Entrepreneur Imports Organic Coffee Beans
Entrepreneur Tommy Southerland is bringing fresh coffee beans from growers worldwide to be brewed for the cups of coffee lovers.Originally from Wilmington, Southerland has lived in Rocky Mount for 35 years. He opened his business in April and presented his products during the opening day of The Farmers Market.
“The reception was very good,” Southerland said. “I have built up a good clientele base of regulars.”
Southerland’s Company – Cackalacky Coffee Roasters Inc. – works with importers to get organically grown coffee from Central and South America, Africa, Indonesia and other countries.
“Specialty or premium coffees are grown at high in the mountains,” said Southernland, who added that he became interested in coffee and how it was grown about six years ago.
“Back in 2001, the city had no coffee shops, and I thought of bringing a coffee shop to town,” he said. “Since that time, we’ve gotten two great coffee shops – Via Cappuccino and Java Mott’s.”
With the arrival of coffee shops, Southerland said he shifted his attention to coffee, the rain forests where it was grown and how farmers produced coffee beans.