helpING

coffee brands

GROW

Black Sheep, n.

1: a member of a family or group who is considered different 

2: one who stands out from the crowd due to nonconformity, often possessing unique strengths

Running a coffee business today is hard.

The landscape is crowded, and consumer TRENDS are changing.

What worked 5 years ago no longer works today.

We help coffee brands find the white space, build market share and profitability.

OUR FOUNDER, A specialty coffee veteran, has been in your shoes and leads Black Sheep.

meet the founder

  • DARLEEN SCHERER

    I started my coffee career in 2002 when I founded Gorilla Coffee, a Brooklyn-based coffee roasting company. At that time, there were two kinds of coffee shops: Starbucks, which occupied every corner, and family-run cafes that used the same steam wand to make frothy cappuccinos and scrambled eggs. Hazelnut-flavored coffee was also a staple. Globally, the price of coffee (C-price) dropped below $1, and experts predicted the impact to be devastating. I saw an opportunity - pay a fair price to co-ops, share that story with customers, and focus on quality preparation, from roast profiling to drink standards at the bar.

    Since then, I have collaborated with all types of coffee companies on brand positioning, product innovation, and optimized roasteries and coffee bars for profitability and growth. The press has called me "The Godmother of New York Coffee," and The New York Times, Bon Appétit, Time Out, The Food Network, The Today Show, and The Wall Street Journal have recognized this work.

    My alter ego is a marketer. Before becoming a coffee entrepreneur, I worked at NYC ad agencies, where I learned how to find the white space and position a brand for success. It also taught me the importance of collaboration.

    The specialty coffee industry is my home, and coffee geeks are my people.

    Helping the independents out there is what drives me.

    INDUSTRY CREDENTIALS:

    Roasters Guild, Former Executive Council Member

    SCA, United States Barista Championship, Former Sensory Judge

    Coffee Quality Institute, Arabica Q Grader

Services

    • Brand differentiation

    • Value proposition

    • Unique selling point (USP)

    • Brand personality

    • Brand identity

  • From sourcing strategies, recipe development to innovating in new formats:

    • RTD

    • instant

    • concentrates

    • single serve

  • From layout and flow to operational manuals.

  • Building your online presence in a way that matters to your brand.

  • When it’s time to reach your audience, whether it’s B2C, B2B or both.

PORTFOLIO

  • PRODUCT INNOVATION + DEVELOPMENT | RTD

  • PRODUCT INNOVATION + DEVELOPMENT | MENU DEVELOPMENT

  • Supercrown Coffee

    BRAND POSITIONING | LOGO + PACKAGE DESIGN

  • BRAND POSITIONING | BRAND REFRESH

  • PRODUCT INNOVATION + DEVELOPMENT | RTD

  • OPERATIONS | COFFEE BAR STANDARDS

  • BRAND POSITIONING | LOGO + PACKAGE DESIGN

  • PRODUCT INNOVATION + DEVELOPMENT | SINGLE SERVE

  • OPERATIONS | COFFEE BAR STANDARDS

  • PRODUCT INNOVATION + DEVELOPMENT | ALMOND MILK

  • OPERATIONS | ROASTERY LAYOUT

  • MARKETING + SALES PLANNING | OAT MILK

  • OPERATIONS | COFFEE BAR LAYOUT

  • Laughing Cat Coffee

    BRAND POSITIONING | LOGO + PACKAGE DESIGN | 1/2lb, 1lb

  • OPERATIONS | COFFEE BAR LAYOUT

  • Supercrown coffee

    Brand Positioning | Logo + package design | 1/2lb, 1lb, 5lb

  • OPERATIONS | MENU DEVELOPMENT

MEET THE COLLABORATORS

LET’S TALK!

Have a project in mind or just want to chat about some news in the coffee industry? Drop me a line.