Fair trade java beans are one in many social innovations involving coffee. While many thriving social businesses operate on models that either distribute ethically produced coffee and coffee products, there are also several unique examples of cafes and bistros providing employment opportunities or training for individuals struggling to find work for a variety of reasons.
Social impact projects involving coffee target issues both domestic and international, with Cafe Etico a Vancouver-based, which donates 100% of the profits from its organic fair trade coffee to human rights initiatives, while the Stonepound Coffee Company distributes ethical java beans that also provide sustainable employment in the Philippines.
Other unique examples of how coffee is inspiring social impact efforts, Toronto’s Out of This World cafe provides employment opportunities for those coping with mental health issues, while San Francisco’s Old Skool Cafe employs at-risk youth.
33 Coffee-Inspired Examples of Social Good

33
Socially Minded Lifestyle Brands
Elvis & Kresse Creates Accessories out of Reclaimed Fire Hoses

32
Badass Bean Roasts
Kicking Horse Coffee is a Trailblazer of the Canadian Fair Trade Movement
31
Beans for Benefit
When You Buy a Bag of ONEbean Coffee, Choose a Cause to Support
30
Ethical Lifestyle Apps
The Fair Trade Finder App Crowdsources Fair Trade-Certified Products
29
Coffee Ground Mushrooms
'Back to the Roots' Turns Waste into Gourmet Ingredients
28
Crafty Sustainable Cafe Accents
Artisan Coffee by Liquidesign Features Eco-Friendly Decor
27
Profit-Sharing Cafes
Kinfolk is an Australian Social Business with Four Development Projects
26
Generosity Cafes
KereKere Coffee Kiosk in Melbourne Lets Customers Pick a Cause
25
Experience-Creating Cleaners
The Eco Laundry Room Has a Cafe, Kid's Play Area and Free WiFi
24
Rehab Restaurants
'Cafe Therapy' in Prague Helps People Overcome Drug Addictions
23
Purpose-Driven Products
Project 7 Creates Positive Change in Global Communities
22
Nonprofit Coffee Shops
Strawberry Line Cafe Employs Adults with Learning Disabilities
21
Day Care Coffee Shops
Daisies Cafe is for People with Mental Illness & Learning Disabilities
20
Fresh Vegan Food Trucks
Cinnamon Snail Offers New Yorkers Tasty Organic Fare
19
Personal Development Diners
Ground Level Cafe Offers Training to At-Risk Youth in Toronto
18
Anti-Mafia Co-Operative Products
The Ethicando Store in Paris Stocks Fairtrade Food and Designs
17
Connection-Building Beans
DOMA Coffee Roasters Create Relationships That Last
16
Empowering Bakeries
The Bread Maker in the UK Employees People with Learning Disabilities
15
Godwin Yidana and Gayle Pescud, Co-Founders of G-Lish (INTERVIEW)
14
Crime-Preventing Bistro Programs
San Francisco's Old Skool Cafe Employs At-Risk Youth
13
Beneficial Business Locating Programs
The Social Impact App Uses GPS to Find Responsible Retail
12
Organic Shade-Grown Coffee
Ethical Bean Sells Fair Trade and Socially-Responsible Products
11
Cause-Driven Coffee
Pura Vida Empowers the Poor Through Create Good Foundation
10
Ethical Organic Java Beans
The Stonepound Coffee Company Brings Eco-Friendly Joe to Toronto
9
Youth-Led Coffee Shops
Studio 89, a Social Enterprise Cafe in Mississauga by YTGA
