Brett Smith, who co-founded Counter Culture Coffee in 1995 with Fred Houk after meeting at UNC’s business school, is stepping down as president following 30 years leading the company. His legacy blends innovative business strategy, sustainability leadership, and a focus on coffee education that reshaped the specialty coffee industry. As Smith shifts out, Counter Culture’s future remains rooted in the values he championed—ethical sourcing, environmental care, and community engagement.
Brett Smith exits Counter Culture after 30 years, his sustainability and education initiatives cementing ethical coffee practices as industry benchmarks.
Founded with its initial sale to Pop’s Trattoria in Durham, Counter Culture grew from local restaurant partnerships in North Carolina’s Triangle region to a nationally recognized brand. Smith’s economics background and Houk’s coffee expertise drove early growth, focusing on custom blends for chefs. By 2007, the company expanded its offerings with seasonal single-origin coffees under its Source line, earning industry acclaim and contributing to the coffee culture transformation globally. Effective relationships with local roasters were pivotal in enhancing the quality of their offerings.
Sustainability defined Smith’s leadership. He launched shade-grown Sanctuary coffee in 1997 and opened North Carolina’s first organic-certified roastery in 2002. A 2003 pledge formalized sustainability goals, and the 2008 Direct Trade policy guaranteed fair prices for farmers. The company began publishing annual Transparency Reports in 2009, detailing purchasing relationships and prices to set accountability benchmarks. Smith’s triple-bottom-line approach—balancing planet, people, and profit—earned him UNC’s Distinguished Alumni in Sustainability Award in 2015.
Education also became central to Counter Culture’s identity. Starting with public tastings in 2002, the company built training centers nationwide, hosting workshops and partnerships with chefs. These programs aimed to share knowledge across the coffee community, not just vendors; this aligns with broader industry involvement that supports jobs in farming and logistics worldwide.
Counter Culture now operates in cities like New York and Chicago but stays a “boutique” roaster, sourcing from small growers. Its growth reflects Smith’s belief that quality and ethics aren’t trade-offs. While stepping back, he leaves a company positioned to keep pushing industry standards. Board roles, like his work with World Coffee Research, hint he’ll stay connected to global coffee challenges. At WCR, he advanced coffee genetic research to improve crop resilience and farmer prosperity through climate-adaptive agricultural practices.
Smith’s departure marks a milestone, but insiders say Counter Culture’s mission won’t waver. The focus remains on empowering farmers, educating baristas, and brewing coffee that’s as sustainable as it is flavorful.
For now, the industry watches how Smith’s successor navigates evolving tastes and climate threats—while honoring three decades of groundwork.
