Every pound of Rembrandt Coffee sold continues to support the hard working private farmers in Guatemala
Want to make a difference? Just grab a cup of coffee.
With great food, delicious coffee and a friendly atmosphere, Ken Rembert, owner of the Bagel Bakery, 4113 NW 16th Blvd., is trying to make a difference right here in Gainesville—and in the mountains of Guatemala.
Rembert opened the Bagel Bakery in 1990, serving a variety of bagels, spreads, sandwiches, salads and more for breakfast or lunch. And he has been giving back to the community since day one. Over the years, he has supported a number of local causes, institutions and events.
Ed Petkus, a retired college professor and 17-year resident of Gainesville starts almost every day at his table, where he is usually joined by other regulars.
“It’s the friendly atmosphere, good food and nice company that bring me in,” Petkus said. “Beyond that, Ken has a great sense of the economy, and he has good kids working for him.
“I am familiar with Guatemala,” he continued. “I am interested in what he’s doing there. There are problems there, but he is doing some good.”
Rembert’s community involvement first extended to Guatemala about seven years ago. During a trip into the Guatemala mountains, he discovered there was extraordinary coffee growing everywhere. He decided to make an arrangement with the village: if they could send him the coffee, he would learn how to roast it and pay them more than fair-trade price. The result was Rembrandt Coffee, which is served at the Bagel Bakery, or can be purchased at Ward’s Supermarket and online at www.rembrandtcoffee.org.
“It is a win-win,” Rembert said. “We are helping the economy there and offering great coffee here. I think there is a big taste difference. We serve a great specialty coffee with a good body and a smooth finish.”
The coffee is processed, sorted and bagged in Guatemala and shipped to Gainesville. It takes about 16 to 17 minutes to roast in the store, where donation jars offer customers the opportunity to provide funds for subsidizing secondary education for schoolchildren in Guatemala.
Additionally, coffee refills are done by donation, and that money goes to buy water filters for the mountain people in Guatemala. The filters save them from having to walk miles to get clean water.
“It’s kind of like helping your fellow man,” Rembert said.
He also helps the people of Guatemala with other initiatives such as inexpensive eyeglasses and hybrid corn. Coffee is their cash crop, but the corn gives them food to eat.
Rembert enjoys seeing the instant impact the Guatemalans have when they get a new water filter within their house. He also thinks the eyeglasses are a good project because of the immediacy of change.
“You’re just there and meeting people, and they’re really fantastic people,” he said. “It is a relationship where we both win.”
Rembert still goes to Guatemala once a year. While he is there, he likes to travel around to various little towns to replace water filters and get the people fitted for eyeglasses.
“It helps me stay excited about the projects, and I get to interact with the people there,” he said.
Another regular customer, Bill Hutchinson, the city of Gainesville’s entertainment director, said it is a combination of the food, atmosphere and owner that brings him in to the Bagel Bakery.
“He has the best espresso in town and the best bagels – better than New York,” Hutchinson said. “Ken’s not just good to everyone who comes in; he’s good all the way to Guatemala. By dealing directly with the people there, he has eliminated the middle man. As a result, he has been able to help with secondary education and a clinic and made some people very happy. He is an example of what one person can do to make life better for others.”
Rembert got his start after he graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in forestry. He went to work for his father, Davis Rembert, who owned United Fuels and the Sprint Food Stores. After that experience, he opened the Bagel Bakery, originally as a Chesapeake franchise and three Gainesville-area TCBYs. He still owns the TCBY store in Tioga Town Center.
Not only did he get his business experience from his father, he owes much of his interest in community involvement to him and his mother, Judi, who have long believed in the philosophy of giving back to the community.
Rembert encourages customers to keep coming in and buying the coffee. If they would like to contribute directly to the eyeglasses and water filter funds, they can just send in a donation.
“If they buy the coffee, they should really enjoy it,” Rembert said. “And they are doing a great thing supporting the folks down there. They are making a difference.”