FLAT BLACK: Australian for espresso!

A trip to Australia in 2001 to celebrate David and Jennifer’s marriage was the unusual impetus that allowed for the birth of Flat Black Coffee Company. While their partner and dear friend, Jeff, secured a lease and financing for the venture back in Boston, Dave and Jen led the charge in exploring the fascinating world of gourmet coffee.

Unbeknownst to most, Australia produces some superb coffee, grown on the slopes of an extinct volcano in a unique microclimate on the eastern coast. Discovering this little-known coffee producing region inspired a desire to bring rare coffees such as this back to Boston.

As the idea rapidly developed, the founders realized that although coffee has been a major global industry for centuries, it has a troubled history, fraught with exploitation, greed, and violence. They knew that to become a part of that industry would require a determined effort to help make a positive change. At first, this meant focusing on buying organically grown, fair trade, and shade grown coffees. Since then, Flat Black has also begun sourcing coffee from individual growers or “single estates.” This allows for greater certainty that farmers receive a fair price for their crops and workers a fair wage for their work.

Flat Black is now ready to join with other like-minded fine coffee purveyors in the U.S., to offer more direct assistance to communities of coffee around the world to help create a more equitable and sustainable industry. 

We hope you’ll join us on our journey:

Experience the world’s finest coffees brewed to perfection in our retail stores!
Order some exceptional coffee on-line for you and your family to enjoy at home!
Ask your office manager at work to contact us about a business account!
Ask your local grocer or café to carry Flat Black Coffee!

At the heart of our philosophy is a desire to treat the environment and global economy with the utmost respect, and in so doing we strive to bring you a wildly delicious cup.