The folks at Joe Van Gogh consider themselves artisans, and it certainly shows in their coffee. Roasting, brewing, and sharing coffee is their passion, and they have worked diligently at mastering their craft. Owner Robbie Roberts has been in the coffee business for 20 years now. He opened his first shop on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh and has been living a highly caffeinated life ever since.
All Nations Coffee
All Nations Coffee, from Charlotte, represents people and communities. Their main interest is to bring equilibrium in the profit and implement a sustainable business with social responsibility. We love businesses that try to find a balance of the two, as we believe there is a middle ground businesses can find. A portion of their profits are used to help support farmers and co-ops around the world.
Parliament Coffee Roasters
You are probably starting to see a similar theme with our roasters. Parliament, also from Charlotte, is no exception. Their focus is to bring in the finest coffees from around the globe, and roast them to a profile that highlights the varying and subtle nuances that make a particular bean unique. This is one of the greatest parts about drinking locally roasted coffee, you can’t get that subtlety from the big coffee roasters we all know. The standards by which they do business will always be hinged upon the concept of quality over quantity.
For us North Carolinians the weather is finally getting warmer! Spring is a great time of year here in the Tarheel State, there are all kinds of outdoor activities that open up around this time. We hope that even with this gorgeous weather we’re having you’re all still finding the time to cuddle up with a nice cup of Joe from the comfort of your home. Here’s who you guys will be supporting in this month’s crate:
Oak City Roasters
Owner Billy Landahl is a former engineer turned coffee fanatic who quit his job cold turkey to start roasting coffee. I’m especially excited to feature Billy because he’s made the first locally-roasted coffee I ever tried. My wife and I were at the North Hills farmer’s market he was offering up some free coffee. We then purchased a 12oz bag, followed by a cheap blade grinder & french press from Target, and haven’t looked back.
It’s a neat company that’s trying to change the world through coffee with a motto of “Love Locally, Love Globally.” Since actions speak louder than words, they include special needs adults in their packaging operations, successfully funded a KickStarter to create “Care Cups,” and work directly with farmers to pay them above fair-trade wages.
Bald Bean Coffee
Bald Bean is a family-owned coffee roaster committed to high quality coffee and social awareness. Their beans are fair-trade and proceeds from every sale go to help children with cancer and their families. The idea for Bald Bean began when Harrison McKinion was diagnosed with leukemia at age 10. Chloe Mathias, a little girl Harrison’s age, gave up her birthday and asked friends and family to support Harrison’s cancer treatment fund. From there, the McKinion family and the Mathias family teamed up to start Bald Bean Coffee.
We’re so happy to support companies that are helping others, and to give our subscribers the same opportunity. As you all have seen, it seems to be a common theme with our roasters that they’re supporting a social cause while practicing their craft.
Beans Boro
What started out as a small idea to roast great coffee turned into an amazing coffee sho in Greensboro, NC. In 2009, Performance Coffee Roasters was born with the sole goal of providing great freshly roasted coffees to everyone. Fast forward 3 years later, and a name change to what is now Beans Boro. They have continued to source the highest quality of coffees we can find. You can even come in the shop and watch them roast right in front of you.
Enderly Coffee
Established in 2012, Enderly Coffee is the love inspired dream of teachers and co-owners Becky and Tony Santoro. Being central in their story, Becky and Tony fell in love over coffee and rely on it daily to keep them going through their days in the classroom. Their last 10 years have been filled with visits to local coffee shops around the country and romantic dinners with not wine, but fresh brewed coffee and tiramisu.
Enderly Coffee is family owned and truly values bringing justice to our world and community. That is why they have partnered directly with farmers who believe in bringing the same justice to their local communities. A portion of every purchase goes to support community development (through www.hyaets.org) in their Charlotte neighborhood, Enderly Park. Not only do we get to have some of their delicious coffee, but we can support a good cause. Not bad!
Larry’s Beans
Larry’s Beans is happily committed to blending and roasting innovative uniquely delicious coffees — and making the world a better place. 100% of our coffee is Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Organic, all slow-roasted to bring out every note of indigenous flavor. Their green-o-vated facilities use passive solar construction, active solar systems, radiant floors, zoned heating, composting, and rainwater harvesting to minimize our impact on this awesome planet.
Raised in the land of espresso bars and local roasters, Larry grew up with love for coffee and an appreciation for the nuance that make one cup more interesting than another. He headed to the Southeast to attend graduate school in economics, but soon got sidetracked by his obsession with coffee, working as a roaster in Raleigh’s first coffee house and then starting his own coffee house and roastery. But his love of roasting soon led him to focus full time on the roasting business. From the start, he was all about taking time with his roasts and treating blends like his own drinkable art form. He wasn’t just about good coffee. He was about unique coffee.