It’s International Coffee Day—does your favorite grind make an impact? No, we’re not talking about that anticipatory jolt of caffeine, though if you’re anything like most of the members of The Root crew, you may be on your third or fourth cup while reading this (so, no judgments)—or perhaps your chosen pick-me-up is a cup of tea? Either way, Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson have you covered with BLK & Bold, a specialty drink company with an even more special mission: a commitment to our communities.
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Founded in 2018, BLK & Bold has accomplished the enviable feat of disrupting the coffee and tea market with their highly curated and delicious yet accessibly priced blends—while simultaneously reinvesting in Black and Brown communities, well before it was fashionable. Since its inception, the brand has donated 5 percent of its profits to nonprofit organizations that support at-risk youth; as the childhood friends turned business partners told The Root this spring, both their products and their philanthropy are passion projects.
“Pernell is a coffee enthusiast—and myself, drinking tea for a variety of reasons, it just made sense to align that with our passion to be entrepreneurs,” Johnson explained. “The great thing about it is it also fulfills our need of giving back to the community, considering that there is a social impact model embedded in what we do. So ultimately, it’s a culmination of many of our passions and aspirations.”
Source: #MoreThanCoffee: BLK & Bold Serves Your Morning Brew With a Side of Social Impact
