News

Rock Hill, SC - March 11, 2026 - Rock Hill-based Knowledge Perk Coffee Company is proud to announce a new branded coffee collaboration with Coastal Carolina University. Introducing Teal Coast Coffee, a premium coffee line created for Chanticleers.

The collection includes two unique coffees. Coastal Blend is a medium roast that was crafted by the Coastal team, with notes of citrus, cocoa, and caramel. Atheneum Bold is a dark roast coffee inspired by the bold Coastal spirit, with tasting notes of peanut butter, dark chocolate, and raisins.

"We have loved creating this partnership with Coastal Carolina University,” said Ashley Abbott, Strategic Accounts and Partnerships Manager at Knowledge Perk. “Their community and internal team have such strong pride and energy, and it’s been a natural connection from the start. These coffees reflect that spirit, and we hope that students, alumni, and fans feel that connection every time they brew a cup."

Through partnerships like this, Knowledge Perk continues to collaborate with universities to create custom, elevated coffees that celebrate school spirit.

Teal Coast Coffee is available now for pre-order on Knowledge Perk’s website, with its official release date set for March 17. In addition to online retail, Teal Coast Coffee will be available for purchase in select Knowledge Perk cafés and in Teal Nation stores. To pre-order and learn more about the partnership, visit www.knowledgeperk.com.

Rock Hill, SC - March 2, 2026 - Rock Hill based Knowledge Perk Coffee Company is excited to announce a new addition to their staple single-origin coffee portfolio.

The new Colombian offering is a medium/dark roast, washed process coffee that features tasting notes of stout, mocha, and raspberry. It was produced by Finca el Calapo in the San Gil, Santander region of the country.

"High quality, Colombian coffees never fail to excite us,” said Connor Moore, head of production at Knowledge Perk. “It has a mouthfeel reminiscent of a nice dark porter and a hint of mocha sweetness. But as it cools, the brightness of fresh raspberries shines forth. In other words, this coffee is a perfect daily driver for morning joe, and equally delightful for all other brewing methods. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!"

This new coffee is now available for purchase online at knowledgeperk.com and will be rolling out to cafés over the next week.

Rock Hill, SC - February 23, 2026 - Rock Hill based Knowledge Perk Coffee Company is proud to announce a new branded coffee partnership with Wofford College, introducing Bold & Gold, a signature medium roast crafted exclusively for the Terrier community.

Bold & Gold is a smooth, balanced roast featuring dark chocolate and nutty notes. Crafted in collaboration with Wofford leadership to offer an experience shaped by learning, community and sustainability, the blend delivers a delicious cup whether brewed hot or enjoyed over ice.

Beginning February 23, Bold & Gold will be available for pre-order on Knowledge Perk’s website, with its official release date set for March 2. In addition to the whole bean coffee, Wofford College will serve Bold & Gold as the featured cold brew coffee in its campus dining hall.

"From day one, Wofford felt like a natural fit. The college represents excellence, community, and connection: values that matter deeply to us,” said Ashley Abbott, Strategic Accounts and Partnerships Manager at Knowledge Perk. “This partnership is more than a collaboration; it’s an invitation to slow down and celebrate the everyday moments of conversation and connection that happen on campus, in our cafés, and beyond. We hope students, alumni, and fans feel a sense of pride every time they take a sip."

This partnership continues Knowledge Perk’s commitment to building meaningful collaborations with universities and creating custom, elevated coffees that celebrate school pride.

Bold & Gold will be available online, in select Knowledge Perk cafés, and in the Wofford College Bookstore. To pre-order starting February 23 and learn more about the partnership, visit www.knowledgeperk.com.

Rock Hill, SC - February 13th, 2026 - Rock Hill based Knowledge Perk Coffee Company has announced the launch of its seasonal Spring Drink & Food Menu, available in cafés beginning February 13.

The updated menu includes the return of past seasonal beverages such as the Tiramisu Latte and the Blueberry Muffin Macchiato, alongside new additions like the Lavender Fog. The drink offers a variation on the classic London Fog, combining Earl Grey tea and vanilla, topped with a lavender cold foam.

