Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Caleb Talley, Jeff Amerine, and Daniel Koonce dive into the world of specialty coffee with Jon Allen, co-founder and creative director of Onyx Coffee Lab. Founded in 2012 with the mantra “Never Settle for Good Enough,” Onyx has built an award-winning team of roasters that ship freshly roasted coffee worldwide and serve unique brews in four locations across Northwest Arkansas.
Jon’s, and his wife and fellow co-founder, Andrea’s, commitment to exceptional coffee led them to a method they call relationship coffee, meaning that for seventy percent of the coffee they import, they visit the farms where it is grown and pay the producers directly. This approach allows them to establish their standards for coffee quality and ensures transparency with Onyx Coffee Lab consumers because they share detailed purchase information on Onyx’s website. Visitors can see the price paid to the producer, the market commodity price at the time of purchase, the fair trade price, the import costs, and the individuals involved in bringing the coffee to the United States.
Throughout the episode, Jon discusses Onyx’s unique approach to sourcing, roasting, and distributing high-quality coffee, which includes transparency in pricing, traceability to the farmers, and a deep respect for the coffee’s origin. He also shares insights into the industry’s evolution, the growing demand for specialty coffee worldwide, and the importance of supporting sustainable practices at the source. This conversation offers a glimpse into the passion, dedication, and innovation driving the craft coffee movement that has taken off in Northwest Arkansas.
Show Notes
(0:00) Introduction to Jon Allen
(1:03) About Onyx Coffee Lab
(3:57) Onyx’s Origin Story
(6:01) Pricing Transparency
(9:04) Focusing on Green Coffee
(15:10) From Coffee Roasting to Consulting
(22:33) The Rise of Coffee Ventures
(29:50) Onyx’s Interior Design Vision and Narrative
(34:58) Advice to Younger Self
(38:15) Closing Question
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