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When you’ve lived in New York as long as we have, you start to see the magic in those small, everyday gestures that bring warmth to our bustling city. It’s the barista who remembers your order, the stranger who gives you directions, the subtle nod from a fellow New Yorker on a crowded street. This spirit—of connection, resilience, and kindness—inspired Rockefeller, our annual holiday coffee blend. With flavors that evoke shared moments around the holiday table, Rockefeller is as vibrant and rich as New York City itself. Rockefeller brings together exceptional coffees from Antigua, Guatemala, and Ngozi, Burundi, all of which are 100% women-produced, resulting in a beautifully balanced cup that starts with notes of sweet, dried fruits like dates and papaya. As you sip, layers of candied nuts, baking chocolate, and butterscotch unfold, with a touch of red apple acidity for a festive brightness in every sip. Crafted to celebrate “NY Nice” and the small gestures that make the season brighter, each cup of Rockefeller is a reminder of what the holidays are all about—coming together, savoring the moment, and honoring the unique beauty of our city. From our Joe Coffee family to yours, happy holidays! Support Our Community Each year, we donate $1 from every bag of Rockefeller to an organization that supports our New York City community. This year, we invited baristas from all our cafes to nominate nonprofits that resonate with them and align with our mission. The clear standout choice was 9 Million Reasons, New York City’s largest and farthest-reaching community food pantry (and our roastery’s neighbors in Long Island City!). 9 Million Reasons serves more than 30,000 food-insecure families per month, moving up to 60,000 pounds of food in just seven hours each day. Meet the Artist: Aly Miller Say hello to Aly Miller, the talented illustrator behind our Rockefeller Holiday Coffee for the second year in a row! A New Yorker for over ten years, Aly is now based in Milwaukee, WI, where she creates food and beverage illustrations, soulful maps, and artwork for books and brands. For this year’s 12 oz bag design, she drew inspiration from the holiday magic that comes to life at the cafe that started it all in the West Village. Join us in savoring this year’s Rockefeller Holiday Coffee, made even more special by Aly’s delightful vision! Brew Like A Pro Crafted to meet you wherever you are on your coffee journey, Rockefeller is approachable and easy to brew—shining on any drip method. The result? A sweet, inviting cup with a touch of holiday magic. For the best experience, Amaris Gutierrez-Ray, our VP of Coffee, recommends brewing Rockefeller with a V60. Here’s her personal go-to recipe to help you unlock this coffee’s full potential: EquipmentHario V60 Ceramic Dripper BloomPour: 60g of water Give it a brew and experience Rockefeller’s perfectly balanced sweetness, a warm companion for the holiday season.

When it comes to the world of tea, few brands have taken as thoughtful and dedicated an approach as Kettl. Founded in 2011, Kettl has made it its mission to share the freshest, highest-quality Japanese teas with the world—something that wasn’t easily accessible outside of Japan. With roots in Fukuoka and a strong presence in New York City, Kettl’s journey from its humble beginnings to becoming a well-regarded name in both tea and hospitality is a story of passion, patience, and craftsmanship. In this Q&A, we sit down with Kettl’s founder Zach Mangan to explore the brand’s evolution, its deep connection to the NYC hospitality scene, and its exciting new partnership with Joe Coffee. Can you talk about the unique relationship between Kettl and Joe Coffee, from being neighbors to building the partnership we have today? Owners Zach and Minami Mangan All Photos Courtesy of Kettl What inspired the new Kettl offerings at Joe Coffee?At Kettl, we source 100% of our offerings from Japan. The exciting challenge for me was to source a remarkable collection of teas that felt global and would both cater to the tastes of long term Joe customers while inspiring them with a new dimension of freshness, quality, taste and fragrance. I am really proud of what myself and the team have come up with and I believe the menu at Joe represents a perfect snapshot of the very best of what’s happening now in the world of Japanese tea. Can you walk us through how Kettl was formed and how the brand has evolved since?Kettl was founded in 2011 after visiting Japan and realizing the freshest, most sought after teas generally stay within Japan’s domestic market. After spending over two