In 2013, Tony Vo had an idea to open a coffee shop in Cornelius, North Carolina, where specialty coffee was a novel concept. Despite the lack of an established market for high-grade coffee, Vo was determined to offer something unique.
“I always try to be original. If there’s already competition in the field, you know it’s going to be tough,” Vo shared with Global Coffee Report. “My family was involved in the restaurant business, but I was drawn to specialty coffee and saw an opportunity to introduce it to the Lake Norman area.”
Vo, alongside his wife Annie, came up with the name Waterbean, symbolizing how the right balance of water and beans creates the perfect cup of coffee. When they opened their first venue in winter 2013, it was the first specialty coffee shop in the area, offering pourover, French press, AeroPress, and five espresso options.
In the beginning, Vo says most locals weren’t familiar with the idea of specialty coffee, often expecting drinks from large café chains. “We spent a lot of time educating customers on what we offered,” he recalls. “They would try to order a venti macchiato, and we’d explain that we didn’t serve those, instead introducing them to our espresso options.”
Despite being a new and unfamiliar concept, Waterbean quickly became a success. Within nine months, Vo opened a sister store in Huntersville. “I didn’t know if the first store would work, but I fell in love with the coffee industry,” he says.
By the time the second location opened, Vo set an ambitious goal: to open 10 locations over the next decade. Now, 11 years later, the brand is preparing to launch its 20th venue.
As Waterbean expanded, so did the specialty coffee scene in North Carolina, but the brand’s growth was not without its challenges. In 2017, Vo decided to take a risk and open his own roastery to supply all the cafés with freshly roasted specialty-grade coffee. This decision allowed Waterbean to maintain consistency and quality across its venues.
“Having our own roastery was a big risk, but it was the right kind of growth for Waterbean,” Vo explains. “We have complete control over the quality of our beans, and we now roast almost exclusively organic coffees, with a few limited-edition releases each year.”
Vo attributes much of Waterbean’s success to a combination of factors, with the most important being capital. “You can’t grow without capital,” he says. “Once you have the funding, having the right staff and delivering the best product are crucial to creating a quality experience. Our team feels like family, and that has helped us grow rapidly.”
From a small coffee shop in Cornelius to a growing chain with 20 locations, Tony Vo’s Waterbean Coffee has transformed the coffee culture in North Carolina, offering high-quality coffee and fostering a strong sense of community.
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