Brand 47 Coffee Co. launched in December 2020 and the roastery currently operates from the couples basement. From left to right: Niko, Holly, Jax and Alex Graham.--SUBMITTED PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHY BY EIKO
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More than $30,000 in investments were awarded to local business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs this week for their innovative ideas at a virtual event hosted by the Entrepreneur Development Centre at Medicine Hat College.
Brand 47 Coffee Co. was awarded $6,200 as part of the Scale Up Essentials program.
“We’re incredibly grateful for that money and being able to kind of chip away at our five-year plan,” said Alex Graham, a co-owner of the coffee roastery.
Graham says the funds allow her to purchase a commercial coffee grinder, which runs between $2,000 and $3,000. The MHC program also connected each entrepreneur with a mentor, provided weekly instruction and taught theory. Graham says they currently sell whole beans, but market research conducted while in the program found that 80% of consumers buy ground coffee.
Purchasing a commercial grinder, increasing revenue to eventually purchase a bigger space and being able to offer employment to people with down syndrome and other disabilities is part of Brand 47 Coffee Co.’s five-year plan, according to Graham.
Graham and her partner Holly have adopted two boys, aged three and seven, who have down syndrome, and the couple wanted to start a business they could one day pass down to the children, so the roastery was born.
“For people with disabilities, finding meaningful employment is incredibly difficult,” she said. ” … In the meantime, since we aren’t able to directly employ people, we’ve actually partnered with the Canadian Down Syndrome Society and we give a dollar per bag of coffee sold to the CDSS. Since we can’t directly contribute with our business we do a kick back of our profits to the CDSS.”
With half the $6,200 going toward a commercial grinder, Graham says the rest of the money will go toward marketing, which includes brand awareness.
Graham says along with the money, the program also taught her how to proceed with the business.
“We were at a spot where our initial launch was great and we were like how can we keep that flow? How do we take it to the next level? The scale up program really helped answer those questions,” she said. ” … You had one official mentor, but it was actually more like having a panel of five or six people at your disposal for help.”
Christie Wilson, entrepreneur outreach co-ordinator for the program, the best part of the program is seeing the difference it makes and the money awarded to Brand 47 Coffee Co. is just one of many success stories.
“You take that one and you times that out by all of the people we invested in,” said Wilson. “It’s super amazing and … the premise of the program is to remove barriers. You need cash to start a business, well we give you the opportunity.”
Graham says Brand 47 Coffee Co. is a unique take on coffee and she roasts per order. Orders can be made online and they specialize in flavoured coffee, including maple and coconut flavours.
