Melissa Krueger
Melissa Krueger’s coffee is spiked with more than just caffeine. The artisan coffee roaster founded Gay Coffee, a company that brews beans, a sense of kitsch and LGBT memes (Stone Butch Breakfast Blend, anyone?), after the inspirational legalization of same-sex marriage in New York. The Massachusetts-based, 100 percent fair trade brand reclaims queer stereotypes and puts our civil rights history on kitchen counters and store shelves across the nation. As Krueger tells GO, “I see Gay Coffee as a vehicle for creating conversations across the gay and not-so-gay spectrum, using humor as a way to break down barriers and encourage respect and mutual understanding. All over a cup of coffee, of course!” Like most entrepreneurs, Krueger wears many hats: she is the creative director, blogger, LGBT outreach coordinator and facility manager, while overseeing all coffee roasting and production. Since her product launch at San Francisco’s Castro Street Fair, sales skyrocketed and Krueger is eyeing distribution in the UK and Europe, as well as putting Gay Coffee to work for LGBT education, advocacy and youth programs.
