This month on the Seed To Cup podcast, Sprudge contributor Giovanni Fillari interviews BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages Co-Founder Rod Johnson. "We are a coffee roastery located in Des Moines, Iowa, that bridges the gap between specialty coffee and community impact," says Johnson. "We were looking to do something more meaningful, and we are checking that box by contributing a portion of our proceeds to organizations that support youth in need."

BLK & Bold pledges 5% of its profits to initiatives aligned to sustaining youth programming, enhancing workforce development, and eradicating youth homelessness. They've enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity and sales over the last few years, becoming one of America's best-recognized coffee brands along the way, with major placements via Target, Whole Foods, and other national retailers.

Johnson talks about their pivot from non-profit work to the coffee industry and the connections made along the way. Fillari asks about the company's collaborations with Ben & Jerry's and the NBA, accomplishments Johnson is most proud of, and what he hopes to achieve in the comings months and years.

This episode is sponsored by La Marzocco.