Leaping beyond its beginnings as a small, online retailer, Dallas-Based Ezra Coffee has signed two major distribution deals set to put its products in the hands of thousands of new consumers.
Starting October 22, Ezra Coffee will be available in over 40 H-E-B stores across Texas, from Dallas, Houston and San Antonio to Waco, Waxahachie, Austin and Gulf Coast to name a few. H-E-B also will also sell Ezra Coffee through their e-commerce platform As of September 21 of this year, Ezra Coffee is also available for nationwide purchase on Target.com.
Ezra Coffee Co. was founded by Jessica Taylor, a long-time coffee aficionado. Jessica and her sister first fell in love with coffee at the young ages of 9 and 7 while visiting their grandparents in Arkansas. Once Jessica’s sister developed lactose-intolerance and other food allergies, Jessica began roasting coffee in her home using a cast iron skillet and creating her own signature flavors by infusing coffee beans with syrups, liquors, caramel, and spices so her sister could still enjoy the flavored coffee of their youth without milk-based additives.
“Ezra Coffee was founded in 2021 to create a unique experience for every coffee enthusiast- from the novice sipper to the most experienced drinker,” Taylor said. “We like to think of ourselves as the perfect blend of culture and coffee.”
Every Ezra Coffee blend is naturally flavored and allergen-free. Some varieties include Candied Yams, Toasted Southern Pecan, a cognac-infused Le Grand Duc 1928 and 64th & Tulsa to name a few.
In May of 2022, Taylor graduated from Breakthrough, an entrepreneurial program that provides Black and Latina women entrepreneurs with a deeper understanding of startup funding, marketing strategies and networking opportunities to scale their ventures. Each company founder accepted into the program– run by digitalundivided and funded by JPMorgan Chase – was paired with a Chase mentor and received a $5,000 grant. Breakthrough is part of JPMorgan Chase’s Advancing Black Pathways.
Advancing Black Pathways was launched in 2019 as a part of JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s ongoing global efforts to strengthen the economic foundation of Black communities and close the racial wealth gap.
“It’s been amazing to see what Jessica learned through Breakthrough Dallas and put into action to grow her business,” said Terri Thomas, Chase Community Manager in Dallas. “It is critical that we support diverse entrepreneurs and create more opportunity for all. I’m so excited to see what’s next for Ezra Coffee.”
Part of Ezra Coffee’s mission is to serve those who are lactose intolerant and can’t consume milk-based creamers.
“One of my inspirations for this company is my sister, who is lactose intolerant, as many people of color are, and also suffers from nut and soy allergies. So she cannot consume oat, almond or soy milks” Taylor said. “I wanted to create coffee drinks for her that replace the experience of a latte at a coffee shop,” Taylor said.
Ezra in Hebrew means he who helps.
“Our commitment to community and people allows us to support students pursuing four-year degrees through annual scholarships,” Taylor said. This year Ezra assisted students by awarding scholarships to students attending Howard University, Southern University and Alabama State University. “This is who we are. From the very beginning, we set out to make Ezra Coffee a different kind of company, one that connects people, celebrates inclusion, supports education and community, and honors history.”