The coffee industry is one of the biggest in the world, as coffee is one of the top beverages consumed in the U.S., with over 60% of American adults consuming coffee every day. At Ampersand Coffee Roasters, we are committed to playing our part towards creating a regenerative world–one coffee cup at a time.
Coffee grown in the shade is growing in popularity. More and more producers are opting for this method of farming, not just because it tastes better (which it does), but because of its contributions to the environment and long-term farming practices.
After brewing the perfect cup of joe, what do you do with your coffee grounds? Unlike tea, you can’t rebrew coffee (it loses all of its strength and flavor), but that doesn’t mean you need to throw your grounds away. In fact, finding new ways to reuse them isn’t just creative—it’s a simple step toward reducing waste and caring for the planet.
Every cup of coffee has a story. At Ampersand Coffee, that story is about more than just rich flavors and perfect roasts—it’s about empowering women, uplifting communities, and creating an upward spiral of change. We believe that coffee has the power to transform lives when sourced responsibly, ensuring that the women behind the beans have the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
Making coffee at home is easier than you think. A good cup of coffee is a combination of method and high quality beans. There are so many different ways to brew a delicious cup of coffee at home without splurging on a fancy and complicated espresso machine.
You’re probably already familiar with the term “organic.” You’ll see it in produce sections in your local grocery store and in clothing tags. Like organic, regenerative organic strays from the use of synthetic fertilizer, opting for more eco-friendly options. Organic focuses on the final product: whether it be made out of organic materials or have organic ingredients. Regenerative organic, on the other hand, takes it a couple of steps forward.
The world seems pretty bleak right about now. Average temperatures rise every year. Droughts become more common. Floods already wrack cities across the world. Even sustainably grown organic food isn’t going to cut it with rising food demand. With every day, it almost seems logical to give up hope. Yet, with all this talk of doom and gloom, there is one very simple solution just waiting to be used. Soil.
Recent criticism by some climate scientists has begun to raise the question: is organic actually better for the environment? At first that sounds wild; the organic movement is built around the core concept of environmental wellbeing. The mere questioning of these growing practices by none other than climate scientists sounds contradictory. But, if you take a deeper look inside and find the core issue at the center of Organic, those climate scientists may actually have a point.
I said: "We're going to give this a year. I mean, there are different milestones we have to achieve, and this doesn't happen fast." So, we went back and forth over that year, and we hit the problem of land ownership. They asked if they could get an exception because of their cultural and religious situation. And I thought about that, but then I was like: "No, because that's the point of Cafe Femenino. It's that you do all the things, that's the hard part, that's what creates changes."
We start with the expected small talk. We introduce ourselves, give some quips and chuckles to ease into the dynamic before getting started. Despite all my initial research, all of the complicated questions I cooked up, I become aware that I’m about to learn more than any academic article could ever teach me. This inspirational powerhouse of a woman has stories to tell.