Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Fivecoat.
Hi Tyler, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Five & Hoek Coffee started in a small town west of Chicago in 2010. Our goal since 2010 has remained the same throughout our years of growing from a small town farmers market pop-up to having a store in Wheaton, IL in 2013 and now Knoxville, TN.
Our mission is to build community locally and globally through coffee. We have been roasting coffee from around the world since we started and have become an award-winning roaster, focused on coffees that are ethically sourced, whether most of our coffee is sourced directly from the farmer, or using importers we have built relationships with over the past 10+ years.
Our locations are aimed at being a space where anyone can come and have delicious coffee and connect with others, or enjoy a cup of coffee in peace before crushing the rest of their day!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Is starting a business ever a smooth road? For us, it’s been loaded with ups and downs, but we believe in what we do and the products we serve are worth going through those experiences. From starting a coffee shop with no big investors or large capital to operating through a worldwide pandemic, there have definitely been struggles in the past 10 years of business.
We have had to pivot our business model multiple times, launch successful and not-so-successful products, and make sure we never waiver from making sure community and delicious coffee are being highlighted daily at Five and Hoek. Life has struggles and always will, so we make sure that Five & Hoek can provide a small cup of joy for someone in the midst of their struggles & journey.
As you know, we’re big fans of Five & Hoek Coffee. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Five & Hoek is a family-owned and operated coffee roaster and cafe. We source most of our coffee direct from farmers and a few importers we trust, making sure that the coffee we serve is well paid for, and that we have done our part to contribute positively to the supply chain. We specialize in single-origin coffee and blends that highlight coffees from all parts of the world, from Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia. We have partnered with most of the coffee producers we work with for 5-8 years. We have very strong connections with coffee producers that grow the best coffee in the world.
We hold coffee tastings for wholesale clients and the public and plan to have tastings regularly in Knoxville when we open in October/November. This allows us to let customers try a bunch of our coffees before purchasing a bag of coffee or cup of coffee and know exactly which coffee of ours they love most. We work with artists on labeling and designs. We highlight rare coffees through a series called Sasquatch, where our friend Ceez Davila creates amazing artwork with Sasquatch doing different activities reflective of the coffee for that label. It’s a fun way to highlight rare coffees, and these coffees are meant for slow sipping.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
In the next 5-10 years we see ourselves growing sustainably. We have 2 locations, one in Wheaton, IL, and one soon in Knoxville, and our goal is 2-4 more locations in the Knoxville area. We see a lot of new movement in our industry. Farmers are being paid more, which in turn is causing coffee to cost more. Prices for a cup of coffee will keep going up which is a great thing.
More people are demanding good coffee and we couldn’t agree more. The industry is experimenting with different methods of growing and processing coffee which has resulted in some wild coffees now hitting the market, similar to how the natural wine movement or craft beer movement has exploded. The coffee industry is a lot like the craft beer industry and we couldn’t be more excited about what that means for the future of coffee.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fiveandhoek.com
- Instagram: @fiveandhoekcoffee
- Facebook: fiveandhoekcoffeeco
- Youtube: Five & Hoek Coffee
Image Credits
Axiom Media Group
