So we’re the new kids on the block. Three Cords Coffee was a dream that started in 2017.
Our story started in 2012 when Paul, a social entrepreneur, founded Kahaila, a non-profit coffee shop on Brick Lane in East London. Kahaila means “life in community” and the aim of the coffee shop was to bring life to Brick Lane and beyond. The shop hit it off and in no time a thriving community of like-minded people had formed around the vision and ethos of Kahaila. The community that grew around Kahaila went on to establish a bakery to support disadvantaged women to reach their potential, safe homes for survivors of human trafficking and mentoring and an education programme for women in prison.
In 2017, Paul began to dream of setting up a coffee roastery that would roast the finest speciality coffee while supporting a barista training school to train and equip disadvantaged adults for employment. Whilst on furlough during lockdown, Paul found that he suddenly had the time to make that dream a reality. While meeting up with some good friends who had a similar vision, the idea of Three Cords was born. Alex, with a background in marketing, grew up in Brazil and was raised to know what great coffee tastes like. Blake and Mark love great coffee, have a background in business, and are passionate about building thriving, purpose-driven businesses. Together they combined their knowledge and experience to start Three Cords Coffee.
Our name was inspired by the verse in Ecclesiastes: “A three stranded cord is not easily broken.”
It highlights that we are stronger when we work with and live for the benefit of others.