Coffee Showcase

We wanted a good cup of coffee and wanted a product that our disabled employees could easily manufacture.

I was home roasting up until this year, starting on a popcorn popper and culminating in a modified garage setup churning out one bag at a time.

At the founding organization, First Christian Church, coffee was always a staple for doing ministry and a beloved product and hobby of the pastoral staff.

Our coffee shop is called Butler Coffee Lab. We are only 7 months old. We started it as a non-profit to employ disabled individuals.

Minimum Wage Tim's Coffee Co. began at a small South Minneapolis popup market in 2022. I was still roasting in my garage nearby at that time. A few neighbors requested a subscription service to continue drinking my coffee once the market season ended. That service has grown to constitute my primary business and focus as I develop new coffees.

Photo of Minimum Wage Tim’s Coffee Co. Stamp and Coffee Bag

So, in 2014, First Christian Church launched Catalyst Coffee Company as a marketplace ministry whose purpose is to be a Catalyst in the long-term health of our community by "Producing Goodness & Promoting Others." Catalyst isn't just a coffee shop; it's a place for people to meet, connect, build relationship, and join us as a"Catalyst Partner"who is pouring back into the community!

White coffee and a light roast.

I'm loving a few natural process coffees right now, including a Burundi on my menu and a Papua New Guinea set to launch for holiday shopping. My concept has always been to present my coffees at a light roast, especially the naturals.

Most of our customers love our medium roast Guatemala bean as their go-to drip coffee. Our General Manager's go-to, however, is our espresso blend,by Sweet Maria's.

We use the stamps to brand the take home bags. It makes the product look more artisan and hand done.

Visual! Kraft paper bags are part of my brand presentation and the logo looks great as an obvious stamp. Now I have stamps of my logo in 3 sizes. They are used for the full range of bag sizes, from 5oz to 5lb. I also use the smallest to add my logo to blank to-go cups and sleeves for hotel lobbies. If Starbucks can have branded cups all over the place, why can't I? The logo is even stamped on the sides of boxes containing pre-portioned whole bean packs (also stamped) received by wholesale customers.

Every time you make a purchase at Catalyst,helping us support community builders already doing good work, you see our logo stamped onto your cup.

Photo of Catalyst Coffee Company Stamp and Coffee Cup

Our branding consultant said it would give a home grown feeling instead of printing.

I actually started off running my blank 12oz bags through an Inkjet printer. As the sizes of our offerings have diversified, it's become easier to use a stamp for every size including 12oz.

Photo of Minimum Wage Tim’s Coffee Bag

Stamping our logo onto the custom, double-walled cup saves us money and adds a personal touch.

We get comments that we are more organic marketing in our small business. It’s a local look instead of a tailored look.

Stamps have enabled my business to demonstrate our creativity and attention to detail. We have fostered from the beginning a cost-effective general strategy as we learn to produce a professional product with limited resources.

It is also an easier way to secure personally-branded cups without the wait or hassle of a printing company.