Let’s pull back the curtain on Big Coffee for a moment. We all know the drill: a convenient drive-through, a familiar name, and a cup of coffee that you drink without thinking too much about it. Companies like Caribou and Starbucks have built empires by making us believe we’re getting something special—but let’s be real, you’re being sold a product that’s designed to maximize profit, not quality.
Cutting Corners, Maximizing Profits
Here’s the thing about commodity coffee: it’s all about the bottom line. The beans used by big chains aren’t selected for their flavor complexity or unique origin—they’re chosen because they’re cheap and available in massive quantities. If you’ve ever wondered why your coffee tastes flat or leaves your stomach in knots, this is why.
Commodity coffee is roasted dark, often to the point of bitterness, to mask the flaws in low-quality beans. Then they load up on syrups, sugars, and artificial flavors to make the drink palatable. It’s a method that works well for turning a profit, but it has little to do with providing a quality coffee experience.
In contrast, at Ember Coffee, our beans are sourced and roasted with care. We use an air roasting process that ensures each bean is evenly roasted, preserving the true character and flavor of the coffee. We’re not interested in cutting corners or hiding flaws. We’re about making coffee that respects the bean, the farmer, and you, the customer.
Big Coffee CEOs vs. Local Roasters
Here’s a reality check: while small, independent roasters like us are scraping by to deliver quality coffee, Starbucks and Caribou are paying their CEOs millions. It’s a classic story of big business taking shortcuts and reaping the benefits. Their coffee prices are high, but that money isn’t going to the farmers who grew the beans, nor is it being reinvested into quality.
Instead, it goes toward billion-dollar marketing campaigns, sleek cafes, and fat paychecks for executives. Meanwhile, your local coffee roaster—like Ember Coffee in Big Lake—is investing every spare dollar back into better beans, better roasting techniques, and the community. We’re focused on quality and heart, not just profit margins.
Sugar as a Disguise
Have you ever looked at the ingredient list for your favorite Starbucks Frappuccino? It’s packed with sugar and artificial flavors. And there’s a reason for that: sugar masks bad coffee. If you’re starting with low-quality, commodity-grade beans, adding sugar is the easiest way to make it drinkable. Unfortunately, it’s also a way to get people hooked on a product that’s masking its flaws.
At Ember Coffee, we prefer to let the beans speak for themselves. The bright citrus of our Ethiopian single-origin or the smooth caramel of our 10,000 Lakes Blend don’t need a sugar crutch. We roast to bring out natural flavors that make your cup of coffee a pleasure, not an assault on your senses.
The Damage of Supporting Big Coffee
When you buy your coffee from a big chain, you’re supporting a system that puts profit above everything else. Commodity coffee is often produced under poor working conditions, with little regard for the farmers or the land. Big Coffee is all about volume—about producing as much as possible as cheaply as possible. This leads to practices that are not only bad for the environment but also exploit the very people who grow the beans.
Minnesota’s Best artisan roaster, Ember Coffee, believes in fair practices and quality at every step. From the farm to the roastery, we’re committed to sourcing our beans responsibly and roasting them to perfection. We do this because we believe that better coffee starts with respect—for the process, for the people, and for the planet.
You Deserve Better Coffee
If you’re tired of being sold a sugary, bitter lie, you’re not alone. People are waking up to the fact that coffee can be better—that it can be full of personality and flavor, not just caffeine and sugar. Coffee should be an experience that’s rich, nuanced, and satisfying, and that’s exactly what we strive to deliver at Ember Coffee.
Next time you think about grabbing that Starbucks drive-through or Caribou iced mocha, consider this: you deserve a coffee that’s made with care. A coffee that’s crafted by a team who loves what they do. At our Big Lake coffeeshop, we’re here to provide you with just that—coffee that has heart, flavor, and the integrity that comes from doing things the right way.
Support Your Local Roaster
When you support local roasters like us, you’re not just buying a cup of coffee. You’re supporting a small business that cares deeply about quality and community. You’re choosing a product that respects the craft and delivers an authentic experience. We’ve been named Minnesota’s Best for a reason—because we care about every single cup we serve.
So let’s rethink where we’re spending our coffee dollars. Instead of paying for a CEO’s bonus, invest in something real, something with heart. Come visit Ember Coffee in Big Lake, and taste the difference that true passion makes. Because good coffee shouldn’t need sugar to taste good, and it certainly shouldn’t be about maximizing someone else’s profit at your expense.
Thank you for caring. Thank you for believing in small businesses, for valuing quality over convenience, and for being a part of this journey with us. Together, we can make coffee something meaningful—something that’s full of integrity, flavor, and hope. Your support means the world to us, and we’re excited to keep bringing you the best coffee we can.
