For an institution like Mote SEA Aquarium, maintaining mission alignment across every guest touchpoint is essential. A coffee service isn't just something nice to have. It's an extension of the aquarium's commitment.
Sodexo Live! approaches venue partnerships with this understanding. Rather than defaulting to established chains or convenient options, their team actively seeks businesses whose values and operations genuinely complement their partners’ missions.
An Unconventional Beginning
Brewed Monday Coffee, the company now serving Mote SEA guests, began with a straightforward problem: finding quality coffee with transparent sourcing proved nearly impossible.
"I couldn't find good coffee and I had no clue where my coffee was coming from," recalls founder Justo Martinez. "So I decided to look into it myself."
Building Relationships at the Source
Justo’s first sourcing trip set the tone for everything that followed. After flying to Costa Rica without a clear plan, he asked a driver to take him to the best coffee in town. After tasting it, he asked a simple question: where did this come from?
The directions he received were anything but conventional—past a waterfall, but not as far as the pink church.
" I went there and I knocked on the farmer's door, which, in retrospect, it's kind of crazy, right? But they were so welcoming, and that's the one thing that I also realized. Nobody's taking the time to actually go meet these people. They're kind of in the shadows. But once you hang out at the farm, you see all the work that goes into it. 90% of the quality happens there."
This direct engagement with coffee farmers became fundamental to Brewed Monday’s business model. Today, they work directly with producers in Honduras, Brazil, Colombia, and Costa Rica who care deeply about sustainable practices, fair relationships, and preserving the richness of their land. The journey from those early farmers market days to becoming the coffee provider at a world-class aquarium represents significant growth for the small company.
Why Sodexo Live! Said Yes
When evaluating potential coffee partners for Mote SEA, Sodexo Live! looked beyond standard vendor criteria. Their assessment focused on mission alignment: Could this partner support the aquarium's educational objectives? Would their sustainability practices reflect Mote SEA's conservation values? Could they engage guests in meaningful ways?
Brewed Monday demonstrated clear alignment across these priorities.
Education as Common Ground
The connection between Brewed Monday and Mote SEA centers on a shared commitment to education. Both organizations understand that curiosity drives discovery—whether it's children pressing their faces against aquarium glass or coffee lovers learning that coffee is actually a fruit, with every bean telling a story about the region, climate, communities, and growers behind it.
"Our main focus is to educate them. That’s a huge reason that Sodexo Live! and Mote chose us to be here. We are able to provide the education that most people don't have with coffee."
Co-founder Nick describes the typical guest reaction: "Guests’ minds are blown because they didn’t know anything about what was in their cup four seconds ago, and now they're tasting it from a new perspective."
This creates natural continuity in the guest experience. Visitors exploring exhibits about coral reefs, sharks, sea turtles, and marine conservation can continue their learning journey through coffee—discovering how farming practices, climate, and sustainability connect across ecosystems.
Demonstrable Environmental Commitment
Brewed Monday's sustainability practices align closely with Mote SEA's conservation mission, from coral restoration to sea turtle rehabilitation.
"We have some farms that use mycelium to boost growth, which is fungi. That nutrition that's going to the plant, we even make a tea out of it. That's how pure it is."
Complete traceability extends to every product. Each bag displays the specific region and farm where the coffee originated, enabling customers to research the source if desired.
Environmental considerations influence operational decisions at every level: "We try to avoid plastics, or single use plastics. So even in the MOTE location, our cups are PLA corn based."
Choosing plant-based packaging comes with challenges—higher costs, storage considerations, and increased fragility—but represents a deliberate commitment to environmental principles.
The team's quality standards are exacting. They conduct density testing on beans, source only second and third cuts from coffee plants to ensure optimal flavor development and maintain precise extraction timing. Even espresso shots that fall outside the 24-30 second window aren't discarded but repurposed for other beverages, eliminating waste.
The company's ethos—that "every sip is an experience in your cup"—reflects their belief that transparency guides sourcing and roasting, education shapes how they discuss coffee's agricultural journey, and quality remains a non-negotiable standard.
A Collaborative Partnership
The working relationship between Brewed Monday and Sodexo Live! has been characterized by responsiveness and mutual investment in success.
"I have to say, communication with the Sodexo Live! team has been fantastic. They are so receptive to the work we're doing, and they respect it. But I think the number one thing that sticks out for me is just the ability to communicate. I call the team any time of day, and they will respond."
Nick emphasizes the collaborative nature of the relationship: "They know what they're doing. Everything they do, they're rooting for us. They really care about what we're doing. They see the vision, they see the potential."
This approach reflects Sodexo Live!'s broader partnership philosophy—supporting innovation and growth rather than simply managing contractual obligations. For Brewed Monday, being selected as the coffee provider for Mote SEA's new aquarium represents both validation and opportunity. The partnership marks a significant milestone for a company that just a few years ago was booking plane tickets to unknown destinations, traveling in hopes of connecting directly with farmers—adventures that planted the seeds for what they've built today.
The Sodexo Live! Approach
Sodexo Live! recognizes that venues like Mote SEA require more than food service providers. They need partners who enhance the overall guest experience and reinforce the venue's mission.
Their evaluation framework considers multiple dimensions:
Mission Alignment: Does the partner's purpose resonate authentically with the venue's core values?
Guest Experience Enhancement: Will this partnership deepen visitor engagement and support educational objectives?
Sustainability Standards: Do the partner's environmental practices meet or exceed the venue's conservation commitments?
Collaborative Potential: Can both organizations work together effectively and support mutual growth?
Innovation Capacity: Can the partner evolve alongside the venue's expanding vision?
By prioritizing these factors over conventional vendor selection criteria, Sodexo Live! creates partnerships that strengthen rather than dilute a venue's identity and mission.
Looking Ahead
The partnership continues to develop new possibilities. Brewed Monday hopes to bring coffee farmers to Mote SEA for educational sessions with guests: "Our goal is to bring some of the farmers to Mote and do a class there... or serve them a cup of coffee from their farm right there at the aquarium.”
They're also exploring the installation of live video feeds from partner farms, providing unprecedented transparency: "Eventually, we can do a live feed from all the farms on a TV. Imagine you're consuming something, and you look up and there's the plants that the coffee came from."
These innovations are possible because Sodexo Live! selected a partner with vision and commitment to education, then provided the support necessary for that vision to develop. For guests who want to take the experience home, Brewed Monday's hand-picked, single-origin beans are available for purchase online, at their Anna Maria Island café, or at local farmers markets including the Bradenton Farmers Market.
A New Model for Venue Partnerships
From that first unplanned farm visit in Costa Rica to serving guests at one of the region's most inspiring science destinations, Brewed Monday's journey illustrates the impact of authentic commitment to quality and sustainability. Sodexo Live!'s role in identifying and supporting this partnership shows how thoughtful vendor selection can enhance a venue's ability to fulfill its mission.
The shared spirit of sustainability, education, and transparency between Brewed Monday and Mote SEA creates an environment where coffee becomes a companion to learning—whether guests are exploring exhibits or enjoying a relaxing outing with family while discovering something new together.
