Baton Rouge is home to many cool people who are doing exciting things within and outside of our great city. We like to showcase these Baton Rougeans, so we have an ongoing series where we interview these local rockstars. Our last interview was with Richard Felix, Jr, a local web developer who is doing awesome things. We also interviewed Brad Arton, the owner/operator of the Mall of Louisiana Chick-fil-A. Today, our interview is a bit different; it’s less of a formal question and answer session as the last ones were, and more just an exposition on my experiences at the JazzyBird Coffee headquarters.
I first learned about Jazzy Bird when my mom was featured on the front page of The Advocate business section with them. They’re the brainchild of local serial entrepreneurs Brian and Shari Leblanc. They’re currently working out of a unique kitchen that serves as an incubator for local culinary startups located at the Lamar-Dixon Center, but they’re moving soon to a new, bigger location to serve their expanding needs (also as a consequence of the closing of the Lamar-Dixon Center).
I spent a few hours one afternoon at their headquarters where the couple was kind enough to show me around and showcase their operation. They’re just starting up and kind of a small operation, but it’s really quite impressive what they’ve done. They take shots of espresso, flash-freeze them and package them for sale at local grocery stores. You can find them at local grocery stores including Associated Grocers, Rouses, Albertsons and Whole Foods. To see if it’s available in your area, you can search the full list here. If they’re not yet available in your area, don’t fret; it’s likely they soon will be. Consumers just microwave a shot in a cup of milk for instant espresso. Not only is this ingenious, but it’s also incredibly delicious. And, it’s so easy even I can do it! They told me their inspiration came after they, like many Americans, spent way too much money at boutique coffee houses. A typical espresso there costs a few bucks apiece; their solution costs less than a dollar a cup.
They’re really great people, and I enjoyed my time there. Since then, our family has been a regular JazzyBird coffee—this stuff is seriously delicious. Moreover, the Leblanc’s represent the entrepreneurial community of Louisiana. They’re passionate, hard-working individuals who acted upon their inspiration to create a really ingeniuous solution. We’re proud to have them as a part of our community and I highly recommend their product.
They were kind enough to give us some of their product to give away. You can enter by subscribing to our news feed, following us on Twitter and following JazzyBird on Twitter for great news and updates and finally by leaving a comment on this post. The contest will stay open for a week and a few lucky people will be chosen at random from the comments to receive free packages of JazzyBird Espresso as well as mugs and coupons.
and microwave in a cup of milk for instant espresso for about $0.45 each—talk about recessional savings!