8
H2O-Supporting Coffee Companies
Three Avocados Helps to Provide Clean Water in Uganda
7
Stigma-Ending Bistros
'Out of This World Cafe' in Toronto Engages the Psychiatric Recovery Communi
6
Relationship-Based Baking Businesses
King Arthur Flour Company is Employee-Owned
5
Exotic Eco-Friendly Java
Cafe Etico is a Coffee Brand Supporting Human Rights in Latin America
4
Ethically Responsible Celeb Brews
Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation Creates Sustainable 'Lyon' Coffee
3
Ethically Traded Java Beans
Growers First Coffee Buys Directly From Farming Cooperatives
2
Coffee Connection Sites
Coffee CSA Lets You Connect with and Buy from Java Farmers Worldwide
1
Female-Focused Enterprises
Women's Bean Project Creates Jobs with Jewelry & Gourmet Food
Related Ideas
Frothy Instant Coffees
Starbucks' Crema Collection Develops a Rich Texture When Stirred
Bean-Shaped Coffee Makers
The Conceptual Bean Coffee Machine by Juliana Juleva is Charming
Restored Cafe Culture Retailers
The New Starbucks Coffee House Design Revives the Local Cafe Feel
Brazilian-Inspired Drinkwear
Farm Rio + Starbucks Launch a Tropical Drinkware Collection
Luxury Fashion-Branded Hospitality Projects
Coach Debuts Restaurant & Coffee Shop in Indonesia
3D-Printed Coffee Shops
A First-of-Its-Kind 3D-Printed Starbucks is Coming to Brownsville
Outdoor-Friendly Coffee Makers
The 'mokka to go' Coffee Maker Brings High-Quality Java Anywhere
Collaborative Coffee Initiatives
Free Rein Coffee x Walmart Partner for a Community Sweepstakes
Compostable Coffee Pod Packaging
These Cambio Roasters Organic Coffee Pods are Sustainable
Dating App Coffeeshops
Bumble Partners with GoodNews for Le Café Bumble in Paris
Nature-Inspired Coffee Boutiques
Nespresso Opens a Retail Location in Yorkdale Shopping Centre
Premium QSR Instant Coffees
McCafé At-Home Coffee Launches New K-Cup Options and Instant Coffee
Uplifting Canned Coffees
Happy Coffee's Ready-to-Drink Beverages Target Younger Coffee Lovers
QSR Hunger Initiatives
Starbucks Expands FoodShare Program with Customer Participation Options
Wooden Pillar Japanese Cafes
Schemata Architects Completes the Blue Bottle Coffee Cafe Design
Mental Health Coffee Blends
The Coffee Foundation Supports Mental Health Awareness
Refined Culturally-Immersive Coffee Houses
Bacha Coffee Unveiled a Luxe European Flagship in Paris
Regenerative Agriculture Coffees
illy Caffè Arabica Selection Brazil Cerrado Mineiro is Mindful
Functional Coffee Blends
Incredibrew Pairs Coffee with Collagen, Vitamins, Protein & More
AI-Generated Coffee Blends
Artificial Intelligence Created Kaffa Roastery's AI-CONIC Blend
Eco-Conscious Coffee Programs
Costa Coffee's Club Loyalty Scheme Rewards Eco-Minded Customers
Confessional Cafe Pop-Ups
KitchenAid Caffeine Confessions Celebrates Being Your Own Barista
Entertainment Industry Expansions
Starbucks Enters the Entertainment Industry as Starbucks Studio
Artist-Designed Cafe Products
This Starbucks Japan Drinkware Features Shogo Sekine Artwork
Autonomous Coffee Stations
Costa Coffee is Introducing an Autonomous Store System for Coffee Prep
Eco-Friendly Coffee Pods
Cambio Roasters Unveils Aluminum K-Cup Compatible Coffee Pods
