worldwide, offering shoppers specialty roasts from Latin America, Africa, India and beyond. In addition to being Black-owned, Reveille Trading Company is a certified veteran-owned business.
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Why trust NBC Select?
Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor at NBC Select who covers minority-owned businesses, including women-owned brands, AAPI-owned brands, Latino-owned brands and LGBTQ-owned brands. For this article, she rounded up food and beverage brands that confirmed they’re at least 51% Black-owned, which aligns with the Census Bureau’s definition of a Black-owned business.
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