For Luke Schneider, military veteran, former firefighter and founder of Fire Department Coffee, the mission of his coffee company goes deeper than just a great cup of joe.
“Our vision, our goal, our mission is to make great coffee, but to do more than just make great coffee. It’s how can we have an impact in the communities that we are connected to,” he said.
The mission and the communities have grown far beyond what Schneider envisioned when he started roasting coffee in a strip mall storefront roastery for friends and family.
The story of Fire Department Coffee starts with a love story.
“I met my wife at a business class I was taking. She was a barista, so I would go in and visit her at her work,” Schneider said.
Both loved coffee. Schneider started his coffee habit while serving in the U.S. Navy and then as a full-time firefighter with the Rockford Fire Department in northern Illinois.