In the spirit of #CoffeeTogether, we’re featuring some of our favorite coffee roasters so you know where to get exceptional coffee while you’re staying safe at home. Buy direct and consider leaving a virtual tip to help furloughed employees. Know a roaster we should feature? Shoot us a message on Facebook or Instagram!
Meet Civilized Coffee - Jacksonville, FL
Dynamic duo Mark Patterson and Jeff Norton started Civilized Coffee together in the fall of 2017. Mark was wrapping his ice cream and food consulting business, while Jeff had recently returned from Africa, where he was living as a coffee importer. With the friends’ skills combined, launching a coffee business seemed like the obvious next adventure.
The name Civilized Coffee was inspired by a Thomas Jefferson quote dating back to 1824, where he called coffee “the favorite drink of the civilized world”.
Mark and Jeff have built their business around ecommerce and wholesale, launching a range of products from cold brew specific coffee blends, to instant coffee granules. Their creative take on product development has created a passionate community of customers.
A Micro-Interview With Mark Patterson, Co-Founder
We reached out to Mark Patterson, Co-Founder in charge of marketing and sales, to ask about what makes Civilized Coffee special.
First, how did you first get into coffee?
I started drinking coffee with my parents early. It was a morning ritual and continues to this day with my family.
Tell us the story behind putting proverbs on your coffee packaging.
We already had access to great coffee and our roasting team was amazing—we needed a great “Brand”. Civilized Coffee comes from personal experiences from both Jeff and I.
For myself, I just finished reading “Crucial Conversations” and really believed in changing the way people communicated. When Jeff was on his travels through Africa meeting the coffee farmers, he was very passionate in getting to know them and having “civilized” conversations to learn about their families and lifestyle.
Why have you partnered with the SurfRider Foundation? What's the vision there?
The Surfrider Foundation has a great mission and part of that really relates to us personally and to our business: “Clean Water”. Jeff & I both live in beach communities and know how important the ocean and beaches are. We feel Civilized Coffee and Surfrider working together “we can have a local voice with a global impact”.
What's a home coffee brewing tip that most people don't know about?
Coffee should be easily enjoyed and not be overly complicated.
Anything cool coming up for Civilized Coffee for the rest of 2020?
2020 has been exciting. We launched our “Craft Ingredient & Baking” line and we will continue on last year’s success of our holiday gift boxes. There will be some carry over from the more popular Coffee Gift Boxes, but we will also be adding a few new ones to keep our selection fresh.
What We’re Brewing
Grown on the high, volcanic slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, this coffee strikes the perfect balance between familiar and exotic flavors: red currant, brown spice, and caramel. The fruity, berry-like aromas are stunning.
African Cold Brew Blend
While this blend can work in any coffee maker, it was specifically made with cold brew coffee in mind. When brewed with cold water, smooth dark chocolate and cinnamon notes create a balanced layer of flavor, while a floral sweetness adds that last pop of flavor.
Ways To Connect With Civilized Coffee
As a business based around ecommerce, Civilized is thankfully still roasting, shipping, and launching products at full-speed. Make sure to check out not just their direct trade coffee beans, but also their Surfrider blend and brand new Craft Ingredient & Baking line.
And join us for our Instagram Live with Mark: August 4th @ 12pm PST / 3pm EST.
