When your last name is Lucky, you grow up knowing that life has exciting and unpredictable things in store for you.
Larry Lucky met Corie 20 years ago in a young adults ministry at their church. Corie was a performer and Larry asked if he could book her for a church event. This led to a long friendship between the two, a friendship that Larry wanted to take to the next level. The two kept their friendship strong and, after 15 years of persistence and devotion, the two got married.
Larry works in sound production and has contributed to big shows such as HGTV's Bargain Mansions and programs on Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network. But Larry’s entrepreneurial spirit and Corie’s talents would lead them to try something new.
They began as a small operation, working with sellers and growers in other countries to provide savory coffee to customers. Larry’s vision for the company was matched perfectly with Corie’s experience as a teacher and business endeavors of her own. The two made for perfect business partners.
After selling and working with coffee grown in other countries, Larry decided that he wanted to focus the business on American-made products. One morning, the name American Joe Coffee struck him. And then a jingle popped into Larry’s mind.
The couple began speaking with growers and roasters, sorting through option after option, before finding a roaster in Kansas City, MO. American Joe Coffee made its way onto store shelves just nine months later, in September 2022.
American Joe Coffee is grown and harvested in Hawaii, then small-batch roasted in Kansas City, MO. As Larry puts it, American Joe Coffee is 100% American from bean to cup*. The coffee bags even won an ad award for their design, an impressive feat for a young company!
Both Larry and Corie are Navy “brats” and they proudly name their coffee lines after the Pacific fleet. Pearl Harbor and Tropic Lightning are Medium-Dark roast blends and honor the Luckys' Navy heritage. Larry’s dad’s ship was named after Ensign Steven W. Groves, a Navy Cross recipient due to his heroic actions during the battle of Midway in World War II. They’ve carried on their families’ naval legacy by partnering with the Military Child Education Coalition, a foundation that seeks to support and prepare all military-connected children for life.
The Luckys live on 11.5 acres of land and their long-term goal for the property is to grow an assortment of crops, including coffee. Naturally, they needed a tractor. After researching models and implements, they visited their local Kubota dealer and purchased a Kubota tractor, complete with a cab, for year-round performance.
The Luckys couldn’t be more excited for the future of their marriage, American Joe Coffee and their property. Larry’s desire to chart his own path wasn’t without obstacles. But it’s Larry and Corie’s commitment to overcoming those obstacles, together, that helped American Joe Coffee break free from an idea and become something so much more.
Larry’s tenacity is backed by his personal mantra, “You have to go after your dream and if you don’t, someone will hire you to go after theirs.”
* We would like to clarify that our American Joe Pearl Harbor is 100% American Grown and American Joe Tropic Lightning is 51% American Grown and 49% U.S. Ally (Brazil for this blend)
