About Us

Three Cups Coffee Company is the dream of two long-time friends and disabled military veterans, Chris Robbins and Steven Weiss. These two have been brothers from different mothers since Junior High School (a LONG time ago). Together, through Three Cups Coffee Company they bring their passion for helping Veterans with debilitating illness and for high quality coffee to life!

The name for the company is derived from an ancient Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony. This elaborate ceremony, centered around the coffee, is actually focused on the participants; friends, family, neighbors, and new faces who visit or happened by. The ceremony focuses on committing one's self to others, spending our most precious commodity, that of our time, investing in other people and not just accomplishing the tasks of the day.

A fire is built in a ring, as the hosts drops handfuls of raw coffee beans into a pan and roast them to perfection as the guests are gathered around the fire. Conversations may range from the weather, how everyone got there, illnesses or challenges and family troubles, to celebrating life and its blessings. When the beans are roasted, they are pulled from the fire, more logs added, and the host grinds the coffee beans using mortar and pestle as the fire smoke and aromas from roasting the coffee envelops the group. The grind is tossed into a long-necked pitcher filled with life-giving water, a valuable resource in Africa, adding to the importance of the event. Bringing the "black medicine water" (as they call it) to a boil, the host serves the "Abol" (first round) to everyone.

While conversations and story-telling continue, the host refills the pitcher a second time, using the same beans. With serving the "Tona" (second round), time seems to slow down as if the world is put on pause for the few moments. This slow methodology purposely enables the group to meld into a new, extended family. As with the first and second cups, the same beans are used to brew the third pot.

The third round, known as the "Baraka" is the "golden cup" in our logo; the "blessed cup" according to the Ethiopian tradition. Only after having the third cup, and when everyone present has finished, is the fire extinguished and the host clears the service. Ethiopians don't consider this cleanup a task however. To the hosts cleaning up is a blessing in and of itself, seen as selfless servanthood; a payment for the enjoyed fellowship, growth and expansion of the family and community. It should be noted that coffee is served like this often 2-3 times per day! Yet we often find ourselves "out of time" for the things that matter most.

How wonderful would it be if we could, as a simple gesture of caring for one another, take an hour, or two, or three, each day to listen to one another. To serve one another in genuine connection and speak life into one another over a simple cup of coffee.  

So now that you know where the name "Three Cups Coffee Company" comes from and why it is so important, we hope that you feel the love and dedication that goes into every cup you pour as a new part of our "coffee family." Oh, and you have a new mantra as well as a story to tell when people ask why you drink so much coffee!

"Always stay for the third cup!"