years building relationships with Japan’s top producers, I set up an office in Fukuoka Japan to work within the domestic market and source these amazing teas. I started by working directly with chefs to provide them with high quality tea and over the last decade have worked to build a community of customers and tea lovers through our stores, online store and incredible wholesale partners. If you could start the process over, what advice would you give your past self?I would continue to remind myself that the best things take time - and not to be in a rush. Building a long term business means you must be thoughtful about every brick you lay. It is the design of the foundation that allows you to grow. No matter how much you think you know, continuing to seek out opportunities to learn, grow and develop a team is absolutely paramount. What drew you to the hospitality industry?The community of folks within the industry. The incredible camaraderie and friendship that exists in hospitality - especially here in NYC - is second to none. I find a lot of personal inspiration in seeing people push themselves, overcome the inevitable adversities, and make an impact on their community. Hospitality is a form of service - putting others before you - and I think that is a great road map for life in general. How has being based in New York City shaped your brand over the years?Sort of to my previous point, the community in NYC is unlike any other. I don’t know of another place that has such an eclectic and talented pool of folks as New York. The level of creativity, passion and focus - and the ability to communicate it - is something that has inspired me personally and Kettl as a brand since the inception of the business. I can’t think of a better city to work in and create a brand than NYC. How do you approach creating a sensory experience that goes beyond just the product?For me, Japanese tea is the hub of a wheel with many spokes radiating from it - community, culture, design, cuisine, wellness, travel - the list goes on and on. I take inspiration from each and every spoke and find my job is to thread them through Kettl to tell a richer story of what tea can be. Having tea as the centerpiece opens an endless world of possibilities for story telling and community building. I sometimes feel overwhelmed with all the possibilities Japanese tea provides but also find it endlessly inspiring knowing there is such a compelling story to tell. Discover the exceptional taste of Kettl’s Japanese teas at Joe Coffee, now featuring Kagoshima Wakoucha, Hoshino Sencha, Genmaimatcha, Soba Cha, and their signature Matcha—bringing a whole new level of flavor to every sip.

As the crisp October mornings roll in, we’re excited to announce the arrival of our new fall menu. Discover exceptional teas from our new partner, Kettl, a Japanese tea company based here in New York City. Plus, don’t miss our latest seasonal sip: the Butternut Star Anise Latte. And good news—by popular demand, the Yuzu Elderflower Spritz is here to stay on the menu! So, throw on your trench coat, grab a friend, and swing by the cafes—cool mornings are best enjoyed with even cozier drinks in hand. Butternut Star Anise Latte Each season, our baristas are tasked with crafting a drink that captures the spirit of the times. Through teamwork and collaboration, these creations are then perfected to ensure they deliver the best taste and balance when they reach you in the cafes. The Butternut Star Anise Latte, crafted by Rachel, a barista at our Brooklyn Heights cafe, is a warm, spiced delight. This comforting treat blends butternut squash, star anise, pumpkin syrup, and brown sugar, and can be made with either turmeric or espresso as the base—perfect for the cool fall days ahead! Kettl Teas Driven by the desire to make the finest and freshest teas of Japan available to a wider audience, Zach and Minami Mangan founded Kettl. With offices in Fukuoka and Brooklyn, the duo has achieved the most diverse catalog of Japanese tea available in the United States with an unwavering commitment to quality from producers who have become dear friends. All of their teas are sourced directly from growers and producers whom they know and visit several times a year. Today, we’re welcoming Kettl into our cafes here in New York City, with a new selection of teas and their signature matcha—truly elevating the tea experience here at Joe Coffee. Our fall menu is here to make the transition into a new season all the easier. Whether you’re savoring the Butternut Star Anise Latte or exploring Kettl’s refined teas, we can’t wait to share these moments with you. See you at the cafe!

