I’ve been drinking coffee for the longest time. Over the years, I tried all kinds of coffee brewers, from espresso makers to moka pots, until I found my match: a Keurig machine. Mostly, I bought whatever K-Cup pack caught my eye at the store. But with time, I started to question if that really was the best use for my money.
I have had great coffee and stale, undrinkable coffee from Keurig pods—the quality was all over the place, and there was no brand that I felt was worth sticking to. Plus, it never sat right with me that I had no idea who grew, roasted, and ground those beans. What was my money supporting?
Of course, after years of aimlessly drinking coffee daily, I thought it was time to dig a little deeper to find better, more reliable and consistent coffee—and I did. For the past year, I’ve been buying from Angelino’s Coffee, a small, independent roastery. They wear their core values on their sleeve, and fueling my (slight) caffeine addiction has never tasted (or felt!) better.
Today, I’m sharing with you why I get my K-Cups from an independent coffee roastery. I’ll walk you through why I made such a big switch in my coffee routine and why it was the best decision I’ve made so far.
My Money Pushes the Local Economy Forward
Every time you spend money with a small business, you’re helping drive the local economy. Independent coffee roasteries are no different. Finding Angelino’s has made appreciate the role of a small business. From employing skilled workers to buying supplies from other small family farms, they create a more circular economy. You can’t say the same for large multinational brands.
Angelino’s Coffee follows this sustainable model. They’re based in Los Angeles and have a deep commitment to reinvesting their profits locally. Plus, every coffee bean is hand-picked, roasted, and packaged in one of their California roasteries.
I’m Helping a Family Succeed
Behind many small companies is a family dedicated to their work, and that’s a huge plus to me. For businesses like Angelino’s, it’s all about family. I don’t know about you, but I’m always happy to see several generations working together for the same goal: making their customers happy. There’s something so touching and genuine about it, don’t you agree?
When you invest in these independent ventures, your money goes toward a real person. Not a board of executives, not a greedy salesman, not a cleverly developed algorithm. You’re not funding someone’s third mansion or a new yacht. Instead, you’re helping a real family keep doing what they love most.
That’s the main reason why I stopped buying Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks K-Cups and switched to Angelino’s. I know my money is flowing to a company that cares about giving their customers the best coffee experience possible. After all, the founder Kirk started this venture because of his father’s passion for coffee, so I know my happiness is personal for him.
Independent Roasteries Legitimately Support Coffee Farmers
Another incredibly important point for me is ethical sourcing. Remember how I said I grew frustrated with large coffee brands for not being transparent about their labor? That’s because I learned how exploitative the coffee business can be. From child labor to shamefully low wages and animal cruelty, it was refreshing to find an independent roastery that took no part in this just as much as I wanted nothing to do with it too.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to give up my drink of choice for my morals. Small, independent roasteries like Angelino’s have a far better track record with their coffee farmers. Because they aren’t as big, they can control where their beans come from—and how the workers are treated.
They Go Beyond the “Fair Trade” Labels
While Angelino’s Coffee doesn’t have a “fair trade” label, I would argue that’s a good thing. That type of certification is costly, and many farming families simply can’t afford it. Should those families be left out of the coffee trade entirely, even though they’ve been doing it for many, many generations?
Of course not. Angelino’s Coffee works directly with independent farmers all over the world, from Colombia to Ethiopia. The founder regularly visits these coffee farms to forge a pleasant working relationship with the workers who bring us our favorite flavorful beans. Moreover, they pay their farmers twice the amount “fair trade” certifications set for coffee. At the end of the day, that means farmers get more money in their pocket and are treated with the dignity they deserve.
Small Roasteries Put Their Heart and Soul Into Each Order
Another selling point for small roasteries is the care they put into each order. They treat your orders with the love multinational chains can’t offer.
For an independent coffee roaster, each order is personal, and so they put more thought into keeping you happy, especially if you ever come across any problems with your order.
They Can Control Shipping and Delivery
Angelino’s Coffee has taken this to a whole new level. You’ve heard of “farm to table,” now you can experience “farm to cup.” Because Angelino’s was able to cut out the middle-man, their K-cups don’t sit for months in a warehouse. Instead, the beans are roasted, ground, and shipped to you in a matter of days. This means your coffee will never taste stale, unlike the K-Cups I’ve found at grocery stores. You can thank Carlos, the master roaster at Angelino’s, for the strong, fresh taste.
There’s Greater Transparency
Lastly, I wanted to highlight how transparent small businesses tend to be. When you reach out to customer support, chances are you’ll be talking to someone who has a real stake in the company. I know they will be happy to answer whatever burning questions you have.
Angelino’s is a prime example of this. I love how dedicated to transparency they are. They’re straightforward with their goals and values and let you get a behind-the-scenes peek at how they produce outstanding coffee. There are no smokescreens nor less-than-ethical practices hidden behind clever marketing (unlike what larger-than-life companies do).
Thanks to Angelino’s, I got my morning coffee back, at a price that didn’t break the family budget. You can try it, too, by clicking here for over 24 different coffees for as low as $0.39 per cup!
