It is the co-op’s vision to support and strengthen community connections with our local producers – so here are their stories! In this Meet Your Producer series, we will highlight our neighborhood farmers, ranchers, and producers so you can see and hear what they’re all about. Support local!
Repetition Coffee
Amy Pope
Lawrence, KS
info@repetitioncoffee.com
About the Founder
Amy Pope earned her master’s degree in international diplomacy. While living abroad and researching her thesis on the impact of the supply chain on labor and the environment, she narrowed her focus on coffee as the export. Her interests and experience converged, and returning to Kansas she found a community ready to accept her roasting business with open arms. Her goal was to simultaneously continue traveling globally, working to create social change, and running her own business.
A certified coffee taster, “the cupping table is her Zen zone, and if she isn’t repeatedly sampling new coffees you may find her sampling mezcals or solving a puzzle with her three amazing cats by her side. She’s a true non-conformist, you’ll never see her up before 10am by choice, and it’s a fact that she drinks coffee in the shower! In 2018 she received a bronze medal for single-origin pour-over coffee in the North American Golden Bean Competition.” (from Repetition’s website)
About the Coffee
Repetition roasts coffee and prepares prebatched coffee and coffee fruit (!) beverages. They do not have a storefront, but supply local businesses with both coffee and training for appropriately representing their product.
Each variety of coffee they roast has a story - from the batch from Honduras, produced on a woman-owned, biodynamic farm to one of her first roasts, the Brazil Bob-O-Link - named for a bird that migrates between the US and Brazil, just as the farmers who produce those beans do. Or the Community Blend, created originally for The Merc Co+op. She works closely with the producers and farmers at source, and forms genuine friendships with her kind, thoughtful demeanor.
We work directly with the farmers that we source with and have established long-lasting and loyal relationships. My background in social science and international relations means that sourcing with integrity a top priority.
“For the most part we have always used the same model as now. Due to COVID-19 we have made many changes and now offer free doorstep delivery to our local community and we also do coffee beverage pick up at Repetition every Friday.
In the near future, we anticipate a move as our building is for sale. In our future home we hope to have a closed off cupping lab (for sensory analysis) and a pick-up window for contactless service. Our vision is to one day collaborate with one of the families that we work with at origin to put in a small roaster / coffee shop. Lawrence, KS Repetition employees would be able to go there to get further experience of what the farming side of the supply chain is like and farmers could come visit the home lab in Lawrence to learn more about the end product: roasting, brewing, etc. The dream is to make a small coffee exchange program with a satellite office somewhere fun, like: Colombia, Guatemala, Uganda or Kenya!”
Repetition also works with local and international artists to design their labels!
What do you like most about the work you do?
I love everything about the people. The friends and travels that I get to make when sourcing is really what keeps me inspired and all the lovely friends and supportive customers here help me keep my eye on the target.
What sorts of qualities do you need to succeed at this work?
Ha! This work can be defined as many things since I still wear so many hats. Being a coffee professional for me means being a small-business owner, a leader to a team, green buyer, quality assurance and accountant! The most honest answer is it takes flexibility; one must be able to surf the waves of chaos. My international background means that I’m a pretty unshakeable traveler and I can speak a couple languages to boot – that certainly helps. Customer service means a lot and so does having a genuine interest in the sustainability of the coffee supply chain.
A lesson that being a local producer has taught you?
Mostly I’ve come to see what a great family we have in our local community. There is no community that I would rather serve. Starting your own business can be scary but then you realize there’s a whole community of people rooting for your success and that’s lifting.
Tips on brewing the perfect cup of coffee?
Here’s some recipes on our webpage. Personally I love to use a Chemex at a 1:18 ratio. If it’s hot out, I pour over ice. You just need to substitute 50% of the water with ice so it flash chills!