our community:
cool & caring coffee drinkers

Meet Amelia!

Amelia moved to DC a little over a year ago. She met Cam at Eastern Market and bought a cup of coffee (and then a bag of coffee) while they chatted about direct-trade coffee and dark roast versus light roast—Amelia prefers dark roasts, and her favorite Cam roast is the Honduras Finca del Cerro. To Amelia, it was clear from that first conversation that Cam has a strong commitment to spreading the wealth, and she felt instantly connected to his worldview. In her efforts to shop locally, she continued to visit the stand often for bags of coffee. As a mother with kids close to Cam’s age, she was curious about how the business got up and running and eager to support Cam’s Kettle’s growth, so she started a subscription for herself and her husband. The two of them are self-described coffee snobs, and they make two different pots each morning (whoever is up first prepares both brews!). Amelia’s husband prefers to start the day with an espresso, while Amelia is loyal to her stainless steel French Press (and even brings it camping).

Meet Fady!

Fady has lived in DC since 2015. A DC coffee shop connoisseur, he had his first cup of Cam’s at Eastern Market just about two years ago and determined that Cam’s Kettle is the best coffee in DC. Within six months of frequenting the market stand, Fady became a subscriber so he would never run out of Cam’s Kettle coffee. He usually starts his days with a French Press of coffee (which he likes for its class and convenience) and occasionally prepares an afternoon pour over. Fady is partial to the complex flavors of the Finca del Cerro dark roast and says you can tell from the taste it is well-grown and well-roasted. Beyond appreciating the taste, Fady appreciates that he knows the story behind his coffee—that Antonio and Cesar Flores and their farm are featured prominently on his monthly bags of coffee. Shopping at Cam’s Kettle gives Fady the opportunity to support farmers and a fair wage for global coffee workers while simultaneously supporting local businesses. Plus, Fady thinks the customer service at Cam’s Kettle can’t be beat: back when Cam self-delivered coffee, he would hide Fady’s packages in bushes, covered in leaves, to protect from package thieves!

Meet Brian!

Brian has lived in DC for 8 years; he came here for his undergraduate degree and never left! Around 2 years ago, he met Cam at the Foggy Bottom Farmers Market. Drawn in by the quality of the coffee and the connection Cam created, Brian kept visiting the Farmers Market stand to catch up with Cam. He appreciates that Cam took the time to get to know him and understand his tastes; whenever Cam has special drinks (like teas), he knows whether or not to recommend it to Brian. That personalized, genuine experience was especially important to Brian and his girlfriend as they prepared for the bar exam. Their one break in their 12-hour study days was to visit Cam at the Farmers Market. Cam was their cheerleader and caffeinator, and Brian feels Cam played a role in getting him to where he is today. Brian’s favorite Cam’s Kettle roast is the Finca las Mercedes light roast, and if he is preparing coffee at home it’s typically with a French Press.

Meet Jeff!

Jeff has lived in the DC Area since 2014. He first discovered Cam’s Kettle in early 2018—within the first few weeks of opening!—at the Crystal City farmers market. Jeff is deeply passionate about coffee and has always wanted to be involved in the coffee industry (he even repairs coffee grinders and espresso machines in his free time), so he loved chatting with Cam. Jeff was impressed that Cam had spun up the company largely on his own and says it was clear from their first conversations that Cam was truly driven by care for coffee farmers and their countries. Jeff appreciates that Cam takes his civic duty seriously—as a former resident of Colombia, he knows firsthand how difficult the lives of farmers and their workers could be. Even though he is a bi-weekly subscriber (his household drinks lots of coffee), Jeff continues to visit the Cam’s Kettle stand to talk with Cam. His favorite roast is the limited release Finca la Maria medium roast, though the Finca las Mercedes light roast is a close second. Jeff is partial to espresso, though he occasionally prepares pour overs, too. Fun fact: Jeff was Cam’s Kettle’s second subscriber ever!

Meet Mauricio & Cecilia!

Mauricio and Cecilia have lived in the DC Area all their lives, but they moved to Arlington 3 years ago, which is when they discovered Cam’s Kettle (when it was a bike cart!). Mauricio first met Cam at the Ballston Metro station. Despite the fact it was 7:00 AM, Cam was energized and kind. The two bonded over Bolivian music, and Mauricio was impressed by Cam’s high-quality, responsibly produced coffee. When Cecilia met Cam, she was also touched by the partnerships Cam has with the farming partners. As she supported Cam’s Kettle, Cecilia quickly felt like she was part of something special—she feels that, beyond remembering everyone’s names, Cam creates a genuine sense of community, shared experience, and connection. While making one of Cecilia’s first pour overs, Cam recommended she try cardamom and cinnamon in her coffee. Like their favorite Cam’s Kettle roast (Nicaragua Finca las Mercedes), this has become a constant in Mauricio and Cecilia’s coffee ritual. They continue to infuse every French Press with cardamom and cinnamon.

Meet Michael & Jenna!

Michael and Jenna have been living in Arlington for almost 3 years. They discovered Cam’s Kettle within a few months of moving to the area after frequenting Arlington Farmers Market in Court House. Jenna says she was first drawn to Cam’s Kettle by Cam himself: he was personable, passionate, and knowledgeable about coffee production and preparation. The small-business, direct-trade aspect (namely that Cam gets to know his farming partners) only impressed her further. Michael echoed Jenna’s sentiments, and added that he loves having a coffee guy who makes the effort to know him on a first name basis. Michael loves his and Jenna’s routine of going to the Cam’s Kettle stand on Saturdays for good coffee and good conversation. Jenna likes a little flavored creamer in her coffee (sometimes she will even bring a shot glass of creamer to the Arlington market for her Cam’s pour over!), so she prefers a dark roast. Michael, on the other hand, is a fan of Cam’s Finca las Mercedes light roast. But they both love pour overs; in fact, Cam’s Kettle inspired Jenna to buy Michael a pour over kit for Christmas two years ago, which they still use to make their coffee every day.