January 09, 2019
(Originally published January 8, 2016)
As 2015 ends and 2016 begins, it’s hard not to look back on our first year and all that this fledgling company has learned and accomplished – while also looking forward to the growth and opportunity that is to come.
As we reflect and dream, one thing is abundantly clear: We are so thankful for your support for Purpose Coffee – both for our products and for the mission we aim to accomplish. Because of that amazing support and interest, this little idea has grown and taken off in ways we could not have expected.
Here is our 2015 review – and a some previews of what’s to come in 2016!
Our Coffee
When we ordered our first 600 kilos of green Thai coffee beans, we sat around trying to calculate how long that would last us. Maybe 2 years? If it came down to it, how quickly could we personally drink that much coffee? Instead, a year later, we are completely sold out of Thai coffee.
In October, we introduced three new roasts – Colombian, Ethiopian, and Java. Now we’re sold out of the Ethiopian too, and steadily making our way through the Colombian and Java.
With a growing demand in Dallas and other new markets, we hired a roaster to exclusively roast for us. With his expertise, we’re able to offer additional specialty roasts and blends.
Looking Ahead
In the coming weeks, we will launch new roasts to replace our Thai and Ethiopian coffees. Because of market fluctuations and harvest timing, we aren’t able to get beans from the same farmers. But – if Thai or Ethiopian was your favorite – rest assured that we’ve found new coffees that are very similar!
We’ll have a coffee from Laos, with the same mild, earthy, smooth profile that characterizes the Thai roast. And we will introduce a coffee from Tanzania, with a similar profile as the Ethiopian (and Ryan says this might be his favorite roast ever!).
After much demand, we’re also introducing a decaf option into our staple coffee roasts.
Our Purpose
We might be a coffee company on the outside – but our heart and soul is to accomplish a greater purpose.
Because of your purchases and donations, we can confidently say that we have done that. With our network of partners, in 2015 we…
Our initial investment in green coffee beans has turned into well over $15,000 worth of good works projects.
Looking Ahead
As our social good coffee idea started to take off, we spent a lot of time in 2015 defining and refining what exactly our purpose is and how we accomplish it. We are renewing our pledge to focus on child wellness around the world, specifically related to:
We are committed to investing our money back into the people and communities from which our coffee comes. Through strategic partnerships, we are working in developing countries across the globe – mainly in Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America.
Getting Involved
When we first started dreaming about Purpose Coffee, we simply wanted to give our customers great coffee, at a great price, benefiting a great purpose. But, so many of you found a passion in our purpose and have sought ways to get more involved. You’ve made generous donations, participated in or sponsored our Run for a Purpose event, hosted fundraisers, and passionately shared Purpose Coffee with your friends and family.
Thank you.
Looking Ahead
In 2016, we are excited to continue offering ways to get more involved with Purpose Coffee and our mission. We plan to host the Run for a Purpose again this year, both in Dallas and Dalhart; we’re planning a delegation trip to Ethiopia and Uganda so you can see our work in action; and much more!
We’re also excited to see our Church Embassy Program take off. We know that so many churches have worthy causes they are working toward – and we’re proud to offer a way to accomplish those missions.
Admin and Governance
In our first year, as we got our legs and proved our concept, we operated as an autonomous ministry under People’s Church in Dalhart, Texas. We are eternally grateful to this church and its members for the support, patience, passion, and immense resources they poured into this idea. As we’ve grown and changed this year, so have our governance needs.
In 2016, Purpose Coffee Co. will venture out on our own. We are opening a headquarter office, roasting space, and tasting room in Dalhart, as well as expanding our presence in Dallas. We will operate as a retail business, maintaining our commitment to donating 100% of our proceeds through a charitable arm of our company.
On behalf of the Purpose Coffee team, thank you again to everyone who has been involved in our first year. We can’t wait for what’s in store in 2016 and seeing what God has planned for this endeavor!