In 2014, Keba Konte founded Red Bay Coffee Roasters, one of few black-owned coffee shops in the United States.
In a world full of pumpkin-spice, Konte has stuck to his African origins and is managing to stand out in the Bay area with his candied yam lattes.
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Right now, you can find his delicious and soulful drink at four locations in California but he’s spreading the goodness to a fifth location.
Next month, Konte will open the doors to a new cafe in San Francisco’s Financial District at 650 California Street, as reported in SF Chronicle.
“I was born and raised in San Francisco, but the Red Bay Coffee brand started in Oakland,” Konte told the publication. “As we’ve matured and gained traction out there, I realized it’s time to start focusing our energy on developing a position in the San Francisco market. This opportunity was just too good for us to pass up.”
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According to SF Chronicle, the space was previously home to Hermanos Coffee and Juice, another minority-owned coffee business in Southern California.
“We’ve been busting at the seems in Oakland so we raised some capital at the beginning of the year and now we’re on a national expansion track,” Konte said. “But what we’re doing in Oakland also shows we’re making a bet on the future of our community out there.”
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Konte plans to open the new storefront by this upcoming December or January – just in time for the holidays.
