Brewing a Better Future
Global coffee consumption sits at roughly 2.25 billion cups per day and is the most widely consumed beverage after water. There is ritual involved with coffee — grinding the beans, preparing the water temperature, the drip of the brew and the first sip. Flavors evoke memories and give a boost to tackle whatever the day may bring.
Will Ford, BA ’16, is the chief operating officer for Westrock Coffee. Co-founded by his father and grandfather in 2009, coffee is the family business. The idea started in Rwanda, where post-civil war women coffee farmers were paid a fraction of the “C price” — the global benchmark price to produce and sell coffee.
“[Our family] went to Rwanda in 2009 and saw the women being taken advantage of,” Ford said. “God wanted us to do something here and saying yes has been the hardest thing we’ve done in our lives. But if not us, then it would have been someone else. We chose to see it and do something about it.”
Westrock now buys coffee and tea from 35 countries and sells in 55 countries worldwide. Like all commodities, a steady supply chain is key and a pillar of Westrock’s mission: to build and efficiently operate the preeminent integrated coffee, tea and extracts supply chain in the world.
Ford’s first two years with Westrock were spent traveling the world: Las Vegas, London, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, East Africa and getting a master’s degree in coffee economics and sciences while in Italy. When he returned stateside to their very first production plant, Ford started at the bottom as a line operator hand gluing packaging boxes and driving a box truck.
“For one, it allowed me to fully understand the day-to-day parts of the business,” Ford said. “For another, it was a big culture boost when I was brought in as ‘a son of the boss’ because I built genuine relationships with those coworkers.”
Westrock Coffee has expanded traceability and sustainability across more than 20 countries and is stepping into the ready-to-drink and single-serve beverage spaces — and always as a family.
“We work hard at working well together,” Ford said. “We work constantly, from sunup to sundown with a break to be with our kids in the evening, but we know so well how each other works and what it takes to keep the company running smoothly.’’
From farm to processing to roasting to packaging, the family behind Westrock Coffee practices transparency and sustainability at every opportunity. That amount of care makes a cup of coffee taste that much better.