Bourbon Coffee is the kind of coffee shop where you naturally become a regular. The inviting shops, each with their own personality, present a business model that pairs the warmth of your coffee with the warmth in your heart.

coffee, pizza, beer, tea, chocolate
Erin Thomas

Bourbon Coffee has brought a new business model from Rwanda to the DMV area. In a system called direct trade, they lose the middleman to trade directly with farmers in Kigali, Rwanda. This provides farmers with 25% more in wages than fair trade. They utilize sustainable growing methods and employ transparency throughout the supply chain. Delicious coffee that's easy on the conscience

The shops sing authenticity by connecting individuals across the globe with the art and coffee of Rwanda. It tells the story. Your coffee didn't just appear out a K-cup into your mug. It had a long journey to get there, and the shops themselves emphasize this with Rwandan artwork and maps on display.

beer, coffee, wine, pizza, meat
Erin Thomas

Beyond their innovative approach with direct trade, the quality is there too. They have a variety of unique drinks as well as the classics, and each shop has different food options. Bourbon Coffee baristas recommend the Honey Cinnamon Latte and the Chipotle Chicken sandwich. Fresh, high-quality ingredients always make the best cuisine, and Bourbon Coffee knows it.

Bourbon Coffee is an ambitious leader in social entrepreneurship. Their goal is to bring efficiency and quality together while telling caffeine-enthusiasts where their beverage came from. Baristas can spend time tasting the unique notes in Rwandan coffee, or you can run through to grab a latte and pastry to go. The shops also make great study spaces with cozy lighting and reliable wi-fi.

coffee, tea
Amelia Bowen

In the future, they're looking to continue expanding in the DC metro area and possibly open more shops around Cambridge. To the people who run Bourbon Coffee, it isn't all about the money. It's about the mission to re-brand Rwanda and sell coffee in the most responsible way possible. 

So if a new local coffee shop isn't enough to get you out of Starbucks, there are plenty of other reasons to visit the game changer that is Bourbon Coffee. As Jacob, one of their baristas, puts it, "We have world class coffee beans, and some really excellent baristas. Come to support a Rwandan company that cares about the people all the way down the supply chain."