How the Entrepreneurs Behind 321 Coffee Brewed a Socially Conscious Business

“Welcome!” rings out from smiling faces behind the counter of 321 Coffee. With delightful drinks and impeccable customer service, 321 Coffee is more than a coffee shop. It’s an experience built on a mission to create opportunities for people with disabilities.

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321 Coffee is Built on Inclusion

Lifelong friendships sparked the idea for Lindsay Wrege, co-founder and CEO of 321 Coffee with locations in Durham, the State Farmers Market and downtown Raleigh.

“I saw the need for inclusive and supportive employment when my friends with disabilities turned 18 and couldn’t find work,” Wrege says, “Or if they did, they cleaned bathrooms or did laundry. They could do those jobs, but they wanted more and weren’t given the opportunity.”

321 Coffee Building Confidence

Today, 321 Coffee has a waitlist of 200 potential employees, and the co-founders love knowing they’re providing a place for people with disabilities to learn and grow.

Their employees may come to work uncomfortable talking to anyone. They spend their early days on the job bagging coffee or doing other behind-the-scenes tasks. In time, their confidence grows until one day you see them at the counter with a bright smile and ready to serve customers.

“Including individuals with disabilities in the workforce is so important not only for their growth but also for the community impact,” Wrege says. “We’re creating a place for people in society to come and see how somebody with autism or Down syndrome can contribute to a work setting.”

Wrege met Michael Evans, the other 321 Coffee co-founder, when they were freshmen in the Park Scholarships program at NC State University. Coffee and business were not on their radars, but Wrege couldn’t forget about her friends with disabilities.
One day, she simply said, “We should change this.” And they did.

321 Coffee weaves intentionality into every aspect of their brews and business. It’s evident in interactions with employees, and it’s visible in their branding.

“The 321 in our name represents Down syndrome, which is when someone is born with three copies of the 21st chromosome,” Wrege explains. “That’s a nod to inclusivity. Also, the striped pattern in our branding is symbolic of chromosomes and DNA mapping, intentionally recognizing everyone’s uniqueness.”

Intentionally Inclusive

Creating an inclusive workplace didn’t happen by accident, and that attention to detail and intention impacts the business all the way to their product supply chain.

“We’re really focused on our social impact,” Evans says. “From the people we’re employing to the people we’re buying coffee from, our goal is ensuring that everyone is taken care of and respected in the supply chain. Knowing where our coffee comes from is extremely important for that.”

321 Coffee buys raw beans from local coffee supplier De La Finca, which was founded by fifth-generation coffee farmer Nelson Amador, who grew up working on his grandfather’s coffee farm in Honduras. Amador moved to Holly Springs at age 20 with hopes of importing his family’s beans to area roasters.

“Over time, his family farm developed relationships with other family farms in Peru, Costa Rica, Guatemala and other regions of the world,” Wrege says. “We import all our coffee through De La Finca Coffee Importers. It’s directly traded and ethically sourced. Our goal is to one day take our team to see the process, meet the people and build a strong, direct relationship with the farmers.”

From Bean to Barista

With the help of De La Finca, the green, unroasted coffee beans arrive at 321’s roasting facility in Raleigh in gigantic burlap bags. From that point on, it’s in the hands of staff members. “Last year, we launched a partnership with Lenovo and EngageNC to make the facility truly accessible,” Wrege says. “Commercial manufacturing equipment is huge, and large volumes of product are heavy, making the work inaccessible to people with disabilities. Our goal was that our team could go from start to finish – a green coffee bean to a bag of coffee – on their own.”

321 Coffee installed vacuum lift systems, put bins on wheels, redesigned packaging and made other modifications to accomplish that goal. Today, the staff is a part of every part of the process – from bean to barista.

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All-Ability-Friendly

They recently shipped their first order to Hawaii, giving the socially conscious brand a presence in all 50 states.
“I’m excited about the possibility of getting 321 Coffee onto the shelves of grocery stores,” Evans says. “Seeing it in a national retail store would be a huge accomplishment for our team.”

And a huge step forward for inclusion.

You can be a part of this journey. When you choose to buy from 321 Coffee, you’re choosing to be a part of a bigger mission and helping create employment opportunities – whether you stop in one of the locations in Raleigh or Durham, order a bag of coffee online or partner with 321 for corporate events. At 321 Coffee, little things matter.