In our third installment of coffee shop review, we go just a few blocks west from Barstow to Revocup.
Revocup is a Kansas City based fair trade coffee chain, with locations in Leawood, Lenexa, Overland Park, KCMO, and its newest location, St. Louis, Missouri. Started by Habte Mesfin, an Ethiopian national, in 2008, the chain prioritizes fair trade coffee and “cutting out the middleman” when it comes to coffee farming.
“This is my life mission, and I have to make it work,” said Mesfin, in a 2016 interview for the Revocup blog.
Mesfin and his company aims to make coffee sustainable and equitable for every person throughout the process. Mesfin explains that within the Ethiopian coffee industry, local farmers will often have to go through a 5-step process to get their coffee to shelves, a process that dilutes profits and creates an easily manipulated web for greedy companies.
With Revocup and his coffee trading company, Full Circle Coffee Trading, Mesfin “aims to revolutionize the way coffee beans are bought and sold on the global market. It’s an online market-place that will allow farmers to connect directly to buyers. Mesfin will ensure bean quality and make a small commission from the transactions.”
A Kansas City local, Mesfin attended business classes through the Scale Up! Program at University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he first conceived his coffee business.
Now, with four franchise locations, Revocup continues to prioritize the farmer and the consumer. In fact, Revocup donates $1 from every pound they roast and 10 cents from every cup they sell at Revocup and Revocup South in Overland Park. By 2017, the money from the initiative built more than 38 libraries in Ethiopia.
Not only will you feel good about donating to Mesfin’s mission, but after enjoying a cup of coffee, you will understand why Revocup has been so successful.
First, I want to talk about the coffee itself. I am partial to a good latte or cappuccino, and Revocup succeeds wholeheartedly in these endeavors. The coffee is smooth, never too bitter, never too watered down, and the price point is reasonable at $4.30 per 16 oz. latte. While some may believe that to be steep, understand that some of the profit also goes to Mesfin’s work in Ethiopia.
Next, the syrup flavors are diverse and delicious, with the amaretto and cardamom ones being my favorite. These two flavors, however, are just a few of the more than 15 options available to be put in your coffee (for an additional $.75 surcharge).
I have only really looked into the Town Center location, and honestly, could see myself spending time there doing homework, talking to friends, or just relaxing. The atmosphere is a little bit on the darker side, with the only light source being the windows, so if you need a well-lit space, this may not be the coffee shop for you.
Leilani Galles, a fellow B-Line staff member, describes the coffee shop as a little bit, “dreary, but the drinks definitely make up for it.”
That being said, however, the baristas are knowledgeable, understanding, and fun, always ready to give a recommendation.
A coffee shop that donates to a good cause, prioritizes farmers and workers, and has great coffee, it almost sounds too good to be true. Go to Revocup (at any of its Town Center, OVP, or Lenexa locations) and enjoy coffee that makes you feel good!
