Timeline
Our Story
Cafe del Mundo was established in 1975 in Anchorage, Alaska by founder Perry Merkel. Perry was inspired to bring specialty coffee to the last frontier after his travels through Central America exploring coffee farms.
1975
Cafe del Mundo was established in 1975 in Anchorage, Alaska by founder Perry Merkel. Perry was inspired to bring specialty coffee to the last frontier after his travels through Central America exploring coffee farms. Perry began humbly roasting specialty coffee on a small air roaster in a shed behind his home in the midtown neighborhood of Spenard. He soon built relationships with restaurants, grocery stores, and home coffee enthusiasts throughout the state. Once Alaska got a taste for fresh roasted coffee, business exploded. Cafe Del Mundo eventually opened multiple cafe locations throughout Anchorage.
2011
In 2011 Perry Merkel retired and sold his business to his friends Brad Bigelow and Tim Gravel of Kaladi Brothers Coffee.
2015
As coffee tastes were evolving in the industry it was time to make some brand updates. The idea for Black Cup and our mission to present Extraordinary Coffee Best Served Black was born. Our emphasis has always been on farm to cup transparency, roasting to promote origin characteristics, coffee education, and delivering the world’s finest coffees to Alaskans.