This month on the Seed To Cup podcast, Sprudge contributor Giovanni Fillari interviews BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages Co-Founder Rod Johnson. “We are a coffee roastery located in Des Moines, Iowa, that bridges the gap between specialty coffee and community impact,” says Johnson. “We were looking to do something more meaningful, and we are checking that box by contributing a portion of our proceeds to organizations that support youth in need.”
BLK & Bold pledges 5% of its profits to initiatives aligned to sustaining youth programming, enhancing workforce development, and eradicating youth homelessness. They’ve enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity and sales over the last few years, becoming one of America’s best-recognized coffee brands along the way, with major placements via Target, Whole Foods, and other national retailers.
Johnson talks about their pivot from non-profit work to the coffee industry and the connections made along the way. Fillari asks about the company’s collaborations with Ben & Jerry’s and the NBA, accomplishments Johnson is most proud of, and what he hopes to achieve in the comings months and years.
Each episode of Seed To Cup dives deep into the stories of the coffee industry’s most fascinating founders, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. Seed To Cup on the Sprudge Podcast Network is dedicated to the art of the long-form interview, focusing on the coffee industry’s enigmatic founders, influential executives, and major culture movers. This new monthly show is a coffee-perfect version for fans of podcasts like How I Built That, The Pitch, and other deep-dive interview programs.
Listen to the full episode now:
Full transcript available here.
Check out all of the Sprudge Podcast Network shows here.
Seed To Cup is sponsored by La Marzocco.
