321 Coffee and Hitachi Energy Partner to Expand Inclusive Employment Through New In-Office Cafe
Global energy leader and local specialty coffee shop partner to create inclusive work opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Members of the Hitachi Energy and 321 Coffee teams gathered to celebrate the official ribbon cutting for the new in-office cafe in Raleigh on Tuesday, July 28.
RALEIGH, N.C. (July 28, 2026) — 321 Coffee is proud to announce the opening of its newest private in-office café in partnership with Hitachi Energy, located inside Hitachi Energy's newly expanded North American headquarters on North Carolina State’s Centennial Campus. The new café represents a shared commitment to creating inclusive workplaces and expanding meaningful employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
The 321 Coffee x Hitachi Energy café marks the latest expansion of 321 Coffee's growing network of workplace cafés, joining the 321 Coffee x Pendo and 321 Coffee x Relias locations.
The new partnership is creating both new jobs for individuals with IDD to join the 321 Coffee team while also opening new leadership pathways for existing members of the 321 Coffee team to grow. To support the launch of the Hitachi Energy café, 321 Coffee elevated existing team members from barista roles into newly created assistant manager positions, empowering them to oversee daily operations with greater independence while continuing to grow their professional skills. With these recent promotions, 321 Coffee now has seven assistant managers across its organization.
"Every new café immediately creates new opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to build skills, develop relationships, and contribute in meaningful ways," said Lindsay Wrege, Co-Founder of 321 Coffee. "Hitachi Energy shares our core values of inclusion, belonging, and investing in people. We're proud to partner with an organization that recognizes the value of creating a workplace where everyone feels seen, connected, and empowered. This is a true win-win partnership, and we're excited to expand our impact alongside Hitachi Energy."
The new 321 Coffee x Hitachi Energy cafe provides a space for Hitachi Energy team members to enjoy specialty barista-prepared coffee, connect with other team members, and build meaningful relationships at work.
One of the most unique aspects of 321 Coffee's in-office café model is the consistency it creates between Hitachi Energy and 321 Coffee employees. The café is exclusively available to Hitachi Energy employees and their guests, allowing relationships to grow naturally through everyday interactions. Unlike a traditional coffee shop experience, the same team members see one another day after day, creating opportunities for genuine connection between people with and without disabilities.
"In-office cafés really are one of the most rewarding parts of our business," Wrege said. "When the same people on our team and their team see each other every day, they learn each other's names, celebrate milestones together, and become part of one another's daily routines. Those everyday interactions turn into meaningful relationships that strengthen workplace culture and create a deeper sense of belonging for everyone involved."
Jodi, one of 321 Coffee’s recently promoted assistant managers, passes a coffee across the counter to a guest of the Hitachi Energy cafe.
“At Hitachi Energy, we’re committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and has the opportunity to thrive,” said Crystal Wilkerson, Regional Finance Director, Americas, Hitachi Energy. “Partnering with 321 Coffee reflects that commitment while strengthening our ties to the Raleigh community. We’re excited to welcome the 321 team to our expanded North American headquarters and look forward to seeing the relationships, connections, and sense of belonging this partnership will help create every day.”
As 321 Coffee continues to expand throughout the Triangle and beyond, partnerships like the one with Hitachi Energy demonstrate how businesses can create lasting impact through intentional workplace culture and everyday operational decisions. Together, 321 Coffee and Hitachi Energy are proving that inclusion isn't just a value, it's something that can be built into the daily experience of work while creating meaningful opportunities for people of all abilities.
About 321 Coffee
321 Coffee is a coffee shop and specialty roaster focusing on employing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Based in Raleigh, the company currently employs over 50 people. The 321 Coffee team does it all: roasting the coffee, taking the orders, and making the lattes. Together, they are demonstrating the value of an inclusive business model. Launched in 2017, the company is on a mission to change the statistic that 80% of adults with disabilities are unemployed.
Interested in enjoying 321 Coffee at your home, place of business, or next event? Shop the online store at shop.321coffee.com, submit a wholesale inquiry here to partner@321coffee.com, or submit an event request to catering@321coffee.com.
About Hitachi Energy
Hitachi Energy is a global leader in electrification, powering the electricity era to meet the energy demands of today, and the next 25 years. As the energy arm of Hitachi Group, over three billion people depend on our pioneering, mission-critical technologies to power their daily lives. With over a century of innovation, we are addressing the most urgent energy challenge of our time: driving the evolution of the world’s energy system to ensure abundant, secure, affordable, and sustainable power for today’s generation and the next. With an unparalleled installed base in over 140 countries, we are the grid ecosystem partner across the utility, industry, data center, and transportation sectors. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ over 56,000 people in 60 countries and generate revenues of around $20 billion USD.
https://www.hitachienergy.com
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