Coffee News

Coffee shop with mission to Be Kinder to open on Dallas' Greenville Ave

Jane Gow, founder of Be Kinder Coffee

Jane Gow

A coffee shop with a charitable mission is opening in Dallas: Called Be Kinder Coffee, it will open its first shop at 6500 Greenville Ave. this summer.

The brand, which currently sells at Denton Farmers Market, is a nonprofit whose goal is to give underserved people, mostly refugee women from Afghanistan and Ukraine, the chance to get a job, good pay, and learn the language.

The organization empowers people with job opportunities and education outside of the shop as well, through classes to help them learn English as a Second Language.

Owner is Jane Huong Nguyen Gow, a refugee from Vietnam herself with an IT background, who wanted to give back.

"At this stage in my life I need to be where I have more purpose in life and be more creative and intentional," she says. "I know what it is like to carry the title of refugee, to come over and struggle and eventually make it to where I am today."

Their location is deliberate, as the building is home to two of their partners: Disciples of the Way Ministries and the International Rescue Committee. Both organizations help with legal services, medical, housing and employment services.

This means no commute will be required for the baristas, who do not likely have a means of transportation just yet. Be Kinder Coffee also partners with Catholic Charities on their mission to support refugees.

The menu will feature all the classic coffee drinks, with their star being their Vietnamese cold brew.

They plan to get breakfast items from acclaimed La Casita Bakery, plus granola bars and overnight oats, with sprouted gluten-free oats and coconut milk.

For lunch, they will offer sandwiches and salads, with vegan and gluten-free options.

They'll initially be open Monday-Friday, 7 am-3 pm, with plans to open at weekends in the future, as well as plans for more locations and a roasting facility down the road.

Gow says she also wants to be move involved with farmers in her native country of Vietnam.

"I want to go back to my country and build a relationship with the farmers - it will be a full circle," she says.

Coffee News

Italian brand Lavazza Coffee opens training facility in Dallas

Lavazza

Lavazza Coffee

A coffee brand from Italy has planted a stake in Dallas: Lavazza, founded in the northern Italian city of Turin in 1895, has opened a state-of-the-art training center in Dallas, at 1722 Routh St. #960, where it will serve as a hub for coffee enthusiasts throughout the Southwest.

Dallas is the newest outlet in Lavazza's coffee training network, joining locations in New York, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles, West Chester Pennsylvania, and Toronto — part of their expansion across high-growth markets in the U.S., and its mission to elevate coffee culture globally. (They're also doling out endorsement dollars in commercials featuring Steve Carell and John Krasinski.)

The facility is equipped with espresso, brewing, and coffee innovation equipment, and will serve Lavazza partners, industry professionals, baristas, and distributors. They'll offer hands-on training, SCA certification, menu development, and emerging coffee trends.

Lavazza already partners with many respected hospitality groups and culinary destinations in Dallas including Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, Coury Hospitality Group, Al Biernat's Steakhouse, and Vandelay Hospitality.

In October 2025, Lavazza also began serving coffee on flights by Fort Worth-based American Airlines — further strengthening their connection to the North Texas market. The facility will enable Lavazza to provide closer, more consistent support to these partners and help elevate their coffee programs through continued training and collaboration.

Lavazza has been owned by the Lavazza family for four generations. Today they're one of the leading players on the global coffee scene, with a portfolio of top brands that lead their respective markets, such as Lavazza, Carte Noire, Merrild, and Kicking Horse.

In a statement, Lavazza North America president Hossam Ashraf says that "Dallas has an incredible energy and an ever evolving coffee scene," while Lavazza North America Marketing VP Daniele Foti says that Dallas is great, and we must concur.

"As one of the fastest growing hospitality and culinary markets in the country, Dallas represents a tremendous opportunity for Lavazza," Foti says. "Our investment in this new Training Center demonstrates our commitment to the region and to the partners who bring the Lavazza experience to life every day. Dallas is a city of innovation and high standards, and we are excited to deepen our roots here."

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