VUE

U sing coffee as a vehicle to tell their story, Afficionado works to share their message with their customers using a sense of transparency that most brands do not, which makes their values of sustainability and social justice all the more accessible (and inspiring). As far as expanding their product line, the Afficionado team is hoping to foster relationships in various countries and villages throughout Africa. In this part of the world, coffee plants and coffee culture is, for the most part, uncharted territory. While the reality of their work is oen a small group of people travelling to remote and high- altitude locations, they're an increasingly big name in the Metropolitan area. Afficionado Coffee Roasters is one of the most fierce competitors in the New York City coffee market, yet being from New Jersey is a very central part of the Afficionado narrative. While Afficionado is served in some of VUE's favorite restaurants—including Felina, Modine and Osteria Crescendo—their near-artistic approach to the blending and roasting process speaks for itself. "It's really cool that in New Jersey we can create connections with chefs based around childhood memories of the state we all collectively grew up in," Bossie says. "ere is a sense of camaraderie among New Jersey-based chefs and restaurants and participating in that is something we enjoy." It's no secret that coffee culture has become increasingly nuanced and aesthetic-based, making it a hipster's daydream. Afficionado actively works to combat that type of press, focusing on the education of their consumers, farmers, and telling the story of their direct-trade origins. "What we're really about is educating our customers and telling a true story. To be able to do that, you really have to be on the ground as much as we are. Our quality coffee is a product of our hard work in every other capacity." Upon visiting their Morganville roasting facility, there is no sense of showmanship or corporate influence. Panels of reclaimed wood and tasteful nods to the Peruvian, Bolivian, and El Salvadoran cultures that they closely work alongside embellish the space. In this informal environment, there's no need for shiny factory knobs or uniformed employees. For them, it's about humble beginnings, and proving their dedication to quality through their product. It's not every day that when asking someone about their job that their face lights up and their passion for their work is truly conveyed, but this is surely the case for all of the folks at the roastery. When considering sustainability, many assume the subject of sustenance is the environment. But in Afficionado's case, it's the livelihood of their farmers and the bonds they form. It is through the outreach and collaboration with the communities Afficionado encounters that they build lasting relationships and a sense of trust between the two parties, rather than treating their farmers as a source of income. For the Afficionado team, it is important to ensure a life beyond coffee and money for themselves, and especially for their partners. V U E N J . C O M 122

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