She Started Roasting Coffee on Her Stovetop. Now Target & Amazon Are Calling.
Ezra Coffee started on Jessica Taylor’s kitchen stovetop with a simple goal: create a flavorful cup her sister could enjoy, no creamer required. Meet the woman who turned a coffee experiment into a growing brand with a mission. Image: Jessica Taylor
For Jessica Taylor and her sister, Victoria, coffee has long been a shared ritual, dating back to the first sips they enjoyed as children while visiting their grandparents in Arkansas. But when Victoria developed food allergies as an adult, many of the creamers and flavorings she once enjoyed were suddenly off the table.
So Jessica headed to her kitchen, experimenting with coffee she hoped would be flavorful enough to stand on its own. What began on her Dallas, TX, stovetop soon became Ezra Coffee, a growing brand now sold online and by retailers around the world.
First things first. Why coffee?
Coffee has always been personal to me. I grew up drinking it with my grandfather, so some of my earliest memories of coffee are rooted in family and togetherness. Years later, my sister’s dairy, nut, and soy allergies inspired me to create coffee flavorful enough to enjoy without milk, creamers, or other additives. Ezra Coffee brings those experiences together through exceptional coffee rooted in family, history, and purpose.
What is the significance of the name Ezra?
Ezra is a biblical name meaning “he who helps” in Hebrew. That meaning reflects the foundation of our company and our commitment to being of service through everything we do.
The concept of the Ezra Scholarship is so unique. What inspired you to take on that issue as a cause?
Before launching Ezra Coffee, I worked in higher education and saw talented students forced to pause their education because of balances under $1,000. I created the Ezra Scholars Program to help remove those barriers. Through Ezra, an everyday cup of coffee can help a student remain in school and complete their degree.
What’s your favorite way to spend an afternoon?
Taking a Pilates class, browsing home decor stores, and trying new restaurants.
Ezra Coffee feels very intentional, from ethically sourcing your beans to naming your blends to represent meaningful stories in American history. Why is that important to you?
Intentionality is at the heart of Ezra Coffee. I wanted to create exceptional coffee while honoring the people, places, and moments that shaped American history but are often overlooked. Every detail reflects our commitment to quality, culture, and purpose. We are not simply selling coffee. We are preserving history, starting conversations, and creating meaningful impact.
What’s next for Ezra Coffee?
We are expanding into new product formats, introducing new blends, and creating more ways for customers to experience Ezra. We have some exciting projects underway and are looking forward to everything 2027 will bring.
Where do you go to get inspired?
I find inspiration in places that tell a story, especially historic neighborhoods, museums, beautifully designed spaces, and new cities. I am always paying attention to the details, the history, and how a place makes people feel.
What is something people are surprised to learn about you?
I love the symphony, and I am currently learning to play the cello.
If you hadn’t founded Ezra Coffee, what would you be doing?
I would still be doing work centered on service and creating opportunities for others. That has been the common thread throughout my career, from higher education to Ezra Coffee.
Where can we find you when you aren’t working?
At home. I genuinely love being in my house.
What’s your best piece of advice?
Give yourself grace. None of us has done this thing called life before.
LIGHTNING ROUND
What three things are always on your grocery list? Pinot Grigio, Lay’s Kettle Cooked chips, and Beyond Meat burgers.
How do you take your coffee? With three scoops of brown sugar.
What’s your go-to cocktail and where? A Sidecar at a great cocktail bar.
Favorite or next vacation destination? Portugal is next on my list.
Last great book you read? Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph by Sheila Johnson
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Beth Clayton
For over 20 years, Beth Clayton has either been working in a newsroom or pitching one. A natural storyteller and word nerd from the moment she could pick up a pencil, she earned her journalism degree from Butler University and spent the next decade as a writer, reporter, and editor. She now lives in Louisville, KY with her husband, three kids, and a very bad dog, and loves immersing herself in old lady hobbies such as houseplants and macrame.
