The newest player on the Brisbane coffee market is using Australia’s newest digital currency in its fight to end global poverty, one cup of coffee at a time.
The brothers behind Connected Coffee, Kristin and Dayle Jacobsen, have impacted nearly 7,000 social projects since they launched in April this year and they’re now using Qoin (Eds; pronounced ‘coin’) to increase their impact further.
Kristin Jacobsen says, “Coffee connects people in all different ways across all different cultures. There are two billion cups of coffee consumed each day and one billion people who live in poverty. We saw an opportunity to help people in need through this platform.”
Before Connected Coffee, Kristin Jacobsen says there were no specialty companies that ethically and sustainably produce coffee and operate as a social enterprise that also support those in need that aren’t directly involved in the supply chain of coffee.
Kristin says the invitation to join Qoin came at the right time after two massive events in recent months that have affected Australian small business, the Australian bushfires and COVID-19.
Kristin says, “The reason we chose Qoin is we’re a small business, we’re growing, and we want to support small business – one of the driving forces in Australia – using a digital currency that supports small business specifically.”
Based in Brisbane, with roasting partners in Australia and the United States, Kristin and Dayle plan to use the Qoin network to grow their distribution chain.
Kristin says, “What we’re hoping to do through Qoin is to supply small and medium businesses in the Qoin network with great coffee in their workplaces. The more coffee we distribute, the more we’re able to contribute.”
The pair started working with coffee from a young age. Since then, Kristin has gone on to build and sell his own finance company and Dayle continues to work with cafes and wholesale partners to grow their businesses with coffee.
Dayle Jacobsen says, “We’re a good partnership – Kristin in finance and me in coffee. We believe in using a quality product to drive positive change and using your platform to encourage good. Qoin will help us do both.
Over the space of just two months, around 3,000 small business merchants, including many in Brisbane, are now accepting Qoin, the newest digital currency built on blockchain that offers cashless transactions.
And now Brisbaneis being specifically approached following research undertaken by Qoin that shows Brisbanebusinesses and merchants are keen to get involved in digital currencies.
Qoin Australia Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Barker says, “We have done our homework in Brisbaneand we have a dedicated team of independent agents that are in contact with Brisbanebusinesses.
“The current economic climate off the back of COVID-19 has encouraged many businesspeople to open their eyes to new ways of doing business and that includes digital currency.”
Mr Barker says the time is ripe for digital currencies, like Qoin, as coronavirus has paved the way for small businesses to consider digital currencies to attract new customers and facilitate instore transactions.
“With coronavirus restrictions easing, we’re seeing consumers leaving their homes and heading back to local businesses. The small business merchants taking up Qoin are ready for this groundswell of new and returning customers.”
