Brand Architects: Andrea Allen of Onyx Coffee Lab

In 2012, Andrea Allen and her husband John set out to shake up the coffee world. They weren't just looking to start another coffee company – they wanted to build something for the real coffee pros, the baristas pulling shots and crafting lattes day in and day out.

Join Bora Celik as he chats with Andrea Allen, the co-founder of Onyx Coffee Lab.

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"We were like, what if we built a coffee company for coffee professionals, not just for marketing or customers?" Andrea recalls. This mindset led them to create Onyx Coffee Lab, a brand that would challenge industry norms and champion transparency in an often opaque business.

Breaking the Mold

From the start, Onyx was different. Their branding, inspired by John's metal band background, featured skulls and edgy designs that stood out in the typically mellow coffee scene. But it wasn't just about looks – Onyx was determined to change how coffee was sourced and sold.

In 2015, they made a bold move that ruffled feathers in the industry: publishing detailed information about their coffee sourcing, including prices paid and quality scores. "We basically just started publishing all of our information live in real time on our website," Andrea explains.

This transparency wasn't welcomed by everyone. Some importers and exporters pushed back, even temporarily blacklisting Onyx. But Andrea and John stood firm, believing that openness was crucial for fairness in the industry, especially for coffee producers.

Growing Pains and Triumphs

The journey wasn't always smooth. Andrea recounts the early days of fulfilling e-commerce orders: "I would fulfill orders once a week and I would hand wrap them with this paper that we had printed that looked like these posters. So I would wrap up all four orders that we got for the week, drop it off at the post office."

But persistence paid off. Onyx's commitment to quality and transparency began to attract attention. Their participation in barista competitions helped spread the word, and their unique branding started to turn heads.

A major turning point came in 2020 when they launched a complete rebrand of their packaging. Inspired by the iPhone unboxing experience, they created coffee packaging that was not just functional, but an experience in itself. The timing, though unplanned, coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people were stuck at home and eager for premium coffee experiences.

"When we hit play on this website and the branding, it just like... people were of course, we were all at home looking for something to do. And so when it came out, it just like, you know, I'm so grateful. But it like, we did really well, like above and beyond what I thought we would do," Andrea shares.

Innovating in the Digital Age

Today, Onyx continues to push boundaries. They've embraced the shift towards home brewing, creating content and collaborations that speak to this new generation of coffee enthusiasts. From their "Life at Onyx" video series to partnerships with metal bands and artists, they're finding innovative ways to bring specialty coffee into pop culture.

One of their most popular initiatives is the Advent Calendar – 24 different coffees for the first 24 days of December. "It becomes like this really cool, hopefully, we hope worldwide phenomenon where a bunch of people are actually drinking the same cup of coffee on the same day and are able to sort of share that experience digitally," Andrea explains.

Looking to the Future

As they continue to grow, Onyx faces the challenges of balancing their multi-faceted business – from brick-and-mortar cafes to e-commerce and wholesale. But Andrea remains excited about the future, particularly the growth of specialty coffee in new markets and the upcoming competition season.

For Andrea, it all comes back to their original vision: bringing exceptional coffee to people and shining a light on the often-overlooked heroes of the industry – the producers. "Our goal is that someone's mom knows the name of a producer in another country that they've never been to because they've had that coffee," she says.

From four online orders a week to a brand known worldwide, Onyx Coffee Lab's journey is a testament to the power of passion, transparency, and a willingness to challenge the status quo. As they continue to evolve, one thing remains clear – they're not just selling coffee, they're brewing up a revolution.

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