PA Inclusive marked the third anniversary of Coffee Inclusive and the first anniversary of Bake Inclusive by launching a new brand, Inclusive Grounds Coffee Company. PA Inclusive Marketing Coordinator Brendan Karolchyk cut the ribbon for the new venture.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PA Inclusive President and CEO Frank Bartoli and his daughter, Ellie, speak on a fundraising program to help purchase a new refrigerator as well as the new Inclusive Grounds Coffee Company on Friday.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Jake Shawn, a representative from PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s office, tries a sample of Inclusive Grounds Coffee Company’s brand of coffee from PA Inclusive President of the Board Sandra Nardone.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Inclusive Grounds Coffee Company produces medium- and dark-roast coffee blends for sale at Coffee Inclusive, 350 Kennedy Blvd, Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PA Inclusive Marketing Coordinator Brendon Karolchyk holds up a bag of Inclusive Grounds Coffee Company at the ribbon-cutting on Friday.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — Parent company PA Inclusive celebrated the third birthday of Coffee Inclusive coffee shop and first anniversary of Bake Inclusive bakery on Friday, and introduced a brand-new product, Inclusive Grounds Coffee Company.
Inclusive Grounds Coffee Company kicked off with a soft opening at the Waterfront Warehouse, 350 Kennedy Blvd, Pittston, the site of Coffee Inclusive and Bake Inclusive, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Anthony Melf, Coffee Inclusive director of operations and PA Inclusive community engagement, served as the master of ceremonies for the late Friday morning event and ribbon-cutting.
Citations were presented to mark the anniversaries and the new business venture by Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown, State Rep. Jim Haddock, and U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, represented by his wife, Chelsea Bresnahan.
Offering remarks were PA Inclusive President and CEO Frank Bartoli, Mayor Brown, City of Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo, Rep. Haddock, Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce President Michelle Mikitish, PA Inclusion’s Ellie Bartoli, PA Inclusion Marketing Coordinator Brendon Karlochyk, Jake Shawn from PA State Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s office, and Sandra Nardone, PA Inclusive board chair.
Inclusive Coffee Grounds Company is the brainchild of Frank Bartoli over three years ago, but it took that long to get organized and prepared for the soft opening.
“We needed to get the (roasting) equipment, the staffing, and we needed to get the coffee shop up and running before we could launch the coffee roasting company,” Bartoli said. “We will eventually be able to sell our brand of coffee retail to coffee shops or wholesale to restaurants, or even online. This is another revenue source for PA Inclusive, a nonprofit without government support.”
The new brand, Inclusive Grounds Coffee Company, kicked off by selling two brands of medium roast and dark roast, for now, sold exclusively at Coffee Inclusive, but according to Karlochyk, will be sold area-wide, statewide, and eventually, nationwide.
“Today is the soft launch, and we will sell bags at Coffee Inclusive and continue to restock them every single week,” Karlochyk said. “We have social medias up as of today and will begin posting on them shortly, and we have a website (for Inclusive Grounds Coffee Company) in development and lots more coming.”
Karlochyk said all roasting will be done in-house by roaster Michael Gilloti and will be ordering and roasting beans distributed by Bellwether, which sources beans from all over the world.
Coffee Inclusive hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