Ready to use Espresso is making its debut at Joe Coffee! Thanks to our partners at BKON and their innovation of Coldstretto® extractions, our Ready to use Espresso captures the essence of our signature Waverly Espresso in a convenient, shelf-stable bottle. This breakthrough allows you to enjoy the rich, balanced flavor of our espresso with ease and convenience, no matter where you are.  The perfect addition to any home bar or coffee setup, Ready to use Espresso opens up a world of possibilities. Whether you’re crafting a morning latte, an afternoon espresso tonic, or even experimenting with some coffee-infused baked goods, this versatile product brings the same quality and taste you love from our cafes directly to your home. Experience the convenience, quality, and flavor of Joe Coffee anytime, anywhere. So Many Ways to Enjoy To introduce Ready to use Espresso, we teamed up with members from every corner of the Joe Coffee family, including baristas from your favorite cafes. Together, we crafted these refreshing recipes to keep the good vibes flowing and deliver delicious coffee experiences to you—no espresso machine necessary. Orange Blossom Honey Latte Ingredients 2 oz Ready to use Espresso 20g orange blossom honey simple syrup 0.5g orange blossom water 105g oat milk Fill a cup with ice. Pour in the oat milk. In a separate container, mix the Ready to use Espresso, orange blossom honey simple syrup, and orange blossom water. Top the milk with the espresso mixture.Stir well to combine 🛍️ Product Ready to use Espresso Thanks to the innovation of Coldstretto® extractions from our partners at BKON, our Ready to use Espresso captures Joe Coffee’s signature Waverly espr... by Joe Coffee Company Lychee Soda Ingredients 1 oz lychee nectar 4 oz sparkling water 0.5 oz simple syrup 1 oz Ready to use Espresso In a glass filled with ice, combine the lychee nectar and simple syrup. Add the Ready to use Espresso and gently stir to mix. Top with sparkling water and stir gently. Coffee Old Fashioned Ingredients 1.5 oz whiskey 0.5 oz Ready to use Espresso 0.25 oz simple syrup 3 dashes Angostura Bitters orange peel for garnish In a mixing glass, combine the whiskey, Ready to use Espresso, simple syrup, and Angostura bitters. Add ice and stir until well-chilled. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel twist. Espresso Martini Ingredients 3 oz vodka 1.5 oz Ready to use Espresso 1 oz simple syrup coffee beans for garnish Add the vodka, Ready to use Espresso, and simple syrup to a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a few coffee beans. Latte Ingredients 1.5 oz Ready to use Espresso 5 oz milk of choice Fill a cup with ice. Pour in the milk of choice. Top the milk with the espresso. Stir well to combine. Brown Sugar Shakerato Ingredients 8 oz ice 1 oz Ready to use Espresso 1 oz brown sugar simple syrup 0.5 oz oat milk 6 drops of saline solution Add the ice, Ready to use Espresso, brown sugar simple syrup, oat milk, and saline solution to a shaker. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain the mixture over fresh ice into a glass. Fig Balsamic Latte Ingredients 2 oz hot water 1 oz fig spread 0.75 oz sugar 0.3 oz balsamic glaze pinch of cinnamon 1.5 oz Ready to use Espresso milk of choice To Make the Syrup: In a heat-safe pitcher or measuring cup, combine the hot water and fig spread. Whisk until the fig spread is fully integrated. Add the sugar, balsamic glaze, and a pinch of cinnamon. Stir thoroughly. Strain the mixture through a sieve into another vessel. use a spoon to scrape along the mixture, helping it strain more evenly and quickly. To Make the Latte: Pour about 2 oz of the fig balsamic syrup into a 12 oz cup. Add 1.5 oz of Ready to use Espresso and stir to combine. Top with hot or cold milk of your choice (add ice if making a cold latte). Finish with a light dusting of cinnamon Pineapple Espresso Ingredients 1 oz pineapple juice 1 oz orange juice 1 oz cream of coconut 1 oz Ready to use Espresso pinch of cinnamon In a shaker, combine the pineapple juice, orange juice, cream of coconut, and Ready to use Espresso. Shake vigorously until well-mixed. Strain into a glass over ice. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on top for a finishing touch. This is the future of cold espresso, brewed to bring the signature flavor of our Waverly espresso right to you, wherever you are.

