Blue Jazz Coffee

Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters, based in Topeka, Kansas, traces its origins to the mid-1970s when Don and Carmen Conard founded an office coffee service business originally known as Coffee USA. The company transitioned into its current iteration under the leadership of their son, Kevin Conard, who took over the business and rebranded it as Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters in 2006. This rebranding was a strategic move to consolidate the company's identity as it shifted from a general office service provider toward a specialty coffee brand.

The company operates out of a warehouse facility on South Topeka Boulevard, which serves as both its production hub and a tasting room. This facility is central to their operations, housing the roasting equipment used to process their small-batch specialty coffees. By maintaining this local roasting presence, the company emphasizes a commitment to quality control and freshness, distinguishing itself from larger, national coffee chains.

Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters is known for a diverse product lineup that includes single-origin coffees, espresso blends, and flavored coffees. Their sourcing philosophy centers on selecting beans from various global origins, including Ethiopia, Colombia, and Guatemala. The company also provides specialized services such as barista training, equipment supply, and maintenance for their wholesale partners, which include various cafes and businesses throughout the Topeka and Lawrence areas.

Beyond its commercial activities, the company places a significant emphasis on its social mission, which it refers to as 'Our Groove.' This initiative involves donating a percentage of the profits from every bag of coffee sold to a curated list of seven non-profit organizations. These beneficiaries are selected based on their self-sustaining models and their focus on community support, including food banks and counseling services.

In recent years, the company has sought to deepen its connection with the local community by opening its factory to the public. In 2021, Blue Jazz began offering guided factory tours and tastings, providing customers with an educational look at the roasting process. These events are designed to bridge the gap between the technical aspects of coffee production and the consumer experience, reinforcing the brand's identity as a community-focused entity.

The company’s business model remains rooted in the balance between its legacy as an office coffee service and its evolution into a specialty roaster. By leveraging its history as a family-owned business while adopting modern direct-to-consumer strategies through its website, Blue Jazz Coffee Roasters continues to operate as a prominent fixture in the Kansas specialty coffee landscape.