Black Wellness Coffee Makes History: First Black American-Owned Coffee Brand in Asia Debuts in the U.S. at The Baptist Convention in Kansas City, Missouri it’s slowly becoming, “The Coffee America Needs but Can’t Have—Yet.” Top of Form
KANSAS CITY, MO, USA – History was made as Black Wellness Coffee, the first Black American-owned coffee brand based in Asia, Philippines-farmed, officially made its U.S. debut at The Baptist Convention in Kansas City, Missouri—hosted by First Lady Regina Clark, and backed by Black Wellness Angel Investors Shirley Jackson-Brooks and Tammy Schaeffer.
While founder Kareem Jackson—multi-award-winning (black American) entrepreneur, media personality, and international Coffee Boss—remained on the lush coffee farms in the Philippines Islands, his signature wellness coffee and handmade, all-natural gift boxes made their way to the U.S. thanks to the U.S. Embassy and USAID Manila.
This isn’t just coffee.
This is a cultural revolution. It’s the start of a Black-owned wellness movement with roots in the East and a vision for the West.
“The U.S. is going through the biggest transfer of wealth since Lincoln freed the slaves.”
— Kareem Jackson, Founder of Black Wellness Coffee, Host of Coffee & Kareem
Shut Out of the U.S., But Blazing Across Asia
It’s a bittersweet debut.
Black Wellness Coffee is widely available throughout Asia and across the Philippines, proudly farmed-fresh, handcrafted, and infused with local love. Yet, because it’s 100% all-natural, non-GMO, and not chemically processed, it’s not allowed in the U.S.—yet.
That’s right.
While U.S. grocery store shelves grow more barren, and Americans scream for real food, real entrepreneurs, and real wellness, this Black-owned, Asian-farmed miracle-in-a-mug has been quietly breaking into coffee culture abroad.
Now—ironically under the Trump-era tariffs, and with the U.S. push for healthy, locally owned brands—Black Wellness Coffee may finally have a shot at ‘officially’ entering its own, home, U.S. market.
Abroad, Black Brands Aren’t Boxed In
In Asia, Black Wellness Coffee isn’t locked into a “Black-only-urban-ethnic” box.
Black Wellness is not buried in the “Urban” aisle or treated like some niche novelty -outside of the USA. It’s a mainstream brand, stocked alongside Nestlé, Starbucks, and Folgers—competing by quality, not by category.
Unlike in the U.S., where Black-owned products are often confined to “specialty” shelves and expected to serve only the Black demographic, abroad, Kareem’s brand speaks wellness, premium quality, and global appeal. It’s a ‘high-end’ respected contender, not a cultural side note. That difference says everything about how the world sees Black excellence—and how the U.S. still has catching up to do.
A Mission From the Motherland: Supporting Filipino (Black and Brown) Farmers
Kareem Jackson’s journey with Black Wellness Coffee began with more than just beans—it began with a government-backed mission. He was commissioned by the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) to help uplift and showcase Filipino farmers across the nation. Through a series of DOT-sponsored “Wellness Farm-to-Fork” tours, Kareem met the farmers, saw the struggles, and experienced the powerful healing potential of their all-natural harvests –of ‘real’ coffee. (You can read more at www.ThePhilippinesMagazine.com.)
What resulted was not just a business—but a movement.
For the first time in history, Filipino farmers are now being showcased in the U.S., and introduced to the Black American community—one of the richest communities on earth, as well as, a community being devastated by fake, sugary coffee imposters, genetically modified (HMO) coffee trees, and mass-market energy drinks causing diabetes, gout, and cancer… and they don’t even know it.
That’s what inspired Kareem to launch Black Wellness Coffee over two years ago: to fight back, heal his people, and use real food as real medicine.
Outsourced by Force, Not by Choice
Like many Black/American entrepreneurs, Kareem Jackson didn’t outsource his company (KA&CO) to Asia by choice—he was pushed out of his own country by corporate monopolies, high operating costs, and a system that favors foreign-imported junk over American excellence.
“It’s been decades of U.S. policies keeping our best and healthiest products OUT of the country, all while American entrepreneurs are forced to go abroad just to compete.” — Kareem Jackson
Now, with American brands scrambling for products, retailers suffering, and millions looking for local alternatives, U.S. suppliers are suddenly looking overseas for homegrown ideas they once ignored—like Black Wellness Coffees.
Just Like the Luxury Bag Drama… But with Coffee
You’ve seen it with fashion. Now it’s coffee.
Brands like Black Wellness Coffees sell in Asia for just ₱450 PHP (about $9 USD) per jar. In contrast, many U.S. coffee ‘sold’ brands—often over-processed, over-roasted, and over-hyped—are $15 to $35 per jar.
Yet somehow, the Black-owned, better, wellness-focused coffee can’t make it to U.S. shelves?
That’s the real coffee scandal.
5 Reasons America Needs to Start Backing Its Own Entrepreneurs:
- We’re Paying Too Much for Less
U.S. consumers are getting overcharged for imported goods while local innovators are left out of the loop. - Shelves Are Empty, Yet Ideas Are Overflowing
Entrepreneurs like Kareem already have the products America needs. They just need access. - Health Starts With Food
Black Wellness Coffee is all-natural and wellness-based—exactly what the U.S. needs during its health and food crises. - Economic Revival Requires Inclusion
True wealth transfer starts by backing all American entrepreneurs—especially those who’ve been forced to build elsewhere. - Representation Is Revenue
Black-American-owned brands like Black Wellness Coffees bring global flavor, cultural pride, and economic power to the table.
Final Sip:
The U.S. is waking up, finally realizing that the next wave of innovation, health, and wealth won’t come from corporate America—but from visionaries like Kareem Jackson, who were forced to go global just to be great.
And while Black Wellness Coffees may have taken its first steps on Asian soil, its roots—and its future—belong in every Black/American-owned café, every American grocery aisle, and every home that believes in wellness, culture, and coffee with purpose.
Coffee is a culture. This is a movement. Black Wellness Coffees are just the beginning.
Bottom of Form
Bottom of Form