This July marks an exciting moment in our history–it’s our 20th anniversary! As we get ready to celebrate, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the community that has gotten us this far. From the folks who helped establish our first cafe on Waverly Place as a pioneering specialty coffee shop in New York to the community of regulars who have supported us through two decades of business in this city, it’s pretty clear to us that we’re surrounded by some pretty special people. Enter “Bench Talks,” a new series dedicated to highlighting the diverse, talented, and incredibly kind humans who make our community so unique. Inspired by the benches outside of our cafes which have become symbols of conversation and welcome reminders to slow down to enjoy a cup of Joe, Bench Talks are informal chats sharing the stories and memories of the people who have helped make Joe what it is today. Find them all here as they’re released and on Instagram @joecoffeecompany! Episode 1: Jonathan and Gabby Rubinstein Co-Founders of Joe Coffee Company “We were known as the first third-wave specialty coffee company in New York City. And at that time no one would ever dream that there would be fifteen-hundred other great coffee bars in New York City twenty-years later. And to think that we have something to do with paving the way.” 🛍️ Product Best of Joe Bundle 6 oz bags.Includes The Daily, The Waverly, Benchmark, Half Moon, Nightcap, and The Village. The Daily: Veloso Family, El Paraíso Growers' Association.... by Joe Coffee Company ✓ Available 🛒 View Product Watch on Instagram Episode 2: Alice and Richard Rubinstein Co-Founders Jonathan & Gabby's Parents “The first day, the day that we opened, Alice was one of two or three baristas actually making the coffee and as I recall your sister was here and was cleaning tables at the time. So, it was an exciting time.” Watch on Instagram Episode 3: Eleane Miersch Dry Mill Manager & Head of Quality Control at Fincas Mierisch A few weeks after we filmed this Bench Talk, Eleane passed away unexpectedly. In sharing this with you, we honor her memory and her significant contributions to this industry. “I have been involved with the business for more than sixteen years, and can say that I absolutely love everything I do.” We are grateful for Eleane's passion, strong leadership, and easy friendship, all of which contributed to the Joe we know today, and a generation of coffee people who learned from her. Watch on Instagram Episode 4: Amanda Byron Joe Employee #1 & Director of Coffee “I remember us saying that we were going to be open only during the hours that I could be there because I was the only person who could do latte art. Back then, were were one of the few cafes that was really doing what I would consider specialty coffee at the time. People had never seen latte art before, so they thought that was really amazing. I got a lot of ‘did you do that on purpose?’” Watch on Instagram Episode 5: Ed Kaufmann First Roaster & Green Buyer “Jonathan and I became friends just through the small coffee industry back in 2006, ’07 and ’08. And we were just having some wine one night and I had been working on a business plan to open my own coffee company, and I just by the third bottle of wine I hired myself to be the roaster for Joe!” Watch on Instagram Episode 6: Samantha Dion Baker Author, Illustrator, and Hicks Street Regular “Our neighborhood needed a coffee shop like this so badly, and then suddenly Joe was opening and I got so excited I came over and drew the exterior, because I do that when something exciting is happening in my world I draw it. I love drawing storefronts, so I drew it. I tagged Joe, somebody saw it, Jonathan saw it, and then they ended up selling it as a card for a while.” Watch on Instagram Episode 7: Danny Meyer Founder of USHS, proud investor of Joe Coffee Company “I do not think I had my first experience of walking into a Joe Coffee until many many years probably after I had been a steady customer at Grand Central. This all started because back in the days when you would see a tall cup of Starbucks on every other desk in the office. There was one person on our team who would bring in this blue cup, and I would have no idea what it was. And I said, ‘what is that?’ and he said, ‘here, try it’ and it was amazing coffee.” Watch on Instagram Episode 8: Andrea Rubi Second generation coffee grower, longtime Joe Coffee partner “In 2012, my parents took at trip to New York City with my little sister Angie, because she was fifteen at that time, and she asked for a trip to New York. It was the first time that my dad and my sister had come to the city, and my dad was amazed because of the energy that this city provides. They went back home and my dad was like, ‘I sat with your mom at Bryant Park, and I was hoping that one day we can come back to New York, and we can actually say that we are going to have a cup of coffee of Ruland, served at a shop in New York’. And that’s how in 2015, we bought a second land and started growing specialty coffee.” Watch on Instagram Episode 9: Akeem Showers General Manager of 13th Street and Union Square West “Being apart of the community is big to me, it’s like being a part of a family. I remember just stating off at Joe and meeting Jonathan and Gabby Rubinstein, and having a conversation with them. That is always something that struck me and I