A lot of coffee shops out there like to talk a big game about their beans and sources, but not many of them can back it up. While so many cafes love to market their Puerto Rican beans, few of those cafes can really tell where exactly their beans are coming from. 787 Coffee seeks to change that though, by bringing authentic coffee straight from Puerto Rico and right to New York.
Founded by friends Brandon Pena and Sam Sepulveda, 787 Coffee derives its name from Puerto Rico’s area code. Pena, who is Mexican, says that he fell in love with Puerto Rican coffee and their unique style of espresso when he first visited the island. Puerto Rico used to be one of the largest exporters of coffee in the world, but steadily began to decline over the last century. Realizing the quality of the coffee surrounding him, Brandon teamed up with Sam, who is Puerto Rican, to help bring Puerto Rico back to the forefront of the coffee industry.
As an American territory, Puerto Rico is subject to a different set of trade regulations and taxation than other countries like Columbia and Brazil. Because of this, Puerto Rican coffee has become more expensive and less viable commercially than it used to be. Undeterred, Brandon and Sam decided to market their coffee to specialty coffee lovers and Puerto Ricans, knowing that the quality of their coffee was well worth the effort.
Sourcing all of their coffee directly from their new farm in Maricao – Hacienda Illuminada – Brandon and Sam ensure that every bean they ship is of the highest possible quality. With Puerto-Rican-themed shops that serves additional drinks like coconut-eggnog, 787 is a much-needed respite for weary New Yorkers.
The new 787 Coffee will be arriving later this year at 74 Thompson Street and will become the eighth 787 to open in the US. While there are locations popping up all over Manhattan, if you’re too lazy to take the subway ride over (like a certain Brooklyn-based restaurant reporter), you can always subscribe to one of their subscription boxes to have their premium coffee shipped directly to your house.
