How the Owners of Dancing Ox Coffee Roasters Turned Two Passions Into a Business

This week we’re shining the spotlight on Lauren and JP, the founders of Dancing Ox Coffee Roasters, a specialty coffee roasting company based in Belmont, North Carolina, that pays special tribute to Lauren and JP’s first love: dance.

Who are the roasters behind the bean (aka brand)?

Though always coffee connoisseurs, Lauren and JP’s journey to becoming artisan coffee roasters wasn’t always on the horizon. After two decades of competitive ballroom dancing, Professional World and United States Championship titles, Lauren and JP decided to begin a new ‘routine’.

Both had been dancing and competing professionally around the world since they were young teens, but after many winning titles, years in the limelight and teaching, they knew it was time to delve deeper into their other passions: coffee, travel, artistry.

How was Dancing Ox Coffee Roasters born?

A trip to Costa Rica paved the path and inspired their transition from dancing to coffee roasting. If you’re a coffee lover, you know that Costa Rica is one of the true coffee capitols of the world, so for two people as passionate, creative, and curious as Lauren and JP, you can see how this trip allowed them to envision such a special new chapter together.

"Coffee can be even more dynamic than dancing," says Lauren, "a cup of coffee holds a world of nuances, rhythms, and emotions." Artful roasting reveals those worlds for JP, explaining that "mastering a dance routine has a limitation. The complexity of a coffee bean and developing its roasting potential is an art with no boundaries."

These two quickly saw how their passions (and worlds) could collide. The name "Dancing Ox Coffee Roasters" pays homage to their first passion of dance. The "Ox" represents everything that Lauren and JP poured into competitive ballroom dancing: strength, endurance, perseverance, hard work and determination.

For Lauren and JP, their philosophy is simple: "find something you love and put energy into doing it well!"

It doesn’t end at the business name either. Each blend is named after a type of dance or figure used—from freestyle to the moonwalk to the oversway and the contra check. Talk about bringing some fun and flare to your coffee cup!

What makes Dancing Ox coffee different from others on the market?

Coffee, like any other art form, derives its beauty from the creativity and skill of its creators.

Lauren and JP strive to capture this beauty by sourcing their beans from a variety of single-family farms and large co-ops across the globe. Even when beans come from the same farm, they all taste different.

Lauren and JP take the time to taste, play and blend certain origins together to bring customers the most unique blends.

They say, "Since every coffee has its own unique notes, we strive to bring out and emphasize these delicious flavors it wants to showcase."

How are you growing your business?

While Lauren and JP had all of the necessities needed for a new business, they weren’t growing as fast as they’d hoped.

So, they reflected on an important lesson learned from years of dancing: the power of connection.

"We started doing outdoor markets and events to incorporate selling directly to our customers. Our growth gained tremendous momentum from not only networking but hearing what our customers like. It seems simple enough but we sometimes get lost behind our websites and don't get the same feedback. It has and is working for us to include face-to-face customer interaction."

The Final Touch: Packaging and Labels

Surely no one wants their favorite blend of coffee to get mixed up with another or go bad, so it’s crucial they’re properly labeled and packaged.

Lauren and JP haven’t always used OnlineLabels but have been proud customers for several years now.

"Our packaging went up levels when we started using labels from OnlineLabels. We've experimented with other brands as well and yours cannot compare."

"Our 12 oz and 5 lb bags have front and back labels. We also use labels for stickers, shipping labels, and roast dates. Your products gave our products a cleaner, more organized, professional look."

Some of Lauren and JP’s favorite features are the many label size and label material options, as well as the PDF templates that make things as smooth as a perfect blend for them. They added, "We're looking forward to trying more products as we grow."

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Not everyone is able to find a way to turn their passion into their profession (two times in their lives!), but Lauren and JP sure did!

At OnlineLabels, our goal is to be your one-stop-shop for all your labeling needs. With your high quality, low prices, and vast array of products, we have just what your business needs to succeed!

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