Gary Hopkins - I Love Coffee

Through the SAB Foundation we were able to move to a bigger space and hire more employees. We started with just three employees and now we have nine.

Gary Hopkins, Co-founder I Love Coffee

Co-founded by Gary Hopkins, I Love Coffee is a deaf-run coffee shop in Cape Town.

They provide hot beverages and staff lunches to more than 400 employees in an advertising agency building, and are unique because 80% of their staff members are deaf.

In 2016, I Love Coffee was awarded R300 000 at the SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards. Through this funding, they were able to buy new and improved equipment, employ more staff members and move into a bigger space where they are able to service more people than ever before.

Before winning the award from the SAB Foundation, I Love Coffee only had three employees, but they have now increased that number to nine permanent employees. This has also assisted in doubling their profit margin, by extending their services from simply serving coffee, to growing into a restaurant which provides weekly lunches.

Currently, I Love Coffee are in the process of opening a second shop and have joined the SAB Foundation Social Innovation Fund.