GENERIC COFFEE

Were you.. expecting a real coffee company? Oh, this is a bit awkward isn’t it?
You see, in 2019, I (Sam Sherfey, "Writer" at The Grocer) quit a corporate-ish job with nothing lined up. I was miserable, but I am so incredibly privileged that my family has a small business that would take me in.
[Don’t get it twisted — my dad made me work for it. If you’ve ever worked in a screen printing shop, you know how hot and sticky it can be, especially when you’re standing over the washout booth cleaning and re-claiming screens after a full day of manual printing. If you're totally lost on this, just believe me, it wasn't a lavish job.]
Sitting on the back steps of the business I watched my dad build, he said the most encouraging thing I ever recall coming from his mouth, as I explained how lost and confused I was about my career (and life, but that was a little dramatic coming from a 24 year-old).

It was something like…
”…your opportunities are endless. Maybe you don’t want to sit at a desk — I don’t really sit at a desk either. You could help small businesses with their social media or their web and e-commerce ‘stuff’. Or, you love coffee — maybe you start a mobile coffee shop. Whatever happens in the next few months or year, you’re going to be ok, and you’ll figure it all out…”
Now, I love coffee. A walk to the neighborhood coffeeshop for a coffee and a pastry is legitimately the perfect Saturday morning. And apparently, at some point, I had mentioned seeing a mobile coffeeshop or said that it seemed like an interesting model. Honestly, I don't remember this. Whether, it was my idea or my dad's, I'll never forget the feeling of support that I had in that moment. Both of my parents are loving and supporting, but that moment means a lot as I was in a place I had never been.

That idea has always been stuck in the back of my head. And by that, I mean, I know how much a sprinter van costs, where to buy industrial coffeemakers & espresso machines, and the exact contact for wholesale coffee from my favorite roaster.

Now, at some point, I started referring to the idea as "Generic Coffee". I don't know why, but it's stuck thus far. Now, "Generic Coffee" is The Grocer’s #1 (read: only) “presenting sponsor" to speak of. If you're somehow interested in changing that, contact me. The newsletter currently has an open rate of just over 80% and a click-through rate of almost 30%. It is a small sample size, but I am excited nonetheless.