We are bringing awareness and equality to the coffee industry.
Our coffee beans are sourced from women-owned or women-managed farms. Many of these female growers are in charge, but they’re not equal at all. They can’t get loans and they have little authority or education. We want to change all of that.
We started working with importers who were already aware of female growers, to help us locate the type of producers we were looking for. Since then, we've been working closely with Cafe Femenino Foundation and the International Women’s Coffee Alliance, to support women coffee growers and their families
OUR BEGINNINGS
In 1990, Nessim and Deborah Bohbot found themselves working in Duluth, MN and searching for the perfect cup of coffee. Finding specialty coffee lacking in that area, Nessim began roasting his own beans in his kitchen. The love of this craft triggered their desire to start a roasting company, called Alakef Coffee Roasters, in the basement of an old school building by the lake shores in Duluth, MN.
With warmer weather (and retirement) on their mind, Nessim and Deborah's daughter, Alyza, took sole ownership of the family business in January, 2015. As Alyza began to become involved in women’s organizations within the coffee industry, she set out to create a coffee brand that was not only cute, girl-tastic, and roasted just right, but was sourced responsibly and made a difference. And so, City Girl Coffee was born in November 2015.
Our Partners
Cafe Femenino Foundation
Gay and Garth Smith founded the Cafe Femenino Foundation in 2004 as a separate entity from the Cafe Femenino Coffee Program to help address the gender inequality, poverty and abuse that continue in many coffee producing regions throughout the world. Traditionally, most women in coffee producing regions actively participate in all farm activities, but have negligible influence on decisions regarding coffee sales or the use of proceeds. Without income or options, these women continue to hold out hope for a better life for themselves, their families, and their communities.
The Foundation provided its first grant to an Indonesian coffee co-op to provide emergency relief, food and basic necessities to remote villages following the devastating December 2004 earthquake and tsunami. Since then, CFF has funded numerous projects to address health, education, living and working conditions in coffee growing communities around the world.
International Women's Coffee Alliance
The IWCA is a global peer network of women in coffee that advocates for women from seed to cup and provide access to resources and a forum for connection.
More than 500 million people are dependent on coffee for their livelihoods, and of that number, 25 million are coffee farmers who typically live and work in substandard conditions and receive only a small percentage of the actual price that the coffee is sold to the consumer. Women, who represent a good majority of coffee farmers, face additional challenges.
Meet the team
Alyza Bohbot
Founder/Owner
Favorite Coffee: Organic Guatemala Café Feminino
Loves: Spending time with her friends, family, and any animal, the sunshine, playing piano, and karaoke
Alyza was born and raised in Duluth, MN. She spent 10 years on the East Coast earning an undergraduate in retail management and a masters degree in school counseling before she returned to Minnesota to take over the family coffee roasting business, Alakef Coffee Roasters. She now serves on the board of directors for the International Women’s Coffee Alliance, and prides herself in being a champion for women’s rights around the world. She is beyond proud of the brand, City Girl Coffee, and the work it is doing to help bring awareness to the women of the coffee world.
Kelsey Conant, Head of Marketing
Coffee Pick: City Girl Organic Guatemala Café Feminino
Kelsey is a Minnesota native, grew up in Minnetonka, and now lives with her husband, Ryan, and Puggle in St. Louis Park. She is a graduate of The University of Wisconsin - Stout and has a background in retail and marketing. Kelsey is proud to have been there during the beginning stages of City Girl and is excited to see what the future has in store.
Alexa Gallet Arndt, Head of Sales
Coffee Pick: City Girl Organic Guatemala
Alexa is a Duluth, MN native who currently resides in White Bear Lake, MN with her wonderful husband Josh and adorable 4 year-old son Jack. When she's not slinging coffee, she spends her time with her family in the outdoors (camping, gardening, skating, golfing, kayaking or checking out a new playground).
Jacob Froelich, Brand Development Coordinator
Coffee Pick: City Girl Organic Guatemalan black, or City Girl Organic Sumatra with a splash of cream
Jacob has been actively involved with City Girl Coffee Co. before it even got off the ground. A graduate of The University of Minnesota Duluth, class of 2015 he interned for Alakef while City Girl Coffee was only just being conceptualized. Now a transplant to Minneapolis he spends his free time going to as many live shows as possible and exploring the many outdoor activities the city has to offer. As a self proclaimed extravert he loves meeting new people through City Girl and is happy to share a coffee anytime you can track him down!
Zoe LaTour, Marketing Intern
Coffee Pick: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe
Zoe is a marketing student at the Carlson School of Management. She has been interning for City Girl Coffee Co. since September of 2015 and is excited to see and be a part of the brand’s continued growth.
Name Ezra
TitleKommissar of Coffee
Favorite coffee
Loves Ethiopia
2-3 general sentences about yourself
Bean slinger. Java Lama. Super Dad. Coffee Greek Extraordinaire.
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Name Mike
Title Production Worker / Roaster
Favorite coffee City Girl Organic Mexico
Loves My Family
2-3 general sentences about yourself
I enjoy evenings & weekends with my family around our fire pit. I love watching my kids learn & grow.
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Name Jesse
TitleLaborer
Favorite coffee Ethiopian
Loves Custom art, hot nights, big faced bills, Italian suits, trips to anywhere
2-3 general sentences about yourself
10 year employee
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Name Jeff
TitleCaffeine Requisition Expert
Favorite coffee Guatemala and Sumatra
Loves Astronomy, Geology, Adventure, All the Arts
2-3 general sentences about yourself
I spend so much time working in spreadsheets I would likely fail a Turing test. When not playing with coffee I am experimenting with paints, quietly sneaking up on interesting rocks, or building my own personal telescope observatory.
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Name: Jane
Title: Account Specialist
Favorite Coffee: Kenya AA, Moroccan Blend
Loves: Watching people take that first taste of really great coffee compared to what they used to like.
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Roy, Master Planner
Coffee pick freshest crop in the door
Loves learning something new every day
2-3 general sentences about yourself
Duluth Native – Caffeine Specialist by work week, Kansas City BBQ judge by week end. Currently working to visit all of Wisconsin’s Supper Clubs.