Coffee and tea rituals bring together people of all backgrounds, embracing the inclusivity that is inherent in true hospitality. That diversity is invaluable, and something we encourage at Bon Appétit. One way we do that is by supporting a diverse range of vendors. With the significance society places on its beans and leaves, it’s no wonder that we’ve had success increasing supplier diversity through coffee and tea.
Broadening our Circle
Supporting supplier diversity is an important part of what makes us who we are. We rely on self-identification, which cuts out the red tape so we can more quickly get to what matters most: offering suppliers a route to market. Self-identification also allows us to help promote these vendors’ stories to prospective accounts. When accounts ask for recommendations, Shira Kaufman, a sourcing specialist in the purchasing department overseeing Farm to Fork and coffee and tea, provides them with a comprehensive list of F2F partners, highlighting their unique stories and identities.
The Tea Behind the Beans and Leaves
Storehouse Tea, Lakewood, OH
Woman-owned and family-operated, Storehouse Tea hand-blends their certified organic, Fair Trade teas, paying close attention to harvest dates to capture the full flavor of the leaves. They started out with a mission to hire immigrants and refugees and continue to employ international workers today.
When students at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, started asking where they could get quality local teas, “we wanted to switch to something we could point students in a direction where they could go buy it both on and off campus” says Marketing Manager Lauren Varvir, and thus their relationship with Storehouse Tea began last year. By featuring their products at Spartie Mart and campus restaurant Michelson & Morley, as well as at tea tastings and build your own teacup events — and with the hopes of expanding it to the catering division — the team has begun steeping what promises to be a fruitful partnership.
Proyecto Diaz, Oakland, CA
Proyecto Diaz is truly dedicated to their coffee. They source and roast products from various Latin American farms, including El Carmen, their family farm, and invest a portion of their profits back into those farms to help rebuild and revitalize. In March 2025, Proyecto Diaz won the roast-off at the Intuit campus in Mountain View, CA with the brewed coffee and specialty selection they brought to showcase. With over 1,000 votes cast, Proyecto Diaz was picked over the other competing roasters to be served at one of the three coffee bars on campus.
Intuit’s Coffee Manager Oreo Fortune says, “We have had them on site multiple times to do tastings,” expressing that the owners (above, founder Fernando Diaz and co-owner Hannah Love-Diaz) “are amazing people who are very communicative and have come out a few times to ensure we are pulling espresso and brewing coffee to how their specific coffee should taste.” Proyecto Diaz doesn’t stop there, says Oreo. “They will occasionally launch single origins from their family farm and showcase the story behind the bean.” A partnership as warm as a fresh pour-over.
Bushwick Tea, Brooklyn, NY
The people of Bushwick Tea are no strangers to community and the ways tea can spark shared moments. They’re always ready with a recommendation for a flavorful tea, happy to support whatever your tea needs may be. According to Executive Chef Dan Kang Morgan at a social justice-oriented foundation in New York, NY, the client chose Bushwick Tea because “they’re a local, minority-owned Brooklyn company built around ethical sourcing and thoughtful craft,” he says.
“Their teas come from growers around the world, and every bag is a 100% compostable, plant-based sachet — aligned with our sustainability goals and with the kind of vendors we want to champion,” says Dan. Bushwick Tea “brings both integrity and great flavor to the table, making them a natural fit for our program.” It’s clear that Bushwick Tea is very much…Bon Appétit’s cup of tea.
Jones Coffee Roasters, Pasadena, CA
Jones Coffee Roasters sources their coffee from their family farm, Finca Dos Marias. Committed to sustainability and the welfare of its workers, the farm began producing coffee in the mid-1870s in the highlands of Guatemala. Both farm and roastery are invested in people, uplifting them and bringing them together as a community. Jones Coffee Roasters provides coffee to the University of La Verne in La Verne, California, and has even named a bespoke blend, called “Leo’s Blend,” after the school’s mascot.
“It’s a really tasty blend and very popular with our client and guests,” says General Manager Gilbert Talbot. “It’s a great partnership and we appreciate their commitment to us and our client.” The relationship really hits the perfect brew note.
