In 2016, Konner Dudley, a high school classmate of my oldest son, started Redbud Coffee Co. in Auburn, IL. Konner and his wife, Jennafer, roast and deliver ethically sourced, single-origin coffee (and now tea as well) to caffeine addicts across southern Sangamon County as early as the next day (if you time your order right).
I could tell you the story of how Redbud Coffee came to be, but I’ll just let Konner do that.
What impresses me most about Konner and Redbud is that he understands that people are more important than coffee. Instead of just slapping a Fair Trade label on his packaging, he strives to ensure that the beans he roasts are from regions and farms where the farmers are taken care of in terms of pay and work environment.
Also, Redbud Coffee donates $1 for every bag of coffee sold to the Aruna Project to help combat human sex trafficking.
Oh, and did I mention the coffee is really, REALLY good? Konner mixes up the flavors a bit from time to time, but current offerings (as of November 8, 2020) include:
- Brazilian Honey–a light to medium roast processed with honey. The sweetness of the honey does come through in the flavor, but is not cloying or overwhelming at all. This is my favorite one to order at the Redbud Food truck, which now has a semi-permanent location on Route 4 on the north end of Auburn.
- Ethiopia Guji–a light roast with a pronounced aroma and taste of blueberries. I love this one.
- Decaf de Mexico–this has a mild, roasty flavor and is my go-to for making half-caf blends with whatever else I have lying about.
- The Tempest–the Redbud website describes it as, “A balanced but somehow wild blend crafted specifically for espresso. You can use it for whatever you want though. We’re roasters, not cops.”
- Costa Rica Natural–haven’t tried this one yet, but it has notes of raspberry, lime, sugar cane, & floral, according to the website.
Prices for 12 ounces of coffee range from $14 for the Decaf to $18 for the sampler (six of those little bags in the picture above). Yes, that’s a bit more than Maxwell House, but come on people. You get what you pay for. I’m telling you, there’s nothing like coming downstairs in the morning to find a bag of coffee on your front porch that was roasted less than 48 hours ago by someone you know personally. (UPDATE–coffee can now be ordered in four sizes, from 12 to 60 ounces.)
Oh, and by the way, if you’re not from around here, Konner will also ship outside the local delivery area. Redbud City Coffee is also now available in select retail establishments as far away as Jacksonville, Petersburg and Lincoln. Check the map here.
So what are you waiting for? GETCHA SOME!