Firefighters use water to put out most fires. But some use coffee. Java, in this case, is used to put out a different kind of fire.
Fire Department Coffee, a veteran-owned company, has been putting America’s obsession with coffee to good use: Since 2016, it has devoted 10 percent of its profits to helping sick or injured firefighters. CEO Luke Schneider served as a firefighter in the Navy and later as a civilian in Illinois. Turns out cupid’s arrow was instrumental in the creation of the coffee business. “At the fire station, we drink a lot of coffee, and there’s always a pot brewing. I met my wife, who was a barista, and fell in love with the craft of coffee, and we started roasting it.” The original plan was to sell it at farmers markets and host tasting events. But when their “fire department blend” became a hit, the business took off.
