The popularity of their distinct coffee blend, known as "Abbey Roast," has soared in recent times, catapulting these monks into a position where they can expand their coffee operation into a comprehensive enterprise near Silver City, New Mexico.
In July 2019, the Benedictines of Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery embarked on an exciting new venture, breaking ground on a state-of-the-art coffee roasting facility spanning an impressive 9,000 square feet.
From Lifesite News:
The new facility will house a bean storage warehouse, roasting room, grinding room, packing room, office and visitor center. It will also feature a larger capacity roaster that should increase the amount of “Abbey Roast” coffee the monks can produce “sevenfold,” or 600%. The monks decided that the new building was necessary because, after years of steadily increasing sales, demand had outstripped their ability to produce Abbey Roast coffee. They were assisted in the project by William and Jean Dunn of JE Dunn Construction and other benefactors.
The monks have been involved in the construction of the building themselves, assisted by building professionals, depending on the complexity of the task—and their cash flow.
“We do a lot of the work ourselves, and when we have the funds—when people donate—we hire regular crews,” Brother Bernard, Obl. S.B. told LifeSiteNews.
“But when they don’t [donate], we continue our own work.”
Currently the monks are trying to raise funds to finish the building and pay for the new coffee roaster. But Brother Bernard also underscored that their coffee sales, including those of the limited-edition Christmas Blend, continue to help many pro-life organizations. These include American Life League and, yes, LifeSiteNews. This holiday season, sales of the monks’ Christmas blend will exclusively benefit LifeSiteNews.
Abbey Roast is also the official coffee of the March for Life in Washington, D.C., and usually the monks have a stall in the event’s hotel. This coming January, thanks to the coronavirus restrictions, there will be a hospitality tent instead, and the monks will be there, supplying their joy-giving elixir.
This is truly a remarkable sight to behold.
It really transports you back in time, harking back to an era when humble priories of monks engaged in trade, leveraging resources like wool to contribute to the construction of magnificent churches and cathedrals.
However, in our modern age, we witness a unique transformation as these dedicated monks employ coffee as a means to establish their empire. It is a testament to their adaptability and resourcefulness, channeling the power of coffee to fuel their noble ambitions.
