83% of adults are coffee lovers, it’s safe to say that these consumers are loyal. Madd Coffee is more then just coffee, they are sending a message the world. Consumers are impacting lives with each purchase, receive great coffee and offer a good deed all at once. Madd Coffee is currently in the process of opening coffee shops in different locations within Queens.
The man behind Madd Coffee is Manny Lopez, born and raised in Queens, graduated with a Finance major from Baruch College in 2010. At the age of 26, Lopez was a Commercial Banker for TD. He was happy with his job but needed more of a challenge, he wanted to give back to the community and make a difference.
“I always want to continue to grow, I’m hungry, I just want to keep getting better. I want to see how far I can go, I had to leave banking, I felt that I reached my limit and was unfulfilled.”
Although he was extremely hesitant of leaving his secured job he took a leap of faith. Why Coffee? Madd Coffee to be exact, Lopez met Marco Perez del Cid, who always wanted to bring to the hearts and homes of the American audience the rich flavor of Guatemala’s coffee. They began the process in March 2016 and launched this magical creation in Nov 26, 2017.
Madd Coffee became a reality “When I gave my mother the first bag of coffee and she started to cry, I thought to myself…alright I did it, all the thoughts of hard work paid off, it stopped being an idea and it became tangible”
Each cup of Madd Coffee is infused with rich and sweet flavored coffee that doesn’t need added flavors, including sugars or creamers. Organic and Fair Trade with an unique aroma compared to other brands.
Madd Coffee stands for Making A Difference Daily, with that being said 20% of the proceeds go directly to a non-profit organization called Covenant House, a charity that Lopez himself is apart of. Once a year they raise money to donate to the organization by sleeping outdoors for an entire night, so those less fortunate can have a chance to sleep indoors for a change.
Advice Lopez gives to individuals who are considering to become an entrepreneur is “Have a strong why? What is your motivation, that is whats going to push you on the days where you’re overwhelmed and doubting your decisions.
My why has always been my mother and family, wanting to inspire people to do it on their own. I don’t lose sight at the fact that Madd Coffee is so much bigger than me. I documented the journey because I want people to grow with me and understand what it is I’m trying to accomplish”.
The biggest challenge Lopez has faced as an entrepreneur is patience. “I am very pro-active and ambitious. I am learning to have patience, trusting that everything has a right timing is so crucial. Getting this coffee shop together, understanding it’s importance and believing in what I’m doing. When you believe in something it allows you to give it more time”.
Lopez is already planning for the future, Madd Coffee will be more than a product, instead it will be a brand. He wants to continue making different quality and organic products. Eventually, he will create a his own non-profit in order to help donate to build more schools, shelters and hospitals.
This goes to show that you can be young, successful, driven and become an entrepreneur with a business that is making a difference daily.