Meet Hannah Moyer, who started a coffee company in North Canton during the pandemic
Starting a new business during the COVID years was not for the weak of heart. Regardless, Hannah Moyer decided to go for it and make her dream of opening a coffee company a reality.
“My husband Mike and I knew we wanted to start our own business from the time we started dating, and with his knowledge of coffee roasting (it has been a hobby for years), we thought this was a good place to start," she said. "We started professionally roasting in 2019 but didn't turn the dream into a full reality until early 2020.”
Moyer is the chief operating officer of M&H Beans Coffee Co + Roastery in North Canton. She had worked previously in food sales and the coffee program opened her eyes to all the possibilities in that field. Her husband is a coffee connoisseur and she felt she had a built-in coffee educator.
She graduated from Grandview Heights High School in Columbus, then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in communications at Ohio University.
She and her husband now reside in North Canton with a baby kitty named Lenny.
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Share your thoughts on opening and running a small business in Stark County.
We are lucky to have started with a mobile coffee trailer because that put us in front of lots of people in several different places around Stark County such as the 720 Markets, Know Your Root's Farmers Markets (North Canton + Canton) and the Louisville Schools Teacher Appreciations, which was helpful when we opened our brick and mortar in North Canton.
We aim to communicate openly and honestly with the city and health departments so everyone has been quite helpful throughout this journey thus far.
Why did you and your husband decide to go into business together?
We both worked for a regional, family-owned food service company (me in Columbus, Mike in Akron/Canton) and started chatting during one of the holiday food shows at the coffee booth over coffee.
One of our shared dreams we realized early on was to own and operate our own business, and coincidentally Mike has been a hobby roaster for a handful of years.
Would you detail what sets M&H Beans Coffee Roastery apart from other coffee companies in the area?
My answer is always us, me and Mike, and our local partnerships.
What we bring to the table is a little different than the other coffee shops in the area — such as our love for tie dye, our logo and "mascot," our Red Eye BBQ rub, along with our relationships, such as the several breweries and food trucks we work with.
I come from Columbus which provides me a little bit of a unique perspective, and Mike is a creative who is always striving to improve his craft.
What future plans does M&H Beans have in the works that you can share?
We may be looking to get back into the mobile game in 2024, but you will have to follow along with our journey to see what we come up with next.
What is your favorite cup of coffee?
My go-to in our cafe is typically a double shot of 'spro. At home I enjoy a pour over, and if I go to another coffee shop, I like to try an Americano or a cold brew.
I take all of my coffee black so I can truly enjoy the flavor of the coffee itself — it is always neat to try new varieties and processes.
Editor's note: Five questions with ... is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you'd like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: 5 questions with Hannah Moyer of M&H Beans Coffee Co + Roastery
