Former Bachelor Ben Higgins brings coffee for purpose to his hometown of Warsaw
FULL INTERVIEW
WARSAW, Ind. -- Giving back has always been a main purpose to Ben Higgins, and he found a way to not only give back, but to have fun doing it by selling incredible coffee. A profit for nonprofit, or "profit for purpose, Generous Coffee was born.
President and Co-Founder Higgins along with President of Humanity and Hope United Riley Fuller, visited a coffee farm in Honduras in the summer of 2017 and witnessed firsthand how much work went into each cup of coffee. They dreamt up a business where coffee could be used as a fundraising tool, and the farmers would also be compensated fairly.
Higgins and Fuller pledged that 100% of the profits from coffee and products would go directly to nonprofits fighting injustice around the world.
Higgins and CEO Tyler Silveus opened their new coffee roastery in Higgins' hometown of Warsaw, Indiana Saturday with the hope that it could be a meeting place to gather and develop community, while giving back to a great cause.
"Come in to learn about coffee or sit on the couch that we're sitting on right now. It is a space dedicated to the public that's trying to do good and highlight incredible nonprofits around the world," shared Higgins.
Since 2017 Generous Coffee has been able to donate to over 20 nonprofits and over $200k.
"You can view Generous like a fundraising engine. It's just an ability for nonprofits to not only tell their story through a coffee bag, but through our bag, but also get funds from it as well. And so my hope is in the 100 years that Generous will exist we'll have so many incredible stories and so many millions of dollars donated from these organizations.
Erica Deuel is the self-titled "Shop Girl," but she is much more to the Generous Coffee Roastery than that. Deuel created the colorful mural that greets visitors as they walk through the doors, as well as a smiling face.
The mural reflects not just their coffee but also colors with Central American flavor and symbolism representing their farmers.
Deuel shared that Generous reached out to local Warsaw schools and asked their students to help decorate their walls. They received eight submissions, and one lucky winner was chosen to have their artwork printed on a coffee bag. One of many ways Higgins' company is giving back and involving his hometown community.
When asked what it's like to bring this company to his hometown, Higgins had one word. Surreal.
"I was actually in here last night and we were setting up and I was walking through, and I was like, it's so wild to me. Because I feel like no matter how old we get we still feel like kids. It's so wild to me to be in a building that now I own, in my hometown, has signage on it from a brand that so many of us have built, but that I've been a part of since the beginning. And now the public, these people that I grew up, you know, learning from, also my friends and my peers who will use this space, that's something so incredible to me. I'm so excited for it."
Higgins also very clearly explains that this is not a coffee shop. He wants everyone to feel welcome to bring coffee from the shops around town and hang out on the couches in Generous.
"We want people to support coffee shops that already exist...there's a niche in this town for coffee roasting...there's also a lack in this town of places to gather," said Higgins. "We have a counseling center up front that's going to do transitional counseling and help and rehab. No matter who you are we are a place for people to come hang out, gather or work, talk, bring coffee from other places in, sit in here. We want to celebrate that."
Higgins may be recognized for more than his philanthropic work and incredible coffee. in 2015 Higgins was a contestant on The Bachelorette, finishing third. He was then The Bachelor for the 20th season of the show in 2016, to be followed by appearances on other Bachelor franchise spin-off shows.
Higgins' very proud mother, Amy Higgins, shared that this drive to help people was always inside of him, and he's used the platform he has to take his life's mission even further.
The generosity is evident.
Learn more about Generous Coffee Co. here.
You can visit Generous Coffee Co. at 121 W Center St, Warsaw, IN 46580.