The coffee industry is always expanding. With U.S. coffee sales almost returning to their pre-pandemic levels and an increase in branded coffee shops (despite many cafes closing during COVID), 2023 is a great time to explore work opportunities in coffee!
As the coffee world grows, the options for coffee companies to work for increase as well. Today, international coffee businesses, such as Starbucks, Dunkin’, and Peet’s Coffee, make up a majority of the coffee market, and have positions available from coast-to-coast. For those seeking jobs at larger corporations that make a tremendous impact on the world's coffee market and utilize new technology to deliver coffee to their consumers, these coffee companies may be for you.
However, what about those seeking out jobs in specialty coffee? Where the focus is on sourcing, roasting, and brewing the perfect cup of joe. Because many specialty and artisanal coffee companies are small, it’s tricky to find the same work opportunities in the industry. Enter Commonwealth Joe!
Commonwealth Joe sits at an interesting niche in the coffee industry, with the values and work style of a small, independent coffee roaster, but the infrastructure and experience of a larger coffee corporation. So, in this article we’ll explain why, if you’re looking for a job in coffee, Commonwealth Joe is the company for you!
Leading the Office Cold Brew Charge
Since 2016, Commonwealth Joe has been at the forefront of the coffee industry; pushing beverages and technology that weren’t being explored by much of the market. For example, after opening their Pentagon City cafe and noticing the popularity of their Nitro Cold Brew, CWJ launched an office cold brew program in 2017 - offering cafe quality nitro cold brew on tap in company office spaces. While Nitro Cold Brew had been around since the early 2010s and had exploded in popularity in 2016, few companies had built out the infrastructure to support a wholesale cold brew program.
After losing a significant portion of their business during the pandemic, Commonwealth Joe has been building back their stake in the Cold Brew on Tap market - claiming the title of the U.S.’s “leading tech-enabled specialty coffee company.” In 2023, as increasing numbers of workers return to the office, CWJ has grown its Nitro Cold Brew program close to pre-pandemic levels. The company now has an opportunity to continue its expansion with new beverage offerings and new tap technology to make their service available to a wider audience!
With the combination of their rapid expansion and their small team, there are opportunities at CWJ to be at the head of an evolving market with projects and tools that aren’t being widely utilized. According to an employee testimonial on Commonwealth Joe’s website, “CWJ trusts its employees, enabling personal growth and innovation at all levels [of the company].” In other words, working at Commonwealth Joe you can get opportunities to support and evolve an exciting cold brew program that promises to deliver award-winning cold brew to people who may not have access to it otherwise!
Award-Winning Coffee
Part of the joy of working in the coffee industry is introducing and sharing excellent coffee with your customers. Commonwealth Joe was voted Best Coffee Shop in DC for four consecutive years (2016 - 2019) and reclaimed that title last year as well (in 2022)! While there may be more opportunities at larger coffee companies, specialty coffee companies are often more acknowledged for the quality of their brew, and Commonwealth Joe is no exception!
After a recent survey of CWJ’s office customers, the company received an NPS score - an index ranging from -100 to 100 that measures the willingness of customers to recommend a company’s product or service to others - of 90 for their office cold brew service. This aligns with the values listed on CWJ’s website, namely “Passionate Craftsmanship” and “Customer Centric.”
Through these accolades, along with CWJ’s high Google and Yelp ratings, Commonwealth Joe’s cements itself as a company committed to its mission. For those more interested in coffee than the coffee industry, Commonwealth Joe may be a great choice!
Remote Coffee Culture
With much of the coffee world taking place in-person (as many work in barista, educator, or maintenance roles) finding remote positions in the coffee industry can prove challenging. Conducting a quick scan of specialty coffee websites - Intelligentsia, Wandering Bear, and La Colombe to name a few - you’ll likely find three or four available, remote positions, with the rest of the company located at a central HQ. Commonwealth Joe, while based out of the DC metro area, allows all of its management team to work remotely, with a hybrid work option available for staff interested in co-working offices or working from the Pentagon City cafe.
Along with the option for remote work, CWJ also offers a variety of other benefits to their staff including free coffee at their Pentagon City cafe, full Health, Dental, and Vision coverage, and annual discounts on bike-share and car-share services to encourage their staff to use alternative means of transportation for their optional commute.
Come Brew with Us
While there are more and more specialty coffee companies joining the industry every day, Commonwealth Joe is a stand out business given the growth opportunities they provide to entry level staff, the remote opportunities, and their passion for high-quality product.
Join the Team
This is all to say… CWJ is hiring! Head over to our Careers page to check out our job openings.
We’re excited to hear from you!
By: Christian Hall