Gretchen Shuler, owner of ReBrewed Coffee, is pushing boundaries in the coffee industry’s environmental consciousness and humanitarian focus.
ReBrewed Coffee is a fair-trade coffee shop, environmentally consciously supplying coffee beans from Alma Coffee, a farmer-owned coffee brand in Canton, Georgia.
Its commitment to providing entrepreneurship opportunities for neglected foster youth is what makes ReBrewed unique.
The idea behind incorporating a humanitarian aspect within the company came from Shuler’s time at Ursuline Academy in Cincinnati. She was a mentor for “RePlanted Ministry” — a nonprofit dedicated to supporting foster families. “I wanted to pursue a coffee company that was focusing on employing foster youth and creating mentorship opportunities,” Shuler said.
ReBrewed’s future envisions innovative employment opportunities for youth currently in the foster system, dedicating one shift per week to professional and personal development.
The small business officially opened its doors on May 6, 2024, welcoming its new customers with a grand, flavorful and purposeful menu.
Last quarter, DePaul’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center (CEC) held regular business hours for ReBrewed on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. The CEC is renowned for its ability to uplift Chicago entrepreneurs, and ReBrewed is no different.
The ReBrewed menu varies from classic lattes, to specialty mocktails with a wide list of flavors. Shuler’s inspiration was to provide a cutting-edge fruitful taste while also embedding a traditional espresso roast for a unique coffee experience.
“As much as it is a beverage, it is also a work of art,” Shuler said.
However, ReBrewed wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Shueler’s community.
Claire Kennedy, Shuler’s older sister, designed and created its distinctive coffee mugs.
“I wanted the mugs to appear joyful and bright, because that is the feeling I get from ReBrewed as a business and Gretchen as a business owner,” said Kennedy.
An Image of the ReBrewed Mugs created by Claire Kennedy. Image taken by Andrew Walker (@creativepeakstudio).
Each coffee mug is hand built with low-fire clay and design patterns that represent the company’s vibrant colors.
“I believe in her mission completely and have always believed in her as an entrepreneur and creative spirit,” said Kennedy. “Because of this, I have an emotional connection to anything created for her company! I can only hope to offer a bit of my creativity to her mission that is already so bright, ambitious and thoughtful.”
As a DePaul senior at the Driehaus College of Business, Shuler takes advantage of every opportunity and partnership that comes her way. ReBrewed hosted a Kickstarter launch party on November 7, 2024 at DePaul’s CEC, allowing the company to successfully get on the pathway to fulfilling its goals.
The financial success of ReBrewed has also come from Shuler’s recognition at DePaul’s “Purpose Pitch Competition,” “University Pitch Madness” and “Social Impact Incubator Program,” where she competed and received investment-based awards to build her company.
During the 2024 fall quarter, ReBrewed partnered with the student organization Business for Social Good (B4SG). The partnership event was titled “Sweet or Treat” in the spirit of the Halloween season.
Director of Outreach Daniel Salgado attests to the success of the event. “Working closely with ReBrewed deepened my understanding of the sustainability industry. ReBrewed highlights how small businesses source ethically and keep waste at a minimum while providing excellent service and products,” Salgado said.
Salgado is also a faithful customer of ReBrewed. ”What stood out to me the most was the quality of the beans used to prepare the lattes; equally as impressive were the flavor profiles of each latte, with my favorite being the Berry Cobbler,” Salgado said.
Resulting from the company’s early success, Shuler’s dream to make the coffee brand more accessible to Chicago is becoming a reality. Now, the company is working on a mobile coffee cart for pop-up locations in the spring.
Be First to Comment