Gasparilla Roast

Buddy Brew Coffee was founded in 2007 by Dave and Susan Ward in Tampa, Florida, with the flagship café and roastery opening on West Kennedy Boulevard in 2010. All coffee is specialty grade, rated in the top 2% worldwide on the SCA scale, roasted on a Diedrich and shipped within 24 hours of order. The company intentionally sources from women owned cooperatives and female farmers, with notable partnerships in Rwanda, Brazil, and Colombia. Their Rainforest Roast raises funds for Trees For Kibira in Burundi as part of a broader Brew Good, Do Good mission. The business has grown to eight café locations across Tampa Bay and over 130 employees, with distribution through The Fresh Market, Publix, Whole Foods, and Winn Dixie. Buddy Brew won the 2021 Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award.