will always carry with me, in a lot of companies you rarely meet the owners…That’s something that I always tell everybody; just be generous, be kind, be patient. Anything you want to learn you always can learn, just put your best foot forward.” Watch on Instagram Episode 10: Randy Garuitti CEO of Shake Shack, friend of Joe "My wife had just gotten here, and was in a bar with her mother of all people on Hudson Street, not too far from here, and the nicest person started talking to her as a new New Yorker. Turns out his name was Jonathan. They hit it off, and he said, ‘I am opening this coffee shop, and you should come by’. My wife and I ended up living over on Bank Street for four years, and we would come here all of the time, back in the beginning days.” Watch on Instagram Episode 11: Jacob Soboroff NBC News Correspondent and Joe Coffee Regular “I have been sitting on this bench since this coffee shop opened. One the corner of Gay and Waverly. It was, I don’t know, 2003, and I was living right over there on Mercer Street. This is the place where I had my first cups of coffee in my entire life.” Watch on Instagram Episode 12: Carrie Webster Joe Coffee Roastery General Manager of Production “I have been working here since 2011. I started out as a barista, and then I became an assistant manager, and then I became manager of Columbia, and 13th, and then Lexington. Then I moved over to the Roastery a couple years ago. I just wanted to try something new, expand my horizons and knowledge of the coffee industry. I missed my regulars a lot , but I like this new adventure of organizing, and it is a different kind of helping my team. I like that, the behind the scenes thing.” Watch on Instagram Episode 13: Chef Danielle Sepsy Chef and owner of the Hungry Gnome “Jonathan, the founder of Joe Coffee, he has a very special place in my heart, and in fact when I talk about him I get a little emotional. And I don’t even think he realizes this, but it’s because he has changed my life in so many ways. In 2020, at the start of the pandemic, I emailed Jonathan. He didn’t realize, but I had just lost my job at the company I was working for, and I was not on my own yet with the Hungry Gnome full time...I told him about my baked goods and asked him if I could bring some samples... Few days later I am in the office, I bring him samples, and that night he emailed me, and it’s an email that I have saved because it’s so special to me. He said that in the sixteen-ish years he had been in business, that he had never had better baked goods than I had brought him. In that moment my life changed because I signed on my first big wholesale customer, which was Joe Coffee.” Watch on Instagram Episode 14: Zachary Carlson and Jordan Michelman Co-founders of Sprudge, co-authors of But First, Coffee “Sprudge is an international publication dedicated to coffee culture all over the world, we are based in Portland, Oregon, with contributors all across the world and readers all over the world. We founded in 2009, and we publish coffee news, cultural reporting, city guides, hot new gear, all of the rest of it, every single day. You can find us at sprudge.com. Sprudge was originally a word we made up to define the leftover espresso grounds and espresso sludge that you get on your apron and shoes when you are behind a bar at a cafe.” Watch on Instagram Episode 15: Juanita O. Lewis Executive Director of Community Voices Heard “Community Voices Heard is a twenty-nine year-old, power building, community organizing group in New York State. We were founded back in 1994 by women who were on public assistance, and did not like how welfare was changing without their ideas and without what needed to happen to make it better. So they were fighting back against really bad policies that were impacting them and their families. So we grew from being just one issue organization and one location to now being in four places across New York State, and focusing on housing injustice, economic justice, and participatory democracy.” Watch Part 1 on Instagram Watch Part 2 on Instagram Watch Part 3 on Instagram

We're thrilled to unveil our new women-produced coffee, The Village, whose label art is just as stunning as the coffee within. As a product that features seasonally rotating coffees from valued relationships with female producers, we hoped to reflect the diversity of stories and perspectives as well as origins in the artwork. We had the privilege of working with the incredible Costa Rica-based illustrator Erica Zeledón Salazar to bring the concept to life. Based in San José, Costa Rica, Erica studied Art & Visual Communication at the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica and majored in graphic design. After spending several years working in the advertising industry, she took a leap of faith to forge her own path working full time in illustration. Her work is defined by vibrant colors and texture, along with the use of symbolic elements, connecting her ideas with the natural world around her. To create the illustration for The Village label, we shared stories with Erica about the women producers we have come to know and whose work we aim to highlight, as well as the larger context of women's significant contributions to the coffee industry. Drawing inspiration from some of the imagery we shared, including the women of the Turihamwe Cooperative in Burundi