OUR STORY
The vision for Combat Coffee Company (CCC) was sparked in April 2025 during a wrestling recruiting trip to North Central College. After overcoming four major surgeries throughout my high school career, I was searching for a place that matched my resilience, leading me to the Lawrence Academic Center and the nation’s only student-run Coffee Lab. This discovery, combined with my upbringing in Jakarta, Indonesia—where I witnessed extreme poverty firsthand—crystallized my mission. I saw a coffee industry dominated focused on prioritizing profit over people, realizing that true "combat" wasn't just on a wrestling mat, but in the fight to provide sustainable, dignified livelihoods for farmers while building a business rooted in a genuine human connection.
To solve these systemic issues, CCC moves beyond the band-aid solution of temporary donations, focusing instead on the "teach a man to fish" philosophy. By paying above-market prices and establishing family-like bonds with suppliers, we provide the resources and education necessary for communities to thrive independently. Our brand is built on the belief that individual excellence leads to collective progress; by encouraging our customers to embrace the "uncomfortable" and pursue the best versions of themselves, we create a ripple effect of measurable change. We aren't just selling a caffeine fix; we are fueling a lifestyle of discipline, empathy, and the relentless pursuit of growth.
Long-term, my goal is to establish CCC as the premier lifestyle force in the beverage industry, starting with a rock-solid foundation in the combat sports world. By partnering with organizations like the UFC or USA Wrestling, we will ground our brand in the most mentally "battle-tested" demographic on earth. From there, we will expand the definition of "combat" to include the daily struggles everyone faces—from conquering the snooze button to overcoming personal adversity. Through pop-up events, mentorship programs, and run clubs, CCC will transcend the coffee cup to become a global community dedicated to taking advantage of every small pleasure and privilege life has to offer.