Raleigh coffee company expands again with another HQ cafe
Raleigh's 321 Coffee is expanding by opening an in-office cafe at a tech company's headquarters in Morrisville.
A Raleigh-based coffee company is expanding its office business by opening a cafe in the Morrisville headquarters of a technology firm.
321 Coffee is opening a new location in Perimeter Park, 1010 Sync St., at the offices Relias.
The coffee brand operates an existing location in Pendo's Downtown Raleigh HQ. 321 Coffee's CEO and cofounder Lindsay Wrege says corporate partnerships are an important part of their business model. 321 Coffee CEO and co-founder Lindsay Wrege said that companies, particularly in the tech sector, face challenges bringing their employees back to work.
Wrege stated that 321 was able to play a role in the strategic return-to office initiatives of companies. This has been a fantastic experience for us. Companies are looking to small businesses and retailers as a way to bring back their employees.
The company started as a small shop in the State Farmers Market. It has grown to include retail stores at the Bloc83 and Durham.ID developments, and a roasting plant.
Relias will pay for all beverages and pastries purchased by its employees. The cafe will open four days per week. Construction is expected to start in May, with an opening scheduled for summer.
Relias, an education and training company that works with over 11,000 healthcare organizations around the world, is a leader in workforce development.
Tina Krebs is the chief people officer at Relias. She said, "We are looking forward to welcoming 321 Coffee into our headquarters this summer. We want our teams to work together to create an inclusive community which celebrates our shared value."
Wrege stated that "Relias shares the core values we hold dear, DEI and belonging. We're happy to form a partnership with Relias and advance both our company cultures."
321 Coffee's partnerships with corporations go beyond its in-house cafés. 321 Coffee's corporate partnerships extend beyond in-house cafes.
Wrege, along with co-founder Michael Evans, opened the first location of the company in 2019. They were both students at North Carolina State University. In 2021, the company changed from a nonprofit to a for profit business with plans to expand. The company has more than 200 people on a waitinglist to work at its cafes.
321 partnered recently with N.C. State University in order to create a coffee blend that is dedicated to the Wolfpack.