Blue Donkey Coffee is generating a lot of buzz.
In collaboration with national coffee leaders, an Atlanta coffee shop is making waves in the industry.
Specialty coffee in Atlanta is expanding in tandem with the city’s population growth – and one of the city’s long-time favorites is ready to make a major impression with coffee executives from across the globe.
Atlanta’s Blue Donkey Coffee, despite all of the hype, stays committed to its devotion to speciality coffee that is tailored to the needs of individual customers. Located on the outskirts of Grant Park, the newest Blue Donkey café is just the company’s second site, having opened only last autumn in an emerging neighborhood east of downtown.
It all started with a successful location on the Georgia Tech campus in Fayetteville, GA, and has grown from there. Recent inquiries came from developers interested in establishing a coffee shop in one of their retail spaces.
According to David Lane, one of the co-founders of Blue Donkey Coffee in Atlanta, “the coffee shop culture in particular is very young, but it is evolving rather fast.” It’s great that there’s so much variety — each one has a somewhat distinct taste.”
How does a Blue Donkey café define its “flavor”?
A distinctive selling point for Blue Donkey is the personal touch – the firm is still a close-knit, family-run operation with a strong commitment to quality – as well as the consistency they provide.
A single statement summarizes Lane’s guiding philosophy: “Our main business is coffee.”
“If things don’t go well on the roasting level, it has an impact on the whole organization,” he continues. “
Instead than focusing on Instagram-friendly menu items, Blue Donkey concentrates on the fundamental brew – and avoids the use of extra flavorings or additions to achieve that result. Customers are instead instructed to ask questions about the quality and context of the coffee that is being served by baristas, who are specially trained in this.
While they are focused on offering a delicious cup of specialty quality coffee, they are also keeping an eye out for – and reacting to – emerging trends. For example, the trendiest coffee in Hot’Lanta is really cold coffee!
The iced coffee, Lane said, “serves us quite well even in the cold.”
Blue Donkey’s newest coffee shop focuses on providing high-quality coffee while also building community..
In the middle between tradition and fashion
Achieving this mix between history and modernity led to Blue Donkey being chosen to organize a coffee cupping session at the National Coffee Association Convention in Atlanta, which will take place from March 7 to March 9, 2022.
As Bill Murray, the National Coffee Association’s President and CEO, put it, “When we met David and Ed, we realized that having them bring their passion – and wonderful coffee – to our conference was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.”
Blue Donkey Coffee and its session at the National Coffee Association Convention on March 9 at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta are generating a lot of interest. The event will be a coffee “cupping,” where guests may come sample, slurp, appreciate, and learn about various types of coffee.
The company has maintained a strong connection to its origins, even as it has expanded.
Company began as a modest enterprise (as in, a used roaster in a garage small). And, despite the fact that the firm has grown to almost 20 people, Blue Donkey remains a family-owned and operated business..
However, although proximity might present issues, Lane believes that closeness makes it simpler to develop a great culture – and for that culture to be spread across the organization.
Blue Donkey’s culture of enthusiasm and compassion is something the company wishes to spread to others, whether it’s to their consumers or to other leaders within the coffee business.
The luxury of good coffee, according to Lane, is a relatively inexpensive indulgence. After all of that, we want the consumer to simply have a terrific experience: a great product, a great service, and an overall nice atmosphere.”