100-year-old coffee roaster looks to grow its brand
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Try-Me Coffee is located on France Street in the Bywater. Photo: Courtesy of Try-Me Coffee
A 100-year-old coffee roaster in the Bywater has new ownership thanks to a New Orleans couple who recently took over the business.
Why it matters: If you've ever sipped on a bottomless cup of coffee at Slim Goodies or tried the affogato at Brocato's, then you've enjoyed the goods from Try-Me Coffee, a still little-known local coffee roaster.
The big picture: New Orleans has been at the center of American coffee consumption for pretty much its entire history thanks to its prime location along key trade routes.
Zoom in: Local roasters like Mojo, Congregation, PJ's Coffee and Cherry are still at the heart of many New Orleans mornings (or late nights).
- But few have stood the test of time quite like Try-Me Coffee.
Flashback: The brand began when bank teller Henry Kepler opened shop in the Bywater when he started roasting and went door-to-door asking neighbors to try his beans.
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Yes, but: Though many Bywater neighbors continue to pick up bags of beans straight from the roaster, most of Try-Me's customers are local restaurants.
- That means the brand hasn't developed the same kind of label recognition as some other roasters.
- The new owners, Lauren "Mermaid" McCabe and Abby King, hope to change that.
- "It's a very different landscape" now, McCabe says. "We can continue the legacy of this business that has had a real strong hand in shaping the coffee culture of New Orleans."
Dig in: To celebrate 100 years of business, Try-Me is offering a sampler pack for purchase online.
- Plus, they're offering free delivery in Orleans and Jefferson parish for the rest of the year.
