Kansas City coffee launch: 20% of 'Sarah's Blend' profits fund Black Movie Hall of Fame

House of Koffee released Sarah’s Blend this fall, a cinnamon coffee product that directs 20% of tracked profits to the Black Movie Hall of Fame. The Kansas City roastery partnered with the institution to support its mission of preserving Black film history through events and storytelling.

Reggie Harris, co-founder of House of Koffee, said the blend honors Sarah Rector, a Black businesswoman from Oklahoma who became one of the wealthiest women in the United States after an oil discovery in the early 1900s. Rector later moved to Kansas City, where she built a home and socialized with jazz legends Count Basie and Duke Ellington.

The project emerged from House of Koffee’s involvement with a theatrical production presented by The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City. That show, titled “An Evening with Sarah Rector: The Untold Story,” took place this summer at the historic Boone Theater. Shawn Edwards, a direct descendant of Rector and executive director of the Black Movie Hall of Fame, produced the performance.

Sarah’s Blend is a Colombian roast available online. The 12-ounce ground coffee costs $22, while a 30-count box of K-Cups sells for $28. Harris noted that the company is also working with partners to offer Ethiopian and Kenyan beans, describing the broader brand concept as “Coffee With Purpose.”

Harris identified a gap in the local market when he spoke with residents near the 18th and Vine jazz district. He observed that the area lacked a dedicated coffee provider. “Obviously, you’ve got the story of Sarah Rector, but as I started walking around and talking with people in that 18th and Vine area, there was nowhere to get a cup of coffee,” Harris said.

The development of the blend took less than 90 days. Harris stated that the company aims to use coffee as a fundraising tool for nonprofits. He expressed interest in expanding the partnership to include white-label collaborations and eventually establishing a permanent coffee kiosk in the district.

Harris views the project as a way to create tangible development in the area. “The 18th and Vine area is a showpiece,” he said. “We’d be remiss not to add to it.” He hopes customers will seek out the brand after tasting the product, creating a repeatable model for community support.