Tallios Coffee and Tea is bringing high quality coffee and tea to marginalized communities in San Francisco with the aim of becoming a recognized brand worldwide that helps minority communities.
The company was founded by Olton Rensch in 2017 as an online platform that sold coffee beans from around the world. As the business grew, it transitioned from a hobby of Rensch’s to something that could be turned into a full scale operation.
In 2020, the first Tallios brick-and-mortar location was opened in the Bayview area of San Francisco. However, soon after opening, Rensch had to close the shop due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Still, wanting to follow a passion for bringing fresh coffee and tea to marginalized communities, Rensch remodeled and reopened in September of 2022.
Rensch said he focuses his business on supporting underserved areas because he wants to bring them the same experiences that people in affluent neighborhoods have with their coffee and tea shops. These stores often have inviting atmospheres that provide customers a place to relax and to enjoy their beverages.
Before he opened his business, Rensch found he was going out of his way when he wanted to find a high quality beverage, because there weren’t any good shops in the Bayview neighborhood. He knew he wasn’t the only one having a hard time finding a local coffee/tea shop. Typically, minorities are overlooked as people who want to enjoy the benefits of a refined environment, according to Tallios.
“For years, I was actually looking for good quality coffee in marginalized communities, and during my educational years while doing my research, I was trying to figure out what it is that we can do to kind of bridge the gap and bring good services within the community,” said Rensch. “Those things are missing in marginalized communities.”
With his expertise in high quality coffee and tea in hand, Rensch said he found the desire to share that knowledge with marginalized communities and bring them exceptional customer service, which is often lacking in these areas.
The goal has become to create a space where people can come enjoy the fresh beverages that Tallios Coffee and Tea provides, while learning about the drinks. Customers can also participate in tastings and brewing classes, so they can have an elevated experience while at the shop.
Rensch said he hires people from the local neighborhoods, to provide them with sustainable futures, and some of his coffee blends are even named after minority communities throughout California. When purchased, the customer learns about the history and stories of that specific community.
As a migrant who came to the United States in the 1980s, Rensch said he understands what it means to live through difficult times. Born in Suriname (a country in northern South America., two of Rensch’s brothers worked as a human rights activist and a newspaper editor. After a military government took control of the country, his two brothers were “put on a hit list” for being intellectuals. Fearing for their safety, Rensch’s father moved the whole family to the United States, which they have since called home.
To learn more about Tallios Coffee and Tea, visit TalliosCoffee.com.
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