Acorn vendor of the week: DawnBreaker Coffee
Tom Atkinson, DawnBreaker Coffee
The Manchester Mirror is planning a series of articles to introduce the many vendors at Acorn Farmers’ Market & Café to the community. Each week a different vendor will be featured, to highlight the wide variety of offerings at our local Market, both now and in the future. Watch for this regular feature to learn more about the people who make up the backdrop to this unique Manchester business!
This week, we meet Tom Atkinson of DawnBreaker Coffee.
Atkinson started DawnBreaker Coffee three years ago as a home-based cottage industry business. He became licensed by the state of Michigan as a food producer and packager two years ago, and has been selling in area stores since.
DawnBreaker Coffee roasts excellent top-quality specialty grade coffees from around the world. Currently for sale are Guatemalan, Mexican, Sumatran, and Costa Rican coffees, as well as Waterloo Blend medium roast and Madrugada Dark Roast blend. Atkinson explained, "Our mission is that you will enjoy how our coffees taste! Not the bitter, burned taste of some coffees that give you a sour stomach, coffee is supposed to be smooth and flavorful, so good you don't actually need to add cream or sugar."
Along with quality, the ethical sourcing of the coffee is important to Atkinson, and DawnBreaker focuses on purchasing direct from farmers, importing from small-farmer cooperatives and from producers that care about sustainable agriculture and the environment. He stated, "This is so we know where the coffees come from, that nobody is being exploited, and that the actual growers of these fine coffees are receiving fair price for their product." You can find information on where the different coffees come from on the DawnBreaker coffee bags and website.
The name DawnBreakers has its roots in Atkinson's faith. He's a Baha'i, and the dawnbreakers were some of the early followers of that religion. He explained that there is also a symbolism behind a breaking dawn, the idea of a new start, a new day. His previous professional life was as a nurse and a paramedic. This is a new start for him in creating and building a new business and career at this point in his life. He added, "And as the company grows, I'd like the company to be able to help others get a new start, find their own breaking dawn in life, whether through our hiring practices or supporting local community support services."
Until last fall DawnBreaker Coffee was located inside The Lakehouse Bakery in Chelsea, leasing the back of the bakery for the coffee roastery. Atkinson stated, "It was a great location and relationship with the bakery, but I outgrew that space." Currently, he is leasing time for his production in another area roastery while he searches for a permanent space for his own roasting facility."
It was through his connection with the bakery that Atkinson connected with Acorn in the first place. He stated, "I actually learned about it from my friend, Keegan, at The Lakehouse Bakery, who started selling there when Acorn first opened and suggested I sell there, too."
When asked what his favorite thing about being an Acorn Farmers' Market vendor is, Atkinson answered that it is the friendliness and excitement of the staff at Acorn. He added, "It's a great organization trying to fill a void in the Manchester community, and they're good to work with." He is looking forward to the larger, updated space Acorn is moving into this spring and being able to offer more of the coffees he sells to the people of Manchester.
Acorn is currently located at 327 West Main Street and open Wed. 1-4 pm, Thurs. noon-6 pm, Fri. 3-6 pm, and Sat. 10-4 pm. All days are walk-in or order online at www.acornfarmersmarketcafe.org and pick-up. Mask and temperature checks are required for in-store shopping.
In addition to Acorn Market in Manchester, DawnBreaker Coffee is available at Agricole Farmstop in Chelsea, The Lakehouse Bakery in Chelsea, North Lake Country Store in Chelsea, and Plane Market in Stockbridge. It can be purchased directly online at www.dawnbreakercoffee.com. You can follow DawnBreaker Coffee on Facebook.
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