Juan Arroyave’scompany,Kikos Coffee and Tea, was just starting to expand when the pandemic hit. “We lost all the business because of COVID,” Juan said. “It was a tough year. Cost of goods went up, shipping costs went up, marketing prices went up, sales went down, clients closed their businesses.” Despite those challenges, Ascendus helped to provide some certainty through the Wells Fargo Open for Business loan.
“We wanted to bring real Colombian coffee and really change the perception of the Colombians. It’s changing, but we’re not there yet,” Juan Arroyave, owner of Kikos Coffee and Tea reflected.
Rajesh Rai, a co-founder of Sahoja, talks with Juan Arroyave of Kiko's Coffee & Tea, the #1 LGBTQ and Minority-owned Coffee and Tea company in the USA. Juan says, "When you're from Colombia, coffee is in your blood," and he's excited about offering genuine, fair trade Colombian coffee as well as a wide selection of organic teas to the world, all in recycled packaging.
In trying times, being a part of a large, welcoming community strengthens and unifies each of its members. This is no different for the NGLCC (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce) community, as Juan Arroyave, co-founder and owner of Certified LGBTBE® (Certified LGBT Business Enterprise) Kikos Coffee & Tea, says!
In trying times, being a part of a large, welcoming community strengthens and unifies each of its members. This is no different for the NGLCC community, as Juan Arroyave, co-founder and owner of Certified LGBTBE®Kikos Coffee & Tea, says!
