As Counter Culture Coffee’s 30th anniversary approaches in 2025, it has established itself as a company dedicated to quality, sustainability, education and transparency initiatives (https://counterculturecoffee.com/).

Founded in 1995 by Brett Smith and Fred Houk, Counter Culture Coffee has grown from a small roastery in Durham, N.C., into one of the leading independent specialty coffee roasters in the United States.

Jesse Gordon, an educator who has served on Counter Culture’s team for the past decade, spoke to the effect of the valley stream – a positive impact on coffee’s future from seed to cup – leading to the company’s many successes.

Counter Culture’s sustainability efforts are what the company has always been rooted in. “Smith, freshly out of his Master of Business Administration degree from UNC-Chapel Hill, wanted to create a sustainable business, particularly through a subscription program,” said Gordon.

This program is now very successful, and Counter Culture provides various other offerings, including wholesale partnerships.

“Our wholesale partners will always have an account manager checking in, a designated tech, the opportunity to attend seven educational sessions formatted in curriculum, and the ability to receive a certification as a barista,” Gordon said.

These tools enable wholesalers to brew consistently excellent coffee, cultivating a mutually beneficial relationship with the Counter Culture team members.

“The best wholesale partners utilize all offerings from Counter Culture,” Gordon said.

The Purple Bowl (https://www.purplebowlch.com/), located in Chapel Hill, is a wholesale partner of Counter Culture Coffee.

Operator Paula Gilland, whose son founded Purple Bowl in 2017, immediately wanted as many local engagements as possible. After much debate, the Gillands decided to partner with Counter Culture, and this has been a well-established, successful partnership.

“We always felt nurtured and loved as we started our company – Brett [Smith] would always come to the store and get drip coffee,” Gilland said. “[He’s been] very supportive and engaged right from the beginning.”

At first, Purple Bowl only used Counter Culture beans for drip coffee, such as “Big Trouble” for regular coffee and “Slow Motion” for decaf. In December 2021, Purple Bowl purchased its first machine through Counter Culture and started offering espresso drinks.

The Counter Culture team supported Purple Bowl’s move to 505 W. Franklin St. by coordinating with the plumber and architect to install two espresso machines on the new coffee bar properly.

The Counter Culture and Purple Bowl teams value the ability to “cultivate and exchange knowledge to empower people to create extraordinary coffee experiences,” the Counter Culture team said.

For Purple Bowl, this involves creating job opportunities for employees with intellectual or developmental disabilities. To support this, Counter Culture collaborated with Gilland to select the most suitable espresso machine for these individuals.

In 2003, the Counter Culture team developed the idea of “Tasting at 10” on Friday mornings. Company-wide, they open their 12 training centers nationwide to coffee lovers who want to learn more about Counter Culture’s high-quality and sustainably sourced menu.

“This idea came about since we do not operate cafes or have direct touchpoints with coffee drinkers, and internally, our roasters always did a tasting on Friday, so we thought, ‘Why not offer it to the public?’” said Gordon.

This longstanding tradition allows team members to share the story behind favorite coffees and connect the consumer with those who brought this coffee from the seed to the cup.

Counter Culture works to engage with the Durham community through efforts like Tasting at 10 since its headquarters and training center are local.

“We are fully embedded in the community, in the heart of Durham,” Gordon said.“We want consumers to recognize, like most that attend, that headquarters are only x amount of miles from my house.”

Tasting at 10 brings individuals together like Andrew Meriwether and his mother, Renee Prillaman, who discovered the nearby Durham training center, as well as groups like the Duke University New Student and Family Programs team (https://students.duke.edu/info-for/students/incoming-students/about-us/).

Gordon said Counter Culture gives back to the Durham community through its partnership with SEEDS (https://www.seedsnc.org/) because of their shared mission of sustainability. This two-acre urban garden and kitchen classroom develops young people’s capacity to respect the earth and more through growing, cooking, and sharing food.

“We collaborate frequently with SEEDS, one of our many neighbors here at headquarters, as they share our mission of promoting sustainability within the greater Durham community,” Gordon said.

He also said the company works with Trosa in sustainability efforts (https://trosainc.org/), a multi-year residential program that empowers people with addictions to be productive and tap into treatment with a coffee supply.

In total, 32,378 pounds of Counter Culture Coffee were donated in 2023, and Trosa was one of the primary recipients.

The Counter Culture team is also committed to sustainability through its Bloom funds and Seeds program, which differs from its partnership with SEEDS.

The Bloom funds support sustainability efforts at the café level, recognizing that each path toward sustainability is unique. Cafés can apply these funds towards hourly barista wage assistance, coffee orders or equipment replacement.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s impact on Western North Carolina, Counter Culture has promised support for its local partners. Until the end of November, they will double their usual contribution, setting aside two cents per pound of coffee sold to aid recovery efforts through their Bloom fund.

Counter Culture’s Seeds program collects a penny from each pound of coffee sold yearly to fund sustainability projects chosen by producers and organizations. By incorporating funds into Seeds, the program can support more initiatives, strengthening coffee farmers and their communities. So far, Seeds has distributed over $400,000 to various projects.

From its roots in Durham to its nationwide presence, Counter Culture has consistently demonstrated that success and social responsibility can go hand in hand.

Edited by Celia Funderburk and Kellie Finch