Meet Benita Chelagat

Q: What brought you to Watertown, and what has your experience of the community been like so far?

We first moved to Watertown for a better commute to I-90 and the city, but we stayed because it started to feel like home, thanks to our welcoming neighbors. I can borrow salt from them in a pinch, which is how you know it’s real.

Before moving here, I moved almost every year for over a decade, across apartments, states, and even country lines. So settling down has been a great adjustment. It’s nice to get to summer without moving boxes becoming part of the furniture.

When I wanted to feel more connected, I started showing up to Watertown Business Coalition events. The people I met gave me a window into local businesses, local government, nonprofits, and the people who keep things moving behind the scenes. There’s still more for me to learn, but I’m here for it.

Q: What is Coffee Plus 254, and what’s your big-picture vision for it?

Coffee Plus 254 is a specialty coffee company focused exclusively on Kenyan coffee. At its core, it’s about helping people here experience the range and nuance of Kenyan coffee, while keeping producers and context visible.

The big picture vision is to build a bridge between the people who grow coffee and the people who drink it, and between where coffee is produced and where it is consumed. I try to do this by meeting people’s curiosity through tastings, education, and thoughtfully sourced coffees from different regions, farmers, and processing methods.

Joining others working on this, I would love for more people to go from “I like coffee” to “I know what I’m tasting, where it came from, and what had to go right for it to taste this good”.

Q: What led you to get in the coffee business and start the company?

Honestly, it started with curiosity. In Kenya, most people aren’t starting their day with coffee. We’re tea people. Then I moved to the U.S., where coffee is a daily ritual, and I realized I had a gap in my coffee knowledge. Kenya produces some of the world’s most celebrated coffee, but I did not really understand the full story behind it.

When I went back home, I spent time with relatives and farmers who grow coffee. My own family are tea farmers, so seeing coffee up close and hearing the farmers’ stories made me more curious about the work behind it. Now I’m committed to building that connection both ways so we can appreciate great coffee and the work behind it.

Q: Is there a story in the name Coffee Plus 254?

Yes, 254 is Kenya’s country code, and it signals our focus on Kenyan coffee. The ‘Plus’ in the brand name leaves room to showcase the coffee and extend beyond it to the culture, connections and the people behind it. It gives us room to do things like tastings and experiences, while leaving space for the brand to grow.

Q: What makes Kenyan coffee special, and how can folks here learn more? When might we see your coffee in local shops or cafes?

Taste aside, what is most remarkable is the system behind Kenyan coffee. The way coffee is processed, graded, and quality-checked, often by hand at multiple stages, makes it possible for two thousand small producers at a given cooperative to contribute to something consistent and high-quality when it’s done well. 

For now, we offer a rotation of coffees on our website and at tastings and events in the Boston and greater New England area. 

Q: When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time?

When I’m not working, I’m usually reading, spending time with friends and their toddlers, or on Duolingo trying to keep my streak alive and chasing my polyglot dreams. In the winter, I’m leaning into the cold and working on my winter sports, so ice skating and skiing are in the mix. Who knows, curling might be next.

Q: To wrap up, what are two fun facts about you?

• Eliud Kipchoge and I have one thing in common. We’re from the same part of Kenya that produces a lot of Olympic and marathon champions. Apparently, the elevation is great for runners and coffee. It does nothing for my running.

• I’m trying to visit every U.S. state. 58% down. Montana and North Dakota are high on my list and I’m open to recommendations for places to visit.

Nicole's note: you can learn more about Benita's fascinating story, and Coffee Plus 254, in this Little Local Conversations podcast.

Beinita, smiling as she pours a cup of coffee.