Brandon Ivan Pena, the visionary behind 787 Coffee and Brand ON media, has no plans to settle down any time soon. Eager to facilitate the ultimate farm to cup coffee experience for every single human that walks through the doors of a 787, Brandon and his team have their sights set on a massive expansion. After all, more coffee shops means more caffeinated, happy humans!
With 18 coffee shops currently operating in New York City and three in Puerto Rico, 787 Coffee has just been named one of the Fastest Growing Companies in the US by The Financial Times. Having grown 812% throughout the pandemic, Brandon’s resume is long enough to raise any set of eyebrows. Even with these staggering numbers, Brandon’s desire to expand has not decreased at all. By the end of 2022, Pena has a new milestone in mind. End of 2022 – 25 coffee shops. By 2024, 100 coffee shops
Never willing to settle, Brandon is determined to share the gift of authentic, Puerto Rican coffee with as many humans as possible.
787 Coffee Roasters offers customers an authentic farm to cup experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else. Every cup of coffee served at a 787 coffee shop comes courtesy of the farmers of Hacienda Illuminada, the hub of the company’s coffee production. Grown 3,000 feet above sea level in Maricao, Puerto Rico, 787 Coffee plans on bringing Puerto Rico back to the forefront of US coffee production. The beans grown, harvested and roasted to perfection at Hacienda Illuminada are then shipped to all 787 locations where their dedicated team of artisan baristas turn them into drinkable works of fine art. Shipped to each location multiple times throughout any given month, 787 is dedicated to providing humans with the freshest cup of coffee they can find in any given area.
Wholly dedicated to highlighting Puerto Rican culture in each of his shops, Brandon aims to change the way the humans of the world think about coffee. With a focus on customer experience, consistency and employee wellbeing, he’s succeeding.
I Don’t let Brandon’s upbeat, laid back personality fool you. Entirely self made, Brandon’s entrance into the coffee industry was borne out of love for artisan coffee and the humans of Puerto Rico. Following Hurricane Maria in 2017, Hacienda Illuminada was hit hard. Dedicated to helping rebuild the farm and assist farmers through this trying time however he could, Brandon and his team opened the flagship 787 in New York City’s East Village. To his delight, the shop instantly became a fixture of the community. From there, Brandon set his sights on expansion. Unwavering in his desire to open as many shops as possible, Brandon is dedicated to inspiring other humans, especially the next generation of Latin entrepreneurs, to reach their full potential, regardless of whatever obstacles stand in their way. As far as he sees it, if he can achieve his goals with nothing but hard work and a dedication to his craft, so can anyone else willing to put in the effort.
As an entrepreneur, Brandon has always had to bet on himself and make the results he was looking for a reality. With nothing but hard work and dedication to the humans in his life, he has become one of the most respected entrepreneurs in the ever evolving hospitality and coffee industries. His success stems from a distinct understanding of Puerto Rican culture, coffee and a humanist business mindset that continues to shake up the hospitality industry.More than anything, Brandon understands that the key to return business in the coffee industry is consistency and a passion for creating a sense of community. When visiting any of 787’s soon to be 25 locations, customers can expect to be greeted with a huge smile by any of their baristas, lovingly referred to by Brandon as “the coolest humans of New York and Puerto Rico” and a fresh cup of coffee unlike any other you can find in the city. You may even see Brandon, a community fixture himself, checking in on the Humans he is proud to call part of his team! It’s rare to find him without a rum-infused cappuccino in hand.
To Brandon and the team coffee is just an excuse. The thing that drives him to think big, push for expansion and evolution is always the humans who give him a reason to come to work every day. Run by humans, for humans, 787 is driven to let each and every customer know how valued they are within their own community and how many amazing humans are supported by their business. Be sure to visit one of these locations as soon as possible and save some room for freshly brewed coffee and an assortment of traditional Puerto Rican pastries!
You can Follow Him On Instagram : @soybrandonivan