“Our fans are incredibly passionate about their favorite seasonal drinks, so we wanted to honor that by bringing back some of those offerings,” said Jacob Weis, Creative Marketing Manager for Knowledge Perk. “At the same time, we wanted to reflect the ideas of spring with fresh new flavors as well.”

The spring rollout also includes additions to the food menu. The Caprese Chicken Salad Sandwich returns as a seasonal option, and a new Spring Turkey sandwich features turkey, cream cheese, cucumber, tomato, and balsamic glaze. The pastry selection expands with the introduction of a Cherry Greek Yogurt Danish.

The seasonal beverages will be available for a limited time at all Knowledge Perk café locations. Food offerings may vary at licensed store locations.

LITTLE RIVER, SC - January 16th, 2026 - Rock Hill based Knowledge Perk Coffee Company is excited to announce the grand opening of its first drive-thru location in Little River, SC on Friday, January 19, 2026. The drive-thru will be open from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, welcoming the community to celebrate with special offers, samples, and giveaways throughout the day.

To mark the opening, Knowledge Perk Coffee Company will be handing out samples of its hot brewed coffee and pastries, giving guests a taste of the brand’s high-quality coffee and baked goods. Guests will also be able to purchase discounted retail bags of Knowledge Perk Coffee Company at the event.

As a thank-you to the Little River community, several opening-day promotions will be available:

• First 50 cars will receive a coupon for a free drink on a return visit
• 50% off retail coffee bags on opening day (01/19)
• 20% off all drinks and food on opening day (01/19)

“We’re thrilled to open our doors in Little River and introduce our coffee to the community,” said Ryan Sanderson, CEO of Knowledge Perk Coffee Company. “This location allows us to serve premium coffee and food, quickly and conveniently, while still delivering the warm, welcoming experience our brand is known for.”

The Little River drive-thru location expands Knowledge Perk’s growing footprint and reinforces the company’s commitment to serving specialty coffee, handcrafted drinks, and quality food with consistency and care.

Grand Opening Details
Date: January 19
Time: 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location:
Knowledge Perk Coffee Company – Little River
123 Pavilion Drive, Little River, SC 29566

About Knowledge Perk
Founded in 2017, Knowledge Perk Coffee Company is a small-batch coffee roastery with a mission to transform the way you experience coffee and the global community that brings it to you. With a dedication to excellence, education and innovation, Knowledge Perk is continually working to foster growth and expand the boundaries of the coffee industry with its push into both sports and universities. For more information, visit KnowledgePerk.com.

Deep in the Andes Mountains of southwestern Colombia live the Nasa Wes’x indigenous people. Victims of violence and displacement throughout decades of conflict, the Nasa community reached an agreement with FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) in the late 1990s that allowed them to farm coffee in peace. With a vision of nurturing the land and living with dignity, the Nasa formed a coffee-growing initiative that today includes 96 members—known as the Young Coffee Growers Program. Affectionately, it's also called the Yuppie Program, with “Yuppie” standing for Young Professional People.

Knowledge Perk’s new “Yuppie Decaf” is a product of this inspiring program. It’s a washed-process coffee grown by young coffee professionals, then decaffeinated at the world’s only facility using the Ethyl Acetate sugarcane process. Though “Ethyl Acetate” might sound intimidating, it’s a natural and environmentally friendly compound derived from sugarcane.

The sugarcane decaffeination process begins by steaming the green coffee beans to make them more permeable. The beans are then soaked in an Ethyl Acetate solution, which draws out the caffeine. A charcoal filter removes the caffeine from the solution. Once decaffeinated—typically to about 97%—the beans are dried in vacuum dryers, then gently cooled with ventilation to preserve moisture. When the coffee reaches the ideal moisture level and temperature, it’s packed and shipped to Knowledge Perk’s roastery for the final steps.

Even more than traditional water-based decaffeination, this method helps preserve the origin integrity of the coffee, resulting in a vibrant and flavorful cup. Knowledge Perk is proud to showcase this coffee in our portfolio—we believe it more than holds its own against any of our caffeinated offerings.

