In December of 2022, Mid-Hudson Works became the owner and operator of North River Roasters. They will continue to provide certified, artfully roasted, specialty grade coffee to the Poughkeepsie community, while providing job opportunities for their clients – physically and medically disabled veterans and other individuals.
Prior to this transition, North River Roasters has been providing fresh roasted coffee to the Poughkeepsie community since 2015.
The Launch
In November 2015 we launched a community supported coffee roasting program to give our members fresh, locally roasted coffee every week. Modeled after the farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) that is prevalent in the Hudson Valley, we aimed to make high quality, locally roasted coffee available to those who wanted to know where their coffee came from and how it was made. We offered different options for share amounts and distributed to convenient locations in Poughkeepsie.
Our Vision
Long-term, we plan to employ the “launch and convert” approach to the cooperative business model and turn NRR into a worker-owned cooperative for sustained benefit to the community. While it all didn’t turn out that way, the idea of donating the business to Mid-Hudson Works achieves the same goal of sustained benefit to the community, so we’re grateful for that.
The media from back at the start
Daily Coffee News Community and Coffee Progress in Poughkeepsie with North River Roasters 9.27.2016
Hudson Valley Magazine Change is Brewing in Poughkeepsie 9.10.2016
Poughkeepsie Journal 63 Percent of Americans Plan to Work During Retirement 4.22.2016
Poughkeepsie Journal Summit will reveal strengths of ‘Community Wealth Building’ 4.19.2016
Daily Voice Southwest Dutchess Poughkeepsie Coffee Roaster Hopes to Revitalize Downtown 3.11.2016
TWC News ‘Vacant to Vibrant’ Kicks Off to Help Fill Deserted Buildings in Poughkeepsie 8.6.2015