Michael Rice is launching a Kickstarter campaign for Mad Priest Coffee Roasters with an event at The Camp House Wednesday, June 1 from 7-9 p.m.More Info
The Camp House is at 149 E. M. L. King Blvd. To learn more about Mad Priest, call 404-454-2733 or visit facebook.com/madpriestcoffee.
Chattanooga resident Michael Rice is hoping to launch Mad Priest, a small-batch specialty coffee roasting company, in the Scenic City in the coming months. The business seeks to meet the growing demand for high-quality craft coffee while employing refugees resettled in and around Chattanooga, he said.
Rice said he wanted to include employing refugees in his business model because of his past experience working with the displaced in his wife’s hometown of Clarkston, Ga., outside of Atlanta, which has one of the area’s highest refugee populations, as well as in India, where he worked with Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Since moving to Chattanooga last year, he has become involved with local nonprofit organization Bridge Refugee Services, which will be coordinating employment for refugees at Mad Priest.
Rice plans to distinguish himself in Chattanooga’s burgeoning coffee scene with his high standard of coffee bean quality, as well as his roasting methods, which are distinct and unique based on the characteristics of a particular bean, he said.
Where the beans come from is also important, and he said Mad Priest will only be sourcing its beans from farms that pay fair wages and use sustainable growing practices.
A launch party for the business is planned at The Camp House for Wednesday, June 1 from 7-9 p.m. Rice will share his business plan with attendees at the event, which will also serve as the launch of his Kickstarter campaign.
He said the funds raised through the campaign will help with the cost of the roaster and warehouse space.
“We have a desire to really involve the local community and continue to cultivate that even after the campaign,” said Rice.
People who contribute at least $50 at the start of the campaign will receive a T-shirt with a design exclusive to the campaign, he said.
He plans for the business to be located on Brainerd Road in the area between the tunnel and Eastgate Town Center in order to make it accessible to the refugees, many of who reside in the area and lack transportation, he said.
The Kickstarter campaign has an initial goal of $36,000 and will run for just over 30 days.