Coffee, for many people, is more than just a morning beverage; it’s a vital part of the day. The smell and taste of a warm, delicious cup is enough to get us out of bed and tackle the day ahead. It’s for this reason that Compass Coffee is always looking for new ways to make coffee more widely available. They want to help you, “start your day off right and make sure it keeps going in the right direction.” Now, thanks to Compass’ new line of ground coffee, everyone, even those without a grinder, can get the coffee they need.
Compass Coffee, founded in 2012 by two former U.S. Marines, has grown, opening 12 cafes and selling their coffee beans into Whole Foods Market, Giant Delivers, Yes Organic, Streets Market, and Union Kitchen. They are in the process of constructing a 50,000 sq ft roastery in Ivy City, Washington DC.
How did two Marines end up in the world of coffee? Compass Coffee got its start in a rather unusual place: a military base in Afghanistan. Harrison Suarez and Michael Haft, the founders of Compass, bonded over their shared love of coffee. “It began as a source of energy during training, but slowly it developed into a ritual as we got stationed and then deployed to Afghanistan together.” By the time they returned home, their love of coffee had grown to the point that they wanted to make a full career out of it.
Opening a business is not an easy task. It takes time, dedication, and deep passion for the product. Harrison and Michael spent countless hours mixing and matching different blends to find what worked best. They needed to find the intersection between what they loved and consumers wanted.
This dedication to consumer feedback is apparent in Compass Coffee’s new 12 oz tin of grounded coffee. Compass is launching with two fan favorites: Cardinal and Waypoint. Cardinal, their most popular blend, is a chocolatey and nutty medium. Waypoint, their second most popular blend, meanwhile, is a blend with flavor notes of cacao and brown sugar. Now available at Union Kitchen stores and at Compass Coffee locations, it's the perfect product for those looking for that cup of coffee without the grind.