dancing, Erica anchored the illustration with a woman with welcoming, open hands symbolizing creation and harvest, and intertwined elements of growth and cycles, which are integral to the production of coffee. We had a chance to speak to Erica about what inspires her work, and specifically the design for The Village. Her answers are presented in Spanish with their English translations. You mention that nature and the cycle of life are the main themes of your illustration work. What is it about these subjects that inspires you? Nature has the ability to be a source of constant creation and transmutation—in it, we can find such microscopic elements that are difficult to see with the naked eye, as well as large bodies that make you feel so small—each and every one of them essential and important in the cycles of life. At the end of the day, everything is connected and those connections are what catch my attention completely. What type of color palette do you gravitate towards and why?Me suelen gustar los colores primarios y el verde, para mí son el inicio de todo y siento que son “accesibles” a un público más amplio, con esto quiero decir que busco crear ilustraciones que sean de una lectura más “fácil” ya que el detalle de las mismas puede estar cargado de elementos y al usar estos colores busco que no sean “pretenciosas” por ponerlo de alguna manera. I usually like primary colors and green. For me they’re the beginning of everything and I feel they’re “accessible” to a wider audience. By this, I mean to say that I seek to create illustrations that are “easy” to read so the details can be loaded with elements, and by using those colors, I look for them to not be “pretentious,” to phrase it like that. How long have you been illustrating, and how have you evolved as an artist over the I started in the world of illustration 10 years ago and it has been a whole process to be able to understand myself, to know myself to be able to understand what I wanted to achieve as an artist. Besides, we’re in an era of bombardment of styles and trends you’re supposed to follow in order to be seen and taken seriously. That’s why practice and sketching are so important as a source of idea generation beyond looking at external references that can be confusing to us. Looking inward is key to being able to grow, because at the end of the day we are our own most honest source of what we really want to achieve. When working on the label for The Village, what was your process to create the illustration? (How did you interpret the brief/draw inspiration from the photography we provided, etc) I think it was key to create an illustration that celebrated the playful part of the coffee harvesting process that could represent a community of women. Likewise, it was important to use essential natural elements in the process of growth of the coffee plant, such as the birds who are agents of pollination, in addition to what is necessary: the sun as both a source of vitality and a symbol of the cycles of life.

Here at Joe, sustainability is always at the forefront of our minds—from our commitment to sourcing Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee and working with partners who prioritize lowering their carbon footprints to composting our coffee grounds in our cafes. So naturally, when we discovered Better Packaging Co's POLLAST!CTM mailers, we were eager to seize the opportunity to make a bigger impact with our packaging choices. We're excited to announce that our mail orders will now be packaged in POLLAST!CTM mailers, made 100% from ocean-bound plastic collected from coastal communities in Southeast Asia. In these under-resourced regions where very little waste management infrastructure exists, plastic pollution accumulates on beaches and waterways, becoming the source of much of the world's ocean plastic pollution. Better Packaging Co works with these communities to collect plastic from the shorelines, paying a fair wage, which in turn helps lift them out of poverty. In making this shift, we grappled with the question of the sustainability of a recycled plastic product over a paper or compostable product, and you might be wondering the same thing! Ultimately, we believe we can make a more significant impact with this choice. Here's why: POLLAST!CTM mailers use 75% less CO₂ than a virgin plastic product and 88% less than a virgin compostable bag. They also have a lower carbon footprint than any paper package or recycled product on the market. What's more, we are actively supporting shoreline cleanups that prevent plastic from entering the ocean and simultaneously helping communities fight poverty. An estimated 5-13 million tons of plastic enters the ocean every year and that figure is expected to triple by 2040. Over 70% of that plastic enters oceans via land and over 80% of that comes from Asia. That's why Better Packaging Co focuses their collection efforts in Southeast Asian coastal communities. In the course of a year, we'll be able to divert the equivalent of 54,200 single-use plastic bags from the ocean! Whether you recycle your package with soft plastics, or dispose of it responsibly at home, the plastic ends up in a better place. As a company dedicated to transparent supply streams, we also appreciate Better Packaging Co's commitment to traceable sourcing—every mailer comes with a tracing code which you can use to find out where the plastic used to make your mailer was collected! Plug in the code at the bottom of this page to trace your mailer's origin. Even better, as a B Corp Certified business and Certified Carbon Free business, Better Packaging Co works to offset 100% of their carbon emissions. We're excited about this new partnership, and look forward to hearing what you think! Better Packaging Co's production partner collecting plastic pollution in Malaysia

