S5:EP9
Guest: Samir Benouar, CEO/Owner
Company Name: Milka Coffee Roasters
From: Sacramento, CA (Downtown)
Instagram: @Milka_Coffee
Website: https://www.milkacoffee.com/
The coffee I was drinking during the interview was a Milka’s Rwanda Nyamasheke Gasharu. It was lovely.
The Sacramento River is the largest in California at 400 miles long. In downtown Sacramento, the shorter (only 30-miles) American River flows down from the snowpack of the Sierra Nevada mountain range merging in with the waters of the Sacramento. Together they flow towards the Sacramento River-San Juan River Delta just northeast of the San Francisco Bay area, which stretches out through the various bays towards the Pacific.
The rivers are continually pushing west towards something larger than themselves. In that way, being an entrepreneur is like flowing along with one of those NorCal rivers.
Samir Benouar's Milka Coffee Roasters is housed in an Italian Queen Anne-style Victorian building. The building's interior design is a living project featuring various textures, colors, and an evolving landscape. The business is also ever-evolving. There is always moving, improving, and tweaking to be done as the needs of the business and the community meld together.
Samir wants to inspire other Sacramenton's to do cool things that enhance the city and, in turn, inspire the next generation of creative entrepreneurs and community members to stay.
Despite our early technical difficulties, it was a pleasure to spend an hour chatting with Samir. It is easy to see how his demeanor and optimism led him to an entrepreneurial career in service. The first Milka Coffee took years to open due to renovation and the demands placed upon owners of historical or landmark designated homes.
The second cafe, an all-outdoor space, is coming along too, but when I ask about an opening date, Samir tosses out a month in fall and laughs. He knows the day will come when it comes.
If, for some reason, his coffee journey comes to an end, I have no doubt his infectious enthusiasm for his hometown will translate into a career with the Chamber of Commerce. After our conversation, the first thing I did was look up home prices in Sacramento!
NOT FROM THE SHOW
Milka Coffee Roasters is unique in that they have a no-tipping policy. The policy means they include tips, taxes, and fees into the price of their coffee and pay the Baristas a set salary. Baristas then know how much they earn each paycheck without waiting for tips to be calculated, helping them better plan their lives and avoid the fear of working a slow shift.
FROM THE SHOW
June is Pride Month. Pride Month is an extension of Pride Day coming up on June 28th. The day is a remembrance of the Stonewall riots known as the Stonewall Uprising.
The riots were a response to the police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village in New York City, on June 28th, 1969. For six days, protestors demanded the right to live openly about their sexual orientation without fear of arrest. It was a watershed moment in American history, and one year to the day, the first gay pride marches took place around the country.
Since then, we’ve come a long way, but there is still a long way to go towards equality in America. The history surrounding the riots is really interesting, and it is a great starting point for learning more about Pride Month. For example, the Stonewall Inn was owned by the Mafia, and the criminal syndicate often owned gay clubs.The books I’ll be hawking at Coffee Cycle Roasting on Sunday (6/5) are Eli & Jane and the follow-up, Future Eli & Future Jane. The series follows the titular characters as they journey along the road together, first as strangers and eventually as something more, enjoying plenty of coffee along the way.
R!WC INDUSTRY PARTNERS
CAFÉ LaTERRE is hiring a part-time employee. Send an email to info@cafelaterre.com for more information.
Sunday Funday at Camp Coffee Company with Stroopwafel s’mores. Yes, please.
Ignite Coffee Company’s updated doors opening celebration is now slated for July 2022.
Space Traveler is the Steady State Roasting coffee I was drinking while working on this episode. Great for every day coffee drinking.
Click these R!WC Industry Partners links. Drink their coffees and whiskeys. Visit their cafes. Support local coffee shops. You won’t be disappointed.
Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Steady State Roasting • CAFÉ LaTERRE • Mostra Coffee • Coffee Cycle • Camp Coffee Company • Ignite Coffee Company • Ascend Coffee Roasters • Marea Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Roasters
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Roast! - Samir Benouar, Milka Coffee Roasters