Meet Rachel
With a background in the fashion industry, Rachel Konte now uses her eye for design to run a coffee business with her husband. She shared with us how her extensive experience in other creative fields has prepared her for her influential role in Red Bay Coffee, and how she continues to find new ways to feel inspired and proud of her work.
How many years have you been in the business and how has your experience impacted your approach to your creative endeavors?
I have been the Chief of Brand for Red Bay Coffee for the last 10 years, as this is also the business my husband and I founded in 2014. However, my background is in fashion and the denim apparel industry, with 18 years of experience as a designer and later Design Director for Levi Strauss & Co in Europe and in the USA. I am using everything I learned from my years in the corporate design world and applying it to my job in the coffee industry. To be honest, working with the production of Indigo is not that different from working with the production of coffee. I think when you are in the field of producing the products you sell, there are a lot of similarities.
How would you describe your creative process and what part of your process makes you the happiest?
I have my hands in almost every aspect of our brand, including marketing, branding, café build-out and interior decoration, packaging, and merchandise design At this point in my life, I am directing my small team using my experience from managing creative people at Levis and Tommy Hilfiger Europe. I like to kick off with brainstorming sessions with the team and then create a channel where they can get the work started and I will jump in with direction, input, color, pattern ideas, or feedback. It is a fun process and I have a stellar team here at RBC. So for me it's just keeping a good tension of creativity and saleability. I am a perfectionist and expect the best from the people I work with. What makes me the happiest is building out cafés that already exist. I love making existing things better and I love taking over something and getting it to shine in its full potential. Interior design is a new passion for me that I am lucky to be able to do here at RBC.
What is your favorite meal you’ve ever cooked for someone you love?
Well I am Afro Danish of Nigerian and Danish decent and I was born and raised in Copenhagen Denmark. I love to cook Danish meat balls (NOT SWEDISH) for my husband. I love to see how happy he gets when I announce that I will make it for dinner. I have adjusted my recipe to make them with turkey meat, but if I was to make them the Danish way its ½ beef and pork. And in my opinion, they are best that way. At home we also eat them the day after on our Danish brown rye bread..yummy!
Do you have any unique coffee/tea habits or rituals you must do everyday to stay sane?
I love these questions. OK, so I consider myself a tea drinker, but this makes my husband laugh out loud, since he makes me a beautiful latte every morning. We call it “Latte Time” and it truly makes me stay sane to start my day early around 6:30-7am with a mellow cup of coffee in the garden. As for my other love “the tea”, I am a fierce Earl Grey lover and am constantly hunting for the BEST Earl Grey. I have currently found it at this little café called The Federal Store Luncheonette & Grocer in Vancouver and I have stocked up. I am the type of person that travels with my own tea as comfort. I drink it by just sprinkling loose tea leaves in my cup, pouring water directly over, and drinking my tea VERY HOT.
What’s one mistake you’ve made in the past 20 years that you would take back, and what would you have done differently?
That I didn’t buy an apartment in Copenhagen 20 years ago. I kick myself for not thinking long term back then. I always thought I was only going to stay in the US for 2 years. Then I got married, then had a child and became a mom. 30 years later I really wish I had thought about buying us something we could have as a second home when I am back visiting family. Could have, would have, should have.
Which place that you have traveled to has altered your creativity the most?
Japan/Tokyo. Always the best place to travel for inspiration. However, I am going to Mexico City this summer and from what I hear, I expect to be inspired.
What part of your work did you never expect to enjoy as much as you do?
I think it is still the café interior design and build out. I love interior design, furniture and lighting and colors. I was not trained in this field, but grew up in Denmark where design is always in the forefront. I love change and I love decorating.
What is something you want to learn how to do?
Well, I recently bought a jump rope and I am hoping to be a super good jumper. My goal is to be doing this as part of my lifestyle going forward.
Which Mi Cocina product is your favorite, and why?
I love the Indigo and Chambray napkins from Mi Cocina. I have several in my kitchen drawer. We use them both as napkins and tea towels, but I also use them; in for example, a bread basket or wrapping it around my lunch sandwich. They are beautiful and versatile.
If you could have a conversation with anyone, living or dead, over a cup of tea, who would it be?
Hmmmm I am not really the type that has many heroes. But I am a big fan of Grace Jones and Sade Adu. I would love to sit down and have tea with either of them. Dream Goals for sure.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Vanilla ice cream with a squeeze of lime or fresh orange juice.
Could you describe your favorite month of the year using a coffee/tea drink?
October (Halloween) : A yummy cozy latte with whipped cream and coco powder.
What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned since starting your business?
It takes Money to Make Money.
What are you most proud of about yourself right now?
Holding down the brand identity of a fast growing brand. It's not always easy, so I am proud of what I bring to the company. Our latest re-design of our Coffee Retail Bags done with our amazing graphic designer at RBC is something I am really proud of.
Rachel Konte pictured with her daughter Assata
Listen to Rachel's favorite tunes here, and connect with her on Instagram @redbaycoffee!