Jan, 2023

The average age of a coffee producer in Colombia is 63. This number is especially alarming when you consider the fact that in 2019, the average age was 55. This trend is due to the fact that very few young coffee producers are joining the industry in Colombia, something that needs to change in order for coffee to thrive in that area. That’s where two of Knowledge Perk’s industry partners come in: Unblended and Ventola.

UVI, now called the Young Producers Program, has a goal to make coffee an exciting career path for young people, and to equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to create exciting and fulfilling careers in agriculture. They express a purpose to “guide each coffee producer member of the program in the creation of their own coffee project – positioning their brand internationally and helping them improve their company’s profitability through the creation of differentiated products.” Their members go through different modules focused on the US market, branding and products, international experience, investing in production, and marketing and sales. One of the recent projects undertaken by UVI is the Cochadas farm, where they are developing a unique new coffee processing method.

The UVI Cochadas farm is a community lot in the Antioquia region created through the UVI program with 6 coffee farmers: Jose Vasquez, Yamile Arboleda, Daniel Rendon, Ramon Marulanda, Monica Andrea Castaño, and Juan Camilo Salazar. The benefit of a community lot is that producers with lower production capabilities can meet a certain demand through carefully monitored production and processing of the same coffees on their individual farms, which are later combined into one unified product.

With the Cochadas processing method, coffee cherries are harvested in batches and hand-sorted. As the coffee is sorted, it is placed in barrels for the fermentation process to begin. As the harvesting and sorting continues, the new coffee cherries are added to the fermentation barrels on top of the old cherries. This creates distinct layers in the coffee, with some having fermented for longer than others, resulting in a depth to the acidity. After a set period of five days, the fermentation process is complete, and the coffee goes on to be washed to remove all of the pulp and mucilage from the green coffee. The coffee is then brought together at a dry mill in Medellin, where it is dried for 3-4 weeks.

Knowledge Perk prides itself in working through direct trade with coffee producers when possible. This allows for the greatest level of transparency, as well as allows us to better tell the story of our coffee and its producers. Direct trade is also how we try to maintain sustainability in coffee production, seeking to end the cycle of increasing and decreasing prices by offering a consistent, sustainable price to producers. Through our relationship with UVI and Unblended, we have taken the Cochadas coffee and developed it into a beautiful light roast. This full-bodied coffee features tasting notes of mountain apple, floral tea, and honey. It’s a sweet, unique cup that is sure to satisfy.

You can learn more about UVI, Unblended, and Ventola by visiting www.ventola.coffee or www.unblended.coffee. You can also purchase a bag of Knowledge Perk’s UVI Cochadas coffee online at knowledgeperk.com.

Sept, 2022

In the mountains of Honduras, coffee, right behind bananas, is the top economic driver for a developing nation whose citizens face many economic and social challenges. More than 100,000 Honduran families are involved in coffee production, 95% are small scale farmers and many rely on family labor to make the business work. Knowledge Perk has a strong relationship with Honduras, our customers too. KP’s popular cold brew has its origins at Finca Mira Flores farm with fourth generation coffee farmer Joel Banegas. Finca Mira Flores is located in Los Planes, Comayagua region of south-central Honduras.

Knowledge Perk’s Honduras connection is now even stronger through a partnership with Educate2Envision International, which provides support to coffee farming communities in rural Honduras. The children of coffee producers in Honduras face many challenges when it comes to furthering their education after primary school. Dangerous or impassable roads, long distances, lack of transportation, and financial barriers make it very difficult for these children to get the education they need to be able to help their families and communities grow. E2E is an incredible organization that makes it possible for many of these children to get the advanced education they need.

Through our partnership with E2E we are funding projects in the Los Planes region. These projects are selected by students in the school who identify opportunities to improve their own community. The most recent project was the completion of a concrete floor for an elderly coffee farmer living in poor conditions. More projects are planned that will help strengthen the community and impact these rural communities.

Flourishing Community and Better World are two of the foundational tenets of Knowledge Perk. It is a unique honor to, in part, fulfill that mission by making a direct impact on coffee growing communities in regions where we source coffee beans. If you would like to join us in supporting this vision, you can make a donation on E2E's website and come by your local Knowledge Perk café to enjoy a cold brew!