Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device
OUR STORY
We're Dave and Susan Ward, founders of Buddy Brew Coffee. When we first met, Tampa didn’t have much in the way of freshly roasted specialty coffee. We went in search of the perfect cup of brew, a journey that took us from Tampa to remote coffee farms in Brazil and Peru.
More than a decade ago we started sourcing coffees and roasting in our garage. Our bags of delicious freshly roasted specialty coffee beans — named after our beloved dog, Buddy — became a viral sensation. But we didn't want to be just another coffee brand. We wanted to do coffee differently.
When we opened our roastery in a tiny historic storefront on Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa, we chose our motto and mission: "Brew Good. Do Good." That means partnering direct with smallholder farmers and paying exceptional prices so farmers can thrive.
We expanded the roastery into cafe, which led to eight cafe locations, a cold brew line and nationwide grocery distribution. So much has happened. And we're just getting started.
OUR CAFES
We're proud to say that Buddy Brew Coffee is Tampa's most beloved coffee brand.
We have eight bustling cafe locations all across Tampa Bay, from Bay to Bay (pictured) to Armature Works to quaint downtown Sarasota.
Our ninth location opens soon at the University of South Florida’s new Judy Genshaft Honors College in Tampa.
Each location is a welcoming gathering space to connect over a spectacular cup of coffee.
OUR MISSION
Our success is rooted in a simple motto that affects everything we do: “Brew Good. Do Good.”
That mission is lived out through a commitment to sourcing specialty grade coffees through direct relationships with farmers. We work with smallholder coffee farmers and women-owned co-ops, always paying highly equitable prices so these farmers can thrive.
These direct relationships mean more money stays in the farmer's pocket.
Through sales of our Rainforest Roast, we support Trees For Kibira, an organization that is leading reforestation efforts in Burundi East Africa.
OUR COMMITMENT
Just as we are dedicated to supporting coffee farmers, we are dedicated to giving back to causes that are close to our hearts.
One way we give back is by creating collaboration coffees that raise funds in support of charities right here in Tampa. For more than a decade, we've supported OnBikes, which provides bicycles to at-risk kids. Joy Ride Roast and Ship Wreck Roast are annual coffees that give back to OnBikes.
Additionally, we offer Freedom Roast, raises funds for people affected by human trafficking; a Door of Hope Roast, which supports foster families, and Pig Jig Roast, which raises funds for kidney disease research.
OUR COMMUNITY
Buddy Brew is a fixture in the Tampa business community. We employ more than 100 team members in our cafes and roastery, and love collaborating with our neighbors.
For example, we supply a proprietary cold brew coffee to Tampa's legendary Bern's Steak House for its handcrafted espresso martinis. Buddy Brew's organic
BOLT cold brew coffee is a key ingredient in Chill Bros. Scoop Shop's seasonal coffee chunk ice cream. And Dark Door Spirits uses our Old Florida Roast in its Old Floridian coffee liquor.
We love our community and it shows. In the fall of 2021 we were honored with the Tampa Chamber of Commerce's small business of the year award.
OUR WHOLESALE PARTNERS
We have dozens of wholesale partners throughout the state who proudly serve Buddy Brew Coffee, including the Gasparilla Inn, the Library Restaurant in St. Pete, the Current Hotel, Grace Family Church and many more.
OUR DISTRIBUTION
Our whole bean coffees and BOLT Cold Brew are available in hundreds of grocery stores across the country, with more being added. Look for us in The Fresh Market, Publix, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Winn-Dixie, Roche Bros., Fresh Thyme and many others.
OUR TEAM
We couldn't do what we do without the amazing people who are on this journey with us. We grateful for all of our team members, our wholesale partners, our community and of course, coffee farmers, for making our dream a reality. Nothing makes us happier than seeing that our cafes are joyful gathering spaces where people can connect, laugh and share their hearts over a spectacular cup of coffee. We are also thankful for our most faithful employee of all, Buddy. He reminds us of the attributes we aspire to daily: friendship, loyalty and unconditional love.
