Last summer, as the fight for social justice waged on in cities across America, Eric LeGrand racked his brain for ways he could use his platform to help spread a daily message of positivity.
It occurred to LeGrand, an activist, philanthropist and former Rutgers football player, that most people like coffee, and the numbers back that up. According to the National Coffee Association, 62% of Americans drink it every day, with the average American consuming three cups daily.
So on July 11, 2020, LeGrand made the bold decision to open his own coffee company, with a cafe to go alongside it.
"People must think I'm the biggest coffee connoisseur there is -- no, I'm not, and I will 100% admit that," LeGrand told OSDB recently when asked about his latest venture. "But I'm willing to learn and understand this day by day by day."
More than a decade removed from a spinal cord injury that ended his football career, LeGrand is no stranger to faith and overcoming obstacles. The “bELieve” motto has been an inspiration to millions as the relentlessly optimistic LeGrand, 30, has worked to raise awareness and support for organizations like the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
Team LeGrand has raised well over a million dollars toward the cause, so his business acumen was never in question. Still, to say that LeGrand started this particular venture from the foundation up might be an understatement.
For example, LeGrand’s first order of business as the owner of LeGrand Coffee House was to figure out whether he liked coffee.
“I remember I hadn't tasted it black,” LeGrand recalled. “So, I was waiting for a very bad -- you know, sometimes when you sip it, if it's a bad cup of coffee, you get that bitter, like, ‘bleh’ taste.
“But it went down smooth. I was waiting, waiting, waiting and it never came. So, it was like, ‘Oh, OK, I’ll take some more of this.’”
From there, he embarked on more formal education, taking courses from Bellissimo Coffee Advisors as he worked with investors on funding and partnered with a local roster on the product.
“The coolest thing is to see how many people actually love their coffee and actually have, like, legit questions about it,” LeGrand said. “And it feels cool that from what I've learned taking my courses, I can answer the questions -- and some people, you find out, are very, very passionate about their coffee. So, I knew, ‘I’ve gotta educate myself now.’”
Legrand Coffee House began selling online on Jan. 12, with a storefront expected to open in LeGrand’s hometown of Woodbridge, New Jersey, later this year. LeGrand, Rutgers and SHI Stadium also recently announced that the brand will be served at Scarlet Knights home football games this fall following a successful test run at the team’s May spring game.
It’s a fitting partner for many reasons, not the least of which is the impact football continues to have on LeGrand as he builds his coffee brand.
"It's the mental toughness, not complaining when something goes wrong, finding and fixing the problem, not letting it simmer over and ruin things, being able to stay focused on the task at hand," LeGrand said. "Being an athlete has 1,000% helped me when it comes to my mindset with business and how I see things and approach them."
Given his history and his impact throughout the region over the past decade, LeGrand knows supporters may feel compelled to give his upstart a shot. The true test for the business, LeGrand says, is whether those customers keep coming back.
"The product has to be good," LeGrand said. "People like to support small businesses, and we've seen that. And when you start seeing customers coming back now for their fifth, sixth, seventh time, you're like, 'OK, yeah, we've got something here.'"
He says he hopes the storefront, planned for the ground floor of a new apartment building, will only further underline the brand’s message of inclusion.
“That's our mission statement -- coffee comfort, satisfaction,” LeGrand said. “You come in for the coffee. When you get there you feel comfortable with all types of people -- you know, disabilities, black, white, Latino, Asian -- and then you leave satisfied because you had a good time. And I think when the storefront opens up, we'll really get to see that unity.”
To purchase some of the LeGrand Coffee, click here. (https://legrandcoffeehouse.com/)
