New 321 Coffee Roastery Triples Capacity and Grows Inclusive Workforce in Specialty Coffee
321 Coffee’s second roastery expansion in 3 years is fueled by growing demand.
Lindsay Wrege and Michael Evans, Co-Founders of 321 Coffee, gather with members of the roasting and production team in the current roastery.
Raleigh, N.C. (September 9, 2025) – 321 Coffee is proud to announce its move to a new, larger roastery that will more than triple its current roasting capacity, marking a major milestone in the company’s continued growth and commitment to innovation and inclusion in the specialty coffee industry.
321 Coffee’s new facility will feature a second, larger Loring roaster, an additional packing line, and state-of-the-art equipment designed to scale both coffee quality and accessible employment. Most importantly, the increase in capacity means more meaningful work hours for 321 Coffee’s growing team of employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“This new roastery is more than just a bigger space—it’s a result of how far we’ve come and where we’re headed,” said Lindsay Wrege, Co-Founder and CEO of 321 Coffee. “We’re growing because our community believes in our mission, and we’re investing in the tools and technology to keep pushing boundaries in both coffee quality and disability inclusion.”
Sophie and Lee, two members of the 321 Coffee roasting team, collaborate on monitoring an active roast on the Loring S15 Falcon.
This move marks 321 Coffee’s second roastery expansion in three years, fueled by growing demand since the company first began roasting in 2020 on a 2-pound roaster in the back of their Farmers Market shop. The brand is now carried in Whole Foods across the Triangle, Food Lion stores statewide, and will debut in additional mainstream retailers this fall. Additionally, 321 Coffee is proudly brewing in hundreds of companies across the Triangle and supplying coffee to its five local coffee shop locations.
The new roastery will also serve as a hub for innovation, collaboration, and community impact, showcasing what inclusive employment and accessible production can look like in specialty coffee. Future plans include guided roastery tours and tasting experiences designed to spark new conversations about designing for inclusion in workplaces everywhere.
This project was made possible through the generous support of local partners including Lenovo, JLL, Little Architecture, PMC Commercial Interiors, Barringer Construction, McGough Construction, Bridgepoint General Contracting, Bonitz, Wake Coatings, and many other champions of 321 Coffee’s mission.
For more information about 321 Coffee, please visit 321coffee.com. To find 321 Coffee at a retailer near you, please visit 321coffee.com/product-locator.
About 321 Coffee
321 Coffee is a coffee shop and roaster focusing on workforce inclusion of individuals with disabilities. Located in Raleigh, the company currently employs over 50 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). 321 baristas do it all: roasting the coffee, taking the orders, 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 to partner@321coffee.com, or submit an event request to catering@321coffee.com.
Media Contact
Lindsay Wrege
321 Coffee
partner@321coffee.com