MARCH 2019
- March 2, 2019, Ethnos Coffee Roasters was founded by Kenny Baker. Kenny started roasting on a counter-top Behmor roaster, in the Mother in-law suite behind his house.
- On March 20th, Ethnos released its first coffee, a Kenyan from Kiganjo.
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APRIL 2019
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After one month of roasting, it was time to upgrade to the Artisan 3-e. This commercial coffee roaster is able to roast 12 times more than the Behmor Roaster. It was a major upgrade and a pivotal moment for Ethnos Coffee.
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JUNE 2019
- Ethnos proudly partnered with Bart Jones, the owner of CxffeeBlack, for our first collaboration. Together, Kenny and Bart crafted the unique coffee, Guji Mane, which quickly became a hit in the Memphis community.
- Guji Mane had its own release party held at comeback coffee.
- Guji Mane was a huge success and was later served by City & State, Comeback Coffee, and Coffee Central.
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FEBRUARY 2020
- February 22nd, we had our first rebrand, which included new bag designs and our current logo!
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JUNE 2020
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Kenny collaborated with local artist Joseph Boyd to create the coffee Flight of Fancy. The label featured artwork from Boyds collection Flight of Fancy and was created to display the beauty of art, hustle, and the city of Memphis.
- Flight of Fancy was released on Juneteenth in solidarity with the black community.
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SEPTEMBER 2020
- On September 1st, Ethnos released its most popular coffee yet: Honey Gold. Named after the iconic Memphis honey gold wings, this coffee pays tribute to a local favorite. And what better day to introduce it than on 901 Day, celebrating everything that makes Memphis special!
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OCTOBER 2020
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Ethnos Coffee and Moon Artists collaborated to create Red Willow. Red Willow was launched on Indigenous People’s Day to pay tribute to the People of the Red Willows, Tuah Tah and to support the Chi-Nations Youth Council.
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NOVEMBER 2020
- In November 2020, Ethnos Coffee and Smokers Abbey, a premium cigar lounge, introduced Ritual—a coffee blend crafted to perfectly complement the cigars offered by Smokers Abbey.
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FEBRUARY 2021
- Ethnos partnered with Turntable Coffee Counter in Jackson, TN, serving our premium coffee for their popup event. The collaboration was a huge success, with lines out the door the entire time!
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MARCH 2021
- We were thrilled to support Turntable for their grand opening! This marked the beginning of a valued partnership, and to this day, we continue to collaborate closely with them, sharing our passion for exceptional coffee and community.
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DECEMBER 2021
- In December 2021, Ethnos teamed up with Coffee Central to create Central Brew, marking Coffee Central's first-ever coffee collaboration. Little did we know that this collaboration would pave the way for Coffee Central to acquire Ethnos in 2023, solidifying our shared commitment to exceptional coffee and community.
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AUGUST 2022
- In August 2022, Ethnos partnered with Coffee Central's Bar Manager, Shawn Thigpun, who would later become the Head Roaster of Ethnos Coffee. Together, Kenny and Shawn collaborated to source and roast the second iteration of Central Brew.
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OCTOBER 2022
- Ethnos collaborated with Nike for their special employee event, highlighting our shared value for collaboration. As a global company with a strong presence in Memphis, Nike's partnership underscores our mission to unite people across cultures.
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JANUARY 2023
- We installed and began roasting on the Loring S7 Nighthawk, and concurrently opened the roastery cafe. The acquisition of a larger roaster was made possible by the unwavering support of our loyal customers.
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AUGUST 2023
- Competed in the Edible Memphis ChampionSip and won Judge’s Choice with our Smoked Gold Fashion! This unique twist on the classic old-fashioned features our barrel-aged coffee, honeygold syrup, old-fashioned bitters, and to top it off we smoked it.
- At the end of August 2023, we completed our second rebrand, featuring new bags and logo variations. The updated bags come in three distinct colors to denote the coffee's process: red for washed coffees, yellow for honey-processed, and black for natural-processed coffees.
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SEPTEMBER 2023
- Launched BBA coffee
- Ethnos partnered with the Memphis Zoo to provide coffee for their café, marking the beginning of an exciting collaboration.
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OCTOBER 2023
- In October 2023, Ethnos was acquired by the Tatum Family, becoming a sister company to Coffee Central.
- Shawn Thigpun was promoted from bar manager at Coffee Central to head roaster for Ethnos.
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NOVEMBER 2023
- Launched Legacy, a collaborative coffee project between Kenny and Shawn. This coffee symbolizes Shawn's commitment to carrying forward Kenny's legacy and vision.
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MARCH 2024
- Partnered with the Memphis Zoo again and launched Rainforest Roast, the first private label collaboration under new ownership.
- Celebrated 5 years in business! A fantastic achievement in the coffee industry.
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APRIL 2024
- Officially partnered with Old Dominick’s Distillery on an ongoing private label Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coffee
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MAY 2024
- Proudly launched "Chronos," Ethnos' very first coffee blend.
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AUGUST 2024
- Launched our first line under the new Tatum ownership. Our Female Farmed line features coffees farmed, sourced, and roasted all by women. With $1 from every 12oz bag being donated to a local charity supporting women, sistas4sistas!
- https://ethnos.coffee/collections/womens-line
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