In 2012, Jordan Karcher adopted his first dog from a rescue shelter and realized he had a passion for saving dogs in shelters. This is what prompted Jordan to find a way to combine his passion for coffee with his new passion for rescue animals. This solution to this issue was the creation of his brand, Grounds & Hounds.
Karcher is unique in his entrepreneurial journey because he combines two passions in his life to make a difference. Grounds & Hounds donates 20% of their proceeds to animal rescue organizations. Their slogan is “every pound saves a hound.” This combination allows Grounds & Hounds to stand out from competitors who only focus on coffee, rather than helping a cause along the way. Helping animals drives Karcher to build his brand in the best way possible, because the funds he raise all contribute to his passion for animals.
Grounds & Hounds is also unique in the way they produce their coffee. Rather than producing coffee in mass amounts, each batch is homemade in small amounts by their “roast masters.” This production process certainly makes the coffee product seem much more personal to the consumer. It enforces the idea that Grounds & Hounds is high quality coffee made with a purpose.
Innovation
Grounds & Hounds is constantly innovating in order to stand out on the market. Instead of purchasing the cheapest coffee beans, they source their beans from the top regions around the world to ensure the best quality taste. In addition, the 20% proceeds are donated to innovative animal rescue centers to promote better living conditions for animals. Grounds & Hounds also offers a monthly subscription called “Coffee Club” where consumers can receive various coffee flavors each month. This is different than other brands that only sell coffee individually.
My Takeaway
Jordan Karcher’s story has certainly inspired me. He found a way to combine his passions for coffee and animals and create a successful company to benefit both passions. It was very encouraging to see that someone so young found a way to act on his passion and create a successful company. I always saw the coffee industry as one that was controlled by large companies, but Karcher showed that it is possible for anyone to be successful in a market if their brand can stand out.
This is really cool how he was able to make a business out of his passion. The name is very simple and unique too, so I think this is a great job of branding because it shows people what the purpose of his business is in a simple and memorable way.
Wow this is such a cool concept! I love the idea of combining coffee with a good cause. I think it was a smart move on his part to use high quality beans in small batches because it adds to the value of the product. No only is the coffee really high quality, it supports a social cause that is really important to many people!
This seems like a really inspiring and high quality social enterprise! I like the way you pointed out the differentiation they have with the Coffee Club subscription service. The brilliance of this enterprise is that not only do people truly value responsibly sourced coffee, but they really like dogs, and feeling like they are contributing positively to the world–this company capitalizes on all of that! By the way, I also appreciate the way you outlined your ideas throughout this post with the subheadings, making it easier to follow and digest. Nice job!
What a cool concept to be able to combine two awesome things dogs and coffee. I love the deep meaning behind it. This would definitely be a company I would support if I lived nearby. I love how they compound on two things they love to create a super cool mashup that I feel even if you just like one of those aspects you would love this company great work!