Women's History: Highlighting 4 Women of Color in The Coffee Industry
March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the brilliance, resilience, and impact of women throughout history. At LaFleur Coffee Boutique, we are dedicated to empowering women through coffee culture, and that includes celebrating the incredible women of color shaping the coffee industry, from bean to brew.
While the coffee sector has historically been male-dominated, women of color have always played a vital role, from cultivating beans to leading innovative coffee ventures. Today, we continue to break barriers, create spaces, and redefine coffee culture with passion, intention, and excellence.
This Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting 4 of the many inspiring Black women making significant contributions to the coffee industry, and how their work fuels our mission at LaFleur Coffee Boutique.
Kris Christian – Chicago French Press (Chicago, IL)
Kris Christian founded Chicago French Press after realizing the lack of Black women-owned specialty coffee brands in the industry. Her brand is known for its hand-flavored, premium coffee blends, which use natural ingredients like cinnamon, chocolate, and pecans. Beyond coffee, Christian is dedicated to giving back a portion of every sale supports local charities. Through e-commerce and strategic retail partnerships, she has grown Chicago French Press into a brand that reflects Black excellence, quality, and impact.
Margaret Nyamumbo – Kahawa 1893 (San Francisco, CA)
Margaret Nyamumbo, a third-generation Kenyan coffee farmer, founded Kahawa 1893 to empower African women coffee producers. Recognizing that women do 90% of the labor in coffee production but often lack ownership, Nyamumbo established a platform that allows consumers to tip the farmers directly, ensuring they receive fair compensation for their work. Her brand made history by becoming the first Black woman-owned coffee company stocked in Trader Joe’s nationwide.
Jessica Taylor – Ezra Coffee (Dallas, TX)
Why Representation in Coffee Matters
For centuries, Black and Brown hands have cultivated coffee, yet women of color have been largely underrepresented in ownership, leadership, and visibility within the industry. Now, a new wave of women entrepreneurs is reshaping the coffee landscape; bringing fresh perspectives, cultural pride, and premium experiences to coffee lovers worldwide.
At LaFleur Coffee Boutique, we are honored to be part of this movement. Our brand is more than coffee, it’s a community dedicated to luxury, empowerment, and representation. Every sip you take is a reminder that women of color belong at every level of the coffee industry.
Celebrate Women’s History Month With Us
This Women’s History Month, let’s uplift the women making history in coffee by:
Supporting women-owned coffee brands
Sharing their stories and platforms
Encouraging more women to enter the industry
Join the conversation! Tag us on Instagram @lafleurcoffeeboutique and share the women in coffee who inspire you. Let’s continue to build a world where women; especially women of color, are recognized, celebrated, and empowered in coffee culture.
Sip with intention. Sip with empowerment. Sip LaFleur.