Drink Coffee. Do Good. Repeat.

Baylor announces coffee collaboration with Common Grounds and Native Sons Roasters

Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-710-6275
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WACO, Texas (Aug. 23, 2019) – Baylor University and Common Grounds have collaborated once again to launch a new initiative that combines great coffee benefiting a great cause.

The Baylor Blend, a 50 percent Guatemalan and 50 percent Brazilian coffee with flavor notes of hazelnut, caramel, and apple, is sourced from Café Aurora, a farm committed to paying fair wages and producing exceptional coffee. Common Grounds will donate $5 for every bag sold to the Baylor Missions fund, benefiting communities in Guatemala and across the globe. The first mission trip is scheduled for the summer of 2021.

The Baylor Blend is available at Common Grounds in the Bill Daniel Student Center.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Baylor University using our collective platforms to make a positive impact in our world,” said Waco native, Baylor graduate and entrepreneur Blake Batson, B.A. ’08. “By supporting ethical companies, we have the opportunity to invest in communities globally by serving our community locally.”

Blake and his wife, Kimberly, B.A. ’07, have invested significantly in the Waco community with local coffee staple Common Grounds, as well as Heritage Creamery, Native Sons Roasters, Slow Rise Pizza, Milo All Day and Fabled Bookstore & Café. The Batsons share a vision to use their business opportunities to advance human flourishing in Waco and across the globe. This vision was solidified through the establishment of a missions fund to serve countries, farmers and businesses that pay living wage and serve their communities.

“We have a passion for bringing people together over a cup of coffee, inspired food or a great book,” Kimberly Batson said. “The opportunity to spread this passion of creating connection to communities, especially those making a difference in our world, was incredible.”

“We are grateful for the generosity of Blake and Kimberly and their continued commitment to both Waco and Baylor. The new Baylor Blend and the mission fund it supports will establish a legacy of generosity and service to others,” said Matt Burchett, Ph.D., director of student activities and division philanthropic engagement at Baylor.

To support Baylor Missions and the global impact of students, faculty and staff, visit www.baylor.edu/give.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.