Let me be honest with you — I am not a morning person by nature. But coffee? Coffee is the ritual that makes mornings survivable. And somewhere between my first cup and my second scroll, I started thinking about who I’m giving my money to every time I brew a pot or grab a bag off the shelf.
If you’re spending $15–$20 on a bag of beans every couple of weeks, that’s real money. And it can do real work — when it goes to the right people. So let’s talk about it.
Here are six Black-owned coffee brands that deserve a permanent spot in your kitchen cabinet (and your heart).
1. BLK & Bold
This one is a staple, and for good reason. Founded by childhood friends Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson out of Des Moines, Iowa, BLK & Bold became the first Black-owned nationally distributed coffee brand in the United States. The name says it all — bold flavor, Black excellence. But what really sets them apart is their commitment to putting 5% of profits toward nonprofits that support at-risk youth. So when you brew a cup, you’re genuinely investing in the next generation. You can find them online and on shelves at Target, which means no excuses.
2. Kahawa 1893
“Kahawa” means coffee in Swahili — and this brand is deeply rooted in that meaning. Founded by Margaret Nyamumbo, a third-generation Kenyan coffee farmer who left a career in finance to return home and save the family farm, Kahawa 1893 is on a mission to close the gender gap in coffee. She recognized that women perform the vast majority of the labor in coffee production but are rarely compensated fairly for it. So she built a brand that sources directly from women farmers in Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Congo — and each bag even includes a QR code you can scan to tip the farmers directly. That’s accountability and access in one gorgeous cup.
3. Sip & Sonder
This one is for the girlies who believe coffee shops should feel like community. Founded by Shanita Nicholas and Amanda-Jane Thomas in Inglewood, California, Sip & Sonder is a Black woman-owned roastery and café that has built a full cultural movement around the act of gathering. Think curated coffee, gifting, events, and spaces designed for creatives, community-builders, and anyone who just needs a place that feels like them. Even if you’re not in Inglewood, you can order their beans online — and honestly, knowing the story behind every bag makes it taste better.
4. Portrait Coffee
Atlanta-born and community-rooted, Portrait Coffee was founded with a clear mission: to change the picture that comes to mind when people think about specialty coffee. Based in southwest Atlanta, they’re deeply intentional about making sure the Black and brown communities that have long been left out of the “third wave coffee” conversation are centered in it. The branding is vibrant, the roasts are accessible, and the story behind every cup is one of representation and cultural pride. If you’ve ever walked into a bougie coffee shop and felt like a stranger, Portrait was made for you.
5. Boon Boona Coffee
Founded by Efram Fesaha and based in Seattle, Boon Boona is a celebration of East African coffee traditions — and it shows in every cup. The brand is known for fruit-forward flavor profiles that honor the origins of coffee (yes, coffee is African, sis — Ethiopia specifically) while also committing to inclusion and community uplift in everything they do. If you’ve been in your dark roast era your whole life, Boon Boona might be the brand that finally converts you to something lighter, brighter, and full of complexity.
6. Soul-Full Vibes ✨ (The New One to Watch)
Okay, I have to put you on to this one personally. Soul-Full Vibes is a brand-new coffee brand from a friend of mine, and I’m watching it with full expectation. The name alone tells you what you’re getting into — soulful, intentional, and full of something. This is the kind of brand you want to say you knew before everybody else did. Keep your eyes on them, follow their journey, and when you see them pop up, support without hesitation. New Black-owned businesses need us in the early chapters, not just when they’ve already made it.
(More details coming soon — follow along.)
Now, About That Cup in Your Hand, Girlie…
Speaking of sipping with intention — if you’re in the DMV and you’ve been looking for a reason to get out, slow down, and actually be in the room with other women who get it, I have something for you.
🫶 Sipping, Settling & Storytelling: Free Before They Told Me
I’m hosting an intimate coffee storytelling experience on Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 10 AM – 12 PM at Cowo & Crèche in Alexandria, Virginia.
This is not a networking event. It’s not a pitch session. It’s not a panel.
It’s two hours in a beautiful space, with good coffee, and women who are ready to settle into themselves and share the kinds of stories we don’t always say out loud. The theme — Free Before They Told Me — is exactly what it sounds like. That knowing. That part of you that was always free, always whole, always you, even before the world tried to put you in a box.
We practice deep listening here. No unsolicited feedback, no cross-talk. Just presence.
Early Bird Tickets: $17.99 General Admission: $22.99
Grab your spot before it fills up — this one will be intimate by design.
👉 Get Your Tickets on EventNoire
Bring your favorite mug. Bring your whole self. I’ll see you there.
