Copper Door Coffee Roasters
When you walk into Copper Door Coffee Roasters, you'll be greeted with a smile and a hello, likely from a lady behind the counter. Copper Door is one hundred percent female-owned and was started by Hannah Ulbrich. We spoke about some of the challenges of being a women owned company and learned that the biggest challenge is funding. Women receive less than three percent of all funding when it comes to businesses. However, there is hope as more people are becoming aware of the gap and are offering support.
Copper Door has their eye on the environment and sustainability as well as equality. They have shown their commitment to the environment by choosing to purchase only renewable energy from wind farms in Colorado.
"This is something we have done since day one and is part of our core belief of leaving the world better off."
One way Copper Door lives out this belief is through their work with Period Kits Denver, an organization dedicated to fighting period poverty and providing all folk with health and dignity through their feminine hygiene packs.
"Growing up poor and sometimes homeless, I believe that we need to support women and girls who need the resources to live and go to school."
Ulbrich has long fostered a love of coffee and says it is such a fun and welcoming industry. She enjoys being able to build community in Denver as well as supporting farmers all over the world.
"Going to origin and working with women farmers brings me so much joy!"
One such farmer is Rahmah, the Queen of the Ketiara Cooperative in Sumatra. Copper Door is working to send extra financial support to the struggling infrastructure. Due to climate change, the rains are washing out their available roads and they are struggling to harvest all the coffee they have grown. Copper Door, along with their importer, are donating profits of the sale of this coffee directly to help get usable pathways back to the farmers.
After a tough year full of pandemic and uncertainty, Ulbrich remains positive about the future. "This year has been hard - it is really difficult seeing the things you've worked for disintegrate overnight. I've cried a lot, had a lot of hard conversations, and ultimately pulled through. I'm no stranger to poverty and hard times, so I know we'll make it!"
You can learn more about Copper Door Coffee Roasters and the causes they support by visiting their website at copperdoorcoffee.com and make sure to visit them in person at their various cafes in the Denver area.