For Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson, co-founders of BLK & Bold, it’s yet another partnership birthed from a love for coffee.

The first Black-owned, nationally distributed coffee and tea brand has reached a multi-year agreement with Aramark.

Based in Des Moines, Iowa, the beverage brand will provide hot and cold coffee brews and blends to a vast network of Aramark Refreshments clients. The global food supplier caters to more than 100,000 offices, healthcare facilities and property sites throughout North America, according to its website.

“As part of our organization’s diverse supplier strategy, we’re developing (relationships) with companies that exemplify inclusion and community and share in our mission to curate office spaces where employees can recharge with a quick snack and enjoy meaningful moments. BLK & Bold is a great fit, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to add them to our portfolio and offer their products to our clients,” Patrick Liebler, president of Aramark Refreshments, said in a statement.

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Customers can find the coffee brand nationally in more than 11,000 retail stores, such as Target, Albertsons, Safeway, Walgreens, and various regional grocers. Moreover, BLK & Bold was listed last year as one of the 50 fastest-growing certified minority businesses (MBE) by the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and is a certified B corporation.

“It is and will always be important for us to address socio-economic disparities, not only in dialogue but also by creating a funnel to resources,” Cezar, CEO and co-founder of BLK & Bold, said in a statement. “We will continue to act as (leaders), not only in spaces we’ve cultivated, but in partnership. We must continue to invest in diverse voices to solve issues within our communities. This is one of many ways to make a difference.”

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Under Cezar and Johnson’s leadership, the company donates five per cent of its revenue to non-profit organizations across the U.S.

BLK & Bold also launched its first-ever barista book, “Recipes for Impact”, in partnership with Canteen, the largest vending retail provider in the U.S., in December 2022. The book was created for its social initiative, For Our Youth. The program supports efforts to uplift underserved youth; 100 per cent of the proceeds go toward various causes.