Our Story

From Disgust to Mission

I hated coffee in Afghanistan.

Every night shift in the desert, when the cold cut through everything and sleep was a luxury we couldn't afford, I forced myself to drink the most terrible coffee you can imagine. It was bitter, burnt, and barely warm - but it was the only hot thing we had. I choked it down because I had to, not because I wanted to.

But those cold nights taught me something I didn't realize until years later: when you've been forgotten, you never forget others.

The Turning Point

When I got out of the Marine Corps, life hit differently than I expected. An unexpected surgery left me unable to work, bills piling up, and pride keeping me from asking for help. That's when a local veteran organization stepped in - no questions asked, just help when I needed it most.

Later in life, sitting in my local Veteran Services Office, another veteran I'd never met before handed me an envelope. Inside the envelope I later opened was $800 and a note saying "Thank you, hope this helps." Little did he know I was wondering what I was going to do for my four children's Christmas that year. This moment changed everything for me.

I decided to take my coffee brand from a little stand and share it with the world. I realized the terrible coffee from Afghanistan could become something beautiful - coffee that could keep our veterans going at home, just like those few that helped me get through.

Why Coffee? Why This Mission?

Because coffee taught me what "making do" costs your soul.

In Afghanistan, we accepted terrible coffee because "that's all we had." But accepting less than we deserve becomes a habit. Veterans shouldn't have to "make do" when they come home. They deserve excellence - in their coffee, in their support, in how they're remembered.

That's why every cup I sell meets military standards. I personally drink every coffee we offer because if it's not good enough for me, it's not good enough for the veterans we serve. I have every bag in my kitchen right now.

Operation Pay It Forward

Every bag sold builds toward something beautiful - surprising veterans with unexpected kindness.

Not checks to organizations. Not corporate charity. Real help for real people: gas money when they're running on empty, groceries when the month is longer than the money, cash when life throws a curveball they weren't ready for.

We call it Operation Pay It Forward because that's exactly what it is - paying forward the unexpected kindness I received when I needed it most.

When we accumulate enough from coffee sales, my wife and I find veterans who need help and surprise them. We document their reactions because you deserve to see how your coffee purchase helped - because you're part of this mission and should see the impact you're making.

The Coffee Standards

If I'm going to use coffee to serve veterans, it better be coffee that honors them.

We source from regions that respect their farmers - because respect is a military value we carry everywhere. Our Colombian beans come directly from partner farms, not through middlemen who take cuts. Guatemala, Costa Rica - places where quality meets integrity.

Military standards mean no shortcuts, no excuses, no compromise. True 1-pound bags, not the 12-ounce standard that saves companies money. Swiss Water Process decaf when you want it, because clean coffee for clean missions matters.

Every roast is tested to the same standard: would I serve this to my fellow Marines? If the answer is no, it doesn't leave our facility.

How We Operate

SMALL BUSINESS, BIG STANDARDS

Fallen Grounds Coffee is a Marine-owned business with a simple model:

We handle your orders, customer service, and our mission.

Our coffee is professionally roasted to our specifications in Wisconsin.

Why this matters to you:

  • Fresh roasted in small batches

  • Shipped directly from the roasting facility

  • No middleman markups

  • Quality control at every step

Questions? Email us directly: support@fallengroundscoffee.com

(Yes, we actually read and respond to every email)

What Makes Us Different

We're not trying to be the biggest coffee company. We're trying to be the most meaningful one.

Every coffee purchase builds toward surprising a veteran with help they didn't expect. Every cup meets standards that honor their service. Every bag connects you to a mission bigger than caffeine.

From the worst coffee of my life came the best mission of my life: making sure no veteran fights alone, one surprise at a time.

The Promise

Your morning coffee builds toward someone's unexpected blessing. Your taste buds get excellence that honors military standards. Your purchase participates in missions that matter.

And when we surprise that first veteran with help they didn't see coming, you'll see it too. Because you helped make it happen.

Every cup serves those who served. One cup, one act, one veteran at a time.

- Fallen Grounds Coffee Born from terrible coffee in Afghanistan, Building toward beautiful missions at home