OUR STORY
Coffee growing is a trade that has been woven into my DNA. I come from a long line of coffee farmers and roasters. As a child, my father would recount stories from his childhood in Ethiopia with infectious enthusiasm. Growing up in Canada, I developed a fascination with coffee and knew that it was a tradition that I wanted to continue.
To learn more about my coffee heritage and my late grandfather, a proud coffee farmer, one of my first visits was to our family coffee farm in East Hararghe, Ethiopia, home to the region the coffee industry classifies as (Harar Coffee). This visit brought life and colour to the stories that my father had passed on to me.
While in Ethiopia, I also travelled to the city of Jimma, in the Northern Oromia Region, formerly known as the capital of the Kaffa province, ( Where Coffee was first discovered) to explore the hand-picked cherry to cup experience. Having the privilege of speaking with my own producing family as well as the other coffee farmers I met in their mother tongue, Afaan Oromo, helped me to understand the complexities of their work and the impact the coffee supply chain has had on their livelihoods. This was one of the most unique, humbling, and unforgettable experiences I've ever had, and one that I will cherish forever.
Muna M/ Founder
PURPOSE
Having your own take on what makes coffee just right for you, is what coffee exploration and drinking is all about. I discovered my own passion for coffee different from my grandfather, but just right for me. In 2020, I brought together my love of coffee, community, entrepreneurial experience, and my career in marketing, to build a responsibly sourced coffee company.
What's up With Your Name?
I'm so glad you asked! Did you know that coffee was first discovered over 1200 years ago? Legend has it, a young goat herder from Ethiopia, named Kaldi, discovered the first coffee beans around 850 AD. Oral history and tales are past down from one generation to the next and having listened to many versions of this tale, and a few others from my own family, my curiosity was piqued. I wanted to further explore the rich coffee history of my ancestors. The story of Kaldi is a great one, but we also know that the Oromo people of Ethiopia were already chewing the coffee berries well before the tale may suggest, and so, as an ode to some of the first people to have ever used coffee , this legend and the birthplace of coffee, we landed on the name Eight50 Coffee.
As a company we felt that reclaiming dates given to our coffee heritage was an important part of how we wanted our company to be positioned. The year 850AD signifies not only the origins of coffee but to us its history, heritage and a date stamp signifying the beginning,so it was only fitting we named our company Eight50 Coffee.
We hope you enjoy this journey with us and we can't wait for you to try our coffee!
MISSION
Celebrating daily coffee moments, because each day is a new day to connect with the things that matter the most! Through Coffee, we find our moments.
We want to share and infuse our ancient coffee rituals in the form of celebrating, pausing, and appreciating your daily coffee moments, so whether you schedule 15 or 30 minutes,- solo, with family or friends, we're here for it, after all, coffee is the vehicle that helps you find your moment.
VALUES
Our coffee process begins with producers filling their baskets with care, appreciation and tradition. We share our love of coffee that has been woven into our deep-rooted family coffee heritage, and is transferred to our customers in celebrating everyday joyous coffee moments. Through daily rituals of brewing great coffee at home our customers are able to create what their coffee moment means to them. Depending on how you’re feeling, your coffee moment is there to set the mood.
At Eight50 Coffee, coffee is so much more than just a cup of caffeine. It's an important part of our heritage and foundation that allows us to engage with our community, connect to places, nature, build relationships, and share our stories. We carry those same family values to define our brand culture.
We believe in the power of creating your own coffee moments based on your life. No matter what brew method you use and where in the world you live, appreciating and celebrating your coffee moments is all that matters .