If you’ve taken a class through The Workshop or popped by our Pro Shop in Chelsea anytime recently, chances are you’ve seen Sean Ben-Zvi slinging latte swans or coaching a group of students on how to cast the perfect pour. Since she started back in April, Sean has guided countless home brewers, budding baristas, and wholesale clients through the ins and outs of the art and science of coffee as our training manager for wholesale and public education. Sean has big things brewing for our public education program, and sat down with us ahead of launching a slate of new classes through The Workshop to chat what’s to come. Sean Ben-Zvi, perfecting her signature latte art swan. Hi Sean! We're so happy to have you here. You joined the Joe team a few months back—can you tell us about how long you've been here and what drew you to work at Joe? I've been at Joe since the beginning of April and I've had an absolute blast so far! Joe Coffee is such a deep-rooted structure in New York City and I wanted to be a part of its legacy. Since joining I'm elated to have learned more on how much importance this company puts on producer relationships and supporting farmers. Here at Joe, you're the training manager for wholesale and public education. What do you enjoy most about your role, and working at Joe specifically? What I enjoy most about being in education is the impact it can have on the individual as well as the culture as a whole. I feel because of the quality and popularity of Joe cafes, the company catches consumers' attention to indulge in more coffee knowledge; essentially working at Joe allows me to have a much wider reach of impact within the coffee drinking community. The Workshop is Joe's public education program—where we dive into everything from home brewing to roasting, coffee cupping and of course, latte art! What do you think makes The Workshop unique, or different from other public education offerings out there? I feel The Workshop fills a nice little hole between absolute beginner Googling coffee facts, and the SCA [Specialty Coffee Association] courses offered in the city. The Workshop is approachable, affordable, and very fun. It is the testing site of exploring whether you want to dive deeper into the science of coffee, or you simply want some tools to make better coffee at home—all while giving you a strong foundation to keep building upon (whether that is with more advanced courses or daily home practice). Those who haven't had the chance to meet you yet might not know that you're also a latte art competitor. How does your background—latte art champ and beyond—influence your work at Joe? I have a background in performing arts which is instrumental in my success in education. I have also worked in many different cafe environments, giving me a deeper perspective of cafe operations which helps me answer ultra-specific questions. I've competed and won in latte art competitions, including a big national competition, so it's always fun to pull out a swan at the end of class. And of course, I wouldn't be anywhere without my "fake it 'til you make it" mantra :) Your role also involves training our wholesale clients! What do you find interesting or exciting about this aspect? I absolutely adore working with wholesale clients. As I mentioned before, my biggest goal with education is impact. Supporting our wholesale clients is a crucial way to be able to impact the level of coffee served in the city, as well as to be able to give people skills that they can develop and make a career out of. As a young barista I always had to fight for every scrap of information since education is not usually prioritized in cafe environments. I'm grateful I get to give young baristas what I always wanted when I was in their shoes. You have a lot planned for the future of The Workshop! Without giving too much away, what are you excited most for around what's to come? Picking what I'm most excited for feels like picking a favorite child—impossible! What I can say is we're working toward offering more focused and specific classes in addition to our current core classes. A way to continue developing with us for as long as someone would like, knowing that the coffee industry is forever growing and there's always more to learn! We're adding new class offerings to The Workshop! Check for more Fall dates soon.

It's been 18.5 years since our founders, brother-and-sister-duo Jonathan Rubinstein and Gabby Rubinstein, first opened the doors on our inaugural Joe Coffee at Waverly Place. Jonathan and Gabby in the "early days" of Joe Coffee. Nearly two decades, two dozen or so cafes, and a whole lot of milestones later, the pair sat down with our Director of Coffee & Roasting, Amaris Gutierrez-Ray, to reflect back on just how far we've come, and to take a look at the year (and next two decades!) ahead.⁠ Interview with the Founders: Jonathan Rubinstein and Gabby Rubinstein from Joe Coffee Company on Vimeo.