The Sepia Coffee Project (SCP) is a minority-owned roaster in Highland Park that seeks to generate an evolution of coffee through collective investment. Founded with the intent to create inroads to equitable opportunity, inclusion, and community.
The company plans to open its first brick-and-mortar coffee shop in Highland Park with a full espresso bar, pre-packed foods, and offering both coffee and equipment for business and home use. Highland Park residents have limited access to quality goods and services including coffee shops. Building this in Highland Park would promote revitalizing an underdeveloped neighborhood, creating jobs in multiple sectors including manufacturing(roasting), retail(baristas, sales reps), and logistics(shipping). The company’s mission is to make specialty coffee more accessible to underserved communities which will fuel opportunities, creating platforms that are more inclusive and equitable for coffee consumers and industry peers.
The company does not offer a unique product, however, it has considerable traction. The company’s business model has majorly focused on B2B - offering bulk coffee to coffee shops, restaurants, and specialty markets. The average amount of each order is projected as $10.65 and $250 for retail and wholesale respectively in 2023. The number of transactions projected is 6,500 and 420 for retail and wholesale in 2023.
With an extensive network of partners, SPC has made great strides within its first year securing over 20 wholesale accounts with standing orders averaging 100 kg(220lb) of roasted coffee per month. 2023 projections show a 400% increase in volume by the end of the year as it scales up its business to meet market demand. In addition to wholesale, the company has gained significant traction within the B2C market as online and retail sales have increased. It had a gross margin of 59% in 2022 and will soon reach operational breakeven.