Episode 14: Cofounding the Extraordinary, With 321 Coffee

On this episode of the NC State Philanthropy Podcast, we’re joined by Lindsay Wrege and Michael Evans of 321 Coffee. These Park Scholars cofounded the coffee company while they were freshmen at NC State with help from their scholarships, the Andrews Launch Accelerator and other sources of private support. The result: a Raleigh-based coffee company that currently employs more than 50 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

321 has also joined with NC State to produce an officially licensed cobranded coffee. The “Greater Good” blend will be available for purchase directly from 321 Coffee beginning on April 11, with preorders available now. The medium roast coffee features NC State branding and barista Sam, one of 321’s first employees and a lifelong Wolfpack fan. To learn more about this exciting new partnership between NC State and 321 Coffee, please visit go.ncsu.edu/coffeecobrand.

This episode was recorded in the fall of 2022, during the early stages of development for “Greater Good” and as 321’s first stand-alone storefront was opening on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh. (A second stand-alone location later opened in Durham, bringing the total number of locations to four, including the original shop at the State Farmers Market and an in-office shop with software company Pendo in downtown Raleigh.) The recording was made via Zoom to allow for Lindsay and Michael’s busy schedules at that time, so please overlook any glitches in the audio caused by momentary signal loss.

Transcript available here.