Fitness-Focused Coffee Shops
GymNation Launched the World's First Fit-Café Concept
Complimentary Coffee Campaigns
Starbucks and NHS Charities Together Partnered for Free Coffee
Indonesian Small Batch Coffees
Trader Joe's Has a New Java of the Gods Small Lot Coffee
Modern Coffee Packaging Designs
Happy™ Products Offers a Range of Coffee to Elevate Mornings
Stylish Iridescent Coffee Carriers
Costa Coffee Spring Merchandise Comes in Several Styles
Daytime Coffee Mixers
The Coffee Party is Toronto's New Daytime Function Serving Coffee and Treats
Sustainable Dairy Cafe Partnerships
Starbucks and the Dairy Farmers of Canada Partnered
Protein-Enhanced Coffee Blends
The Roasted Purpose Introduces a Convenient Protein-Packed Coffee
Spaciously Modern City Cafes
BRANDOR COFFEE Opens a Minimalist Coffee Shop in Toronto
Coffee-Enhancing Honeys
Nespresso Bloom is Nespresso's First Non-Coffee Product
Expanded Autumn Coffee Offerings
Starbucks Diversifies Fall Flavors for At-Home and On-the-Go
Honey Nut Latte Menus
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Introduced a New Range Lattes
Three-Shot Espresso Beverages
Starbucks is Set to Add a New Cortado & Brown Sugar Oatmilk Cortado
Caffeinated Dark Chocolate Bars
Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Coffee Buzz Bar Will Give You a Boost
Organic Own-Brand Coffee Pods
Natural Grocers Organic Coffee Pods Come in Several Options
Ethical Coffee Partnerships
Win Win Coffee Collaborates with Aramark for Community Impact
Cafe-Inspired Instant Coffees
Nescafé Gold Blend Instant Coffee Now Comes in Two New Flavors
Sweet Potato-Powered Cafes
Starbucks and Kirishima Shuzo Partnered for an Upcoming Location
Social Responsibility-Aligned Corporate Marketing
GoodBrand Impact is a Newly Launched Agency
Sci-Fi Coffee Brews
The Bones Coffee Co. x Star Wars Coffee Brew Collection Will Awaken the Force
Romantic Cafe Loyalty Rewards
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Buy One, Share One Promo is Sweet
Ready-To-Drink Vietnamese Coffees
Nguyen Coffee Supply Expands Its Rtd Beverage to Jewel-Osco
Coffee Product Expansions
Seattle's Best Coffee Introduces Lighthouse Blend
Wellness-Promoting Seasonal Beverage Menus
Klatch Coffee Debuts the GOOD FOR THE BODY + SOUL Menu
Functional Mushroom-Powered Lattes
Four Sigmatic Focus Organic Coffee Lattes Come in Three Flavors
Coffee Kindess Initiatives
Cambio Roasters Launches Random Act of Kindness Week Campaign
Vitamin-Enhanced Iced Coffees
Nespresso Active Supplies 24% of the Daily Recommended Vitamin B6
Green China-Based Coffee Chains
Tim Hortons Debuts its First Sustainable Store Concept in Shenzhen
Black Youth-Empowering Coffee Brands
Bartholomew Jones Ventures into the Industry with Cxffeeblack
Supercharged Canned Cold Brews
Unconform Combines Arabica Coffee, Oat Milk and Nootropics
Functional Coffee-Based Refreshments
The Black Sheep Coffee Functional Latte Menu is Arriving Now
Collaborative Coffee-Celebrating Lines
Marimekko & Blue Bottle Coffee Pay Homage to Finnish Coffee
Rebellious Coffee Brands
Rare Breed Coffee Experiments with Bold Flavor Combinations
QSR Coffee-Based Fragrant Candles
Homesick x Dunkin’ Donuts Offer Espresso-Infused Products
Co-Branded Character Beverages
