321 Coffee | Specialty Coffee Roasters

About 321 Coffee | Specialty Coffee Roasters

80% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are unemployed. Together, we are changing this. 321 Coffee is a specialty coffee shop and roaster built on inclusion. Based in Raleigh, NC, 321 currently employs over 50 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). They are the ones roasting the coffee, taking the orders, and making the lattes. We are demonstrating the value of an inclusive business model. The company was founded in 2017 by Lindsay Wrege and Michael Evans. The two met during their freshman year as Park Scholars at NC State University. They had the vision to build a company founded on inclusion. The team began in 2017 by setting up on folding tables with a home coffee brewer and brought this setup anywhere that would welcome them. These events helped to develop a presence in the community. Raleigh rallied behind the mission and helped 321 grow beyond folding tables. Today, 321 Coffee operates three public coffee shops (in Downtown Raleigh, on NC State's Centennial Campus, at the NC State Farmers Market), and two private in-office cafes (in partnership with Pendo and Relias). We roast our own coffee, offer a full-scale espresso menu, and partner with over 50 different companies to provide them with better office coffee. Together, we are building a company that stands for inclusion and doing business the right way.