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and tokidoki Created Exclusive Drinks
Upcycled Coffee By-Products
Kaffe Bueno to Transform Coffee Waste into Cosmetics with Kleanstant
Nutritional Focus-Enhancing Coffee Kits
Four Sigmatic Offers the Think Challenge Kit
Medium Roast Brazillian Coffees
This Tropical Bahia Brazil Small Lot Coffee is Sweet & Fruity
Instant Protein Iced Coffees
Chike Nutrition's Protein Coffee Features Reb M & Organic Cane Sugar
Indulgent Health-Focused Coffees
For Wellness Boasts the Organic Arabica Ground Coffee
Specialty Instant Coffees
The Good Ritual's Instant Coffee is Enhanced with Calming L-Theanine
Sustainable Compostable Coffee Cups
Starbucks Introduces Its New Better Cup for All Design
Coffee Bean Candy Bars
The Coffee Bar is Made with Whole Coffee Beans Over Cocoa Beans
Bean-Free Coffee Alternatives
Voyage Foods Launched Bean-Free Coffee for Foodservice Clients
Eco-Friendly Pop-Up Restaurants
The Green Vic is End-to-End Sustainable in London
Interaction-Based Japanese Cafe Designs
I IN Designs the New Blue Bottle Coffee Cafe in Takanawa
Home Brewing Coffee Launches
McCafé Launched Its At-Home Coffee for National Coffee Day
Collaborative Digital Coffee Campaigns
illy Launches its Digital Content Series 'Coffee Break'
Wellness Lifestyle Clubs
The Health Cafe Introduces Social Wellness Programming in Toronto
Premium Espresso Martini Cans
CAFÉ SOLO's Espresso Martini Features Multi-Award-Winning Liqueur
Tradition-Inspired Holiday Cafe Drinks
The Human Bean Festive Drink Menu Features Five Beverages
Coffee-to-Go Retail Concepts
The Delice de France Café Delice Coffee Concept is Easy to Implement
Engaging Branded Pop-Up Kitchens
SOWN Celebrated the Launch of Its Oat Cold Foaming Cream
TV-Star Colombian Espressos
Free Rein Coffee Expands its Range to Offer Espresso
Coffee-Themed April Fool's News
Eight O’Clock Coffee Serves Up Whole Bean Humor
Energizing Espresso Bars
Espresso Bites Can Be Enjoyed as a Solid Snack or Made into a Beverage
Remote Work Café Finders
Coffee Radar Helps You Discover the Best Remote Work Cafés Globally
Refined QSR Cold Brews
McDonald's McCafé Cold Brew Coffee Comes in Five Flavors
Organic Ethiopian Coffee Beans
Organic Ethiopia Guji Small Lot Coffee is Coming to Trader Joe's
Modern Tennis-Inspired Cafes
Common Grounds Coffee Roaster Boasts an Open Concept and Tennis Court
Coffee Enthusiast Alt Milks
Califia Farms Barista Blends Now Come in Three New Options in the UK
Luxury NYC-Inspired Cafes
Fashion Label Coach Opened a Restaurant and Coffee Shop in Jakarta
Heritage-Inspired Cup Capsules
Starbucks and New Era Unveil a New Collection for Indian Customers
Reusable Cup Programs
Starbucks is Participating in a City-Wide Collaborative Reuse Project
Coffee Shop Video Calls
Coffee Video Calls Brings the Ambiance of a Cafe to Virtual Calls
Convenient Cafe Delivery Options
Consumers Can Now Get Coffee Through Starbucks and DoorDash
Direct-To-Consumer Coffee Products
Boyd’s Coffee is Expanding Its Retail Model to Include D2C
Multi-Serve Cold Brew Coffees
Equator Coffees Introduced Two New Cold Brew Options
BIPOC Coffee Distribution Initiatives
Aramark Nationally Distributes BLK & Bold Across the U.S.
Expansive Autumnal Coffee Ranges
This New Coffee Collection from The Fresh Market is Fall-Ready
Collaborative Coffee Brand Brewers
The Grind x Sage Barista Touch™ Impress
Coffee Machine is Chic
Motivational Takeaway Cups
Tim Hortons Created Five Limited-Edition National Coffee Day Cups
Elevated Corporate Coffee Offerings
Partners Coffee Launches Coffee for the Office Program
Fair Wage-Supporting V-Day Campaigns
Acumen Launched the #Cocoamitment Campaign
White Mocha Lattes
% Arabicas New White Mocha Latte Officially Launches in Canada
Subscription-Based Coffee Services
Noma Kaffe is Bringing World-Class Coffee to Your Doorstep
Eco-Friendly Coffee Tumblers
Reborn Coffee Inc. Launched Its Latest Product — the Reborn Tumbler
Collaborative Coffee Expansions
Costa Coffee Partners with Y7 Yoga Studio
Coffee Tasting Journals
Coffee Note Lets You Discover Local Coffee Shops and Learn About Beans
Digital Accessibility Job Finders
Accessibility Cafe Helps Users Apply for Specialized Jobs
Groundbreaking Decaf Coffee Ranges
City Boy Coffee Has Elevated the Decaffeinated Coffee Market
Directly Sourced Sustainable Coffees
BIGGBY Partnered with La Fortaleza on a Farm-Direct Blend
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Alternatives
Sip Herbals' Faux Joe Comes in a Craveable Fall Flavor
Cafe-Inspired Coffee Capsules
These Costa Coffee Capsules Work with L'OR and Nespresso Systems
Smooth Oil-Infused Coffees
Starbucks UK Introduced Three Oleato Drinks
Proprietary Brewing Cold Coffees
The FedUp Foods Cold Brew Coffee Line Has Two Roast Options
Ethically Sourced Decaf Blends
James Coffee Co. Unveils a New Natural and Sustainable Decaf Line
Robust Retailer Coffee Ranges
Casey's Darn Good Coffee Comes in Eight New Blends
Panama-Produced Coffee Products
Klatch Coffee Spotlights Its Geisha Coffee and Its Brand Ethos
Sustainable Coffee Ventures
Staten Island Partners with the Eco-Friendly Coffee Brand
Espresso Pour-Over Smoothies
The Human Bean's Affogato Smoothie Reinvents a Classic Italian Treat
Ethical Tea Commercial Campaigns
Clipper Teas Showcases its New Marketing Tactics for 2025
Icy Espresso Cafe Refreshments
The Human Bean Iced Shaken Espresso Drinks Come in Two Flavors
Convenient Cold Coffee Products
These New Arctic Coffee Products Respond to Consumer Demand
Community Coffee Recipe Sharing
CoffeePedia Connects Coffee Lovers to Explore Unique Recipes
Bright Coffee Bean Blends
Peet’s Coffee Just Unveiled 'The Bright Collection'
Artisan Autumnal Coffee Drinks
These New CosMc’s Drinks Come in Six Varieties
Coffee-Focused Education Programs
Klatch Coffee Unveils Its Summer 2025 Educational Programming
Icy Autumnal Cafe Drinks
The Human Bean Fall Menu Offers a Glimpse of Autumnal Offerings
Military Coffee Donations
Dunkin’ Donated 4,000 Pounds of Coffee
Optimistic Coffee Shop Partnerships
Philz Coffee and Simon Sinek Partnered for the New Year
Coffee Documenting Notes Apps
Coffee Notes Helps Consumers Explore and Record Their Favorite Shops
Juxtaposing Finnish Design-Themed Cafes
Yatofu Taps Local Craftspeople to Design the El Fant Café
Barista-Quality Coffee Beans
L’OR Coffee Beans Come in Three Expertly Crafted Blends
Experimental Sporty Coffee shops
Studio Fffaaarrr Designs the Common Grounds Terra Cafe
Coffee Tracking Assistants
BeanBook Helps You Track, Understand, And Brew Your Coffee Beans
Unified Enterprise Coffee Programs
The GrindPro Coffee Program Offers Barista-Quality Roasts
Producer-Focused Coffee Packaging
Onyx Coffee Lab's Retail Coffee Packaging Enhances Connection
Entrepreneur Support Communities
Hustle Cafe is an Online Space for Founders to Connect and Grow
Herbal Coffee Gift Sets
Sip Herbals' 2024 Holiday Sip Box Shares Satisfying Alternatives
Rugged Roadtrip Coffee Activations
Arctic Coffee and Isuzu Partnered to Hand Out Cold Coffees
Cafe Workspace Finders
Cafewofi Helps You Find The Perfect Cafe To Work In Anywhere
Plant-Based Coffee Campaigns
Minor Figures Launches the 'Dairy Disloyalty' Awareness Campaign
Pumpkin Pie Espresso Drinks
Beans & Brews Has a New Pumpkin Pie Fritalia Drink for the Holidays