Bigface

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Bigface
IndustryCoffee, clothing
FoundedOctober 1, 2021; 2 years ago (2021-10-01)
Founders
Headquarters
U.S.
Products
  • Coffee beverages
  • apparel
  • mugs
  • tumblers
Websitewww.bigfacebrand.com

Bigface (stylized in

coffee industry further, Butler formally launched Bigface as a coffee company and lifestyle brand
the following year, selling direct-to-consumer coffee, apparel, and related merchandise.

History

Background and origins as side business

Prior to the

Destino Tower within the Coronado Springs Resort.[9]

Jimmy Butler in March 2020

When asked about his experience in the bubble in an interview with

coffee beans from El Salvador.[12] From his room, Butler began selling cups of coffee to his teammates at an upcharge for $20 as a joke.[11][12] Butler selected this pricing because though cash was largely useless in the bubble—which was mostly empty aside from NBA players, personnel, and reporters—"NBA per diem rules still applied," which saw the league's personnel receiving "envelopes filled with cash like they would to cover meals and incidentals on a regular road trip."[3] Noticing that envelopes[n 2] included $20 bills, Butler charged the amount knowing most players would have such a bill available to them.[3] He offered the same price for all cup sizes and types of coffee.[14]

Originating as an inside joke, Butler called his business "Big Face Coffee", explaining that he would charge an initial $20 for a cup of coffee, adding that with potential buyers now out of $20 bills, they would then need to use "big faces,"[15] slang for $100 bills.[3] Butler added "whenever they hand me the hundred, I'm going to be like, 'Whoops, sorry. I don't have change. Thank you for paying a hundred dollars for a cup of coffee.' Never really worked that way but the idea was genius."[15] Butler contributed the difficulty to find coffee as a reason why demand for his was high.[16]

In September, Butler filed for trademarks relating to "Big Face" and began wearing merchandise before a Miami–Boston playoff game.[2] The Heat's season would end with the 2020 NBA Finals, which they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, 4–2.

Prior to launching Bigface, Butler was originally not a coffee drinker. In an interview with coffee blog Sprudge, he recalled begrudgingly drinking coffee with his trainer before eventually finding a passion for both the beverage and business related to it.[17]

Post-bubble and official company launch

Following the season, Butler continued to study coffee-related topics such as beans, temperatures, and techniques.

Insider that he was inspired to enter the coffee business due to connect with strangers over a cup of coffee during the offseasons of his NBA career.[1] Butler has studied and practiced latte art, even challenging others to latte art competitions.[15][18] This interest has also led Butler to travel to coffee farms in Costa Rica, among other places, to further study the coffee business.[12] Butler further plans to travel to Africa off similar motivations.[18] In August 2021, Bigface won bids for coffee beans in the Cup of Excellence auction, where the company bid $65,000 for over 1,000 pounds of premium El Salvador coffee.[12] In addition to El Salvador, Bigface has been noted to source coffee beans from farms from various other countries including Ethiopia, Honduras, and Colombia.[18]

To further expand Bigface, Butler joined

Lululemon and related merchandise through its online e-commerce platform.[20][21][22] Bigface collaborated with designer Daniel Patrick to release a clothing line at the Art Basel event in Miami in 2022.[23]

Pop-up shops and collaboration efforts

An image of Ethiopian-sourced coffee beans, which have been used in Bigface's collaboration with Van Leeuwen

In 2022, Bigface opened

Masters and WTA 1000 events in Miami.[17]

In April, Butler filed further trademark applications to have the Bigface brand include fresh produce, beverages, and baked goods.[27] In October, Bigface collaborated with Onyx Coffee Lab to release boxed sets including coffee blends and mugs.[20] The partnership arose after Butler visited the Amsterdam Hummingbird cafe, which Onyx is the home roaster of.[20]

Another Bigface pop-up arose in May 2023, offering the brand's coffee for free at the

Paddock Club at the Miami Grand Prix.[28] In the same month, Bigface collaborated with Lids.[29] Another Bigface pop-up would be set up at the Kaseya Center ahead of Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals, which Butler's Heat hosted.[30]

Bigface would also collaborate with Artpresso, a design company, to release customized espresso machines and barista accessories.[31] Previously, Artpresso helped customize a Strada espresso machine model from La Marzocco for Bigface, as well as a Linea Mini model exclusively for Butler,[31] which he would take on road NBA games.[32] Later in August, Bigface collaborated with the coffee brand Fellow to release coffee-related products such as grinders, scales, and pour-over kettles.[33][34] In 2024, Bigface collaborated with Bacardi.[35]

Packaging by Brandmonger and Zenpack for Bigface's coffee products earned a runner-up award at the 2023 Core77 Design Awards.[36]

Future plans

Bigface has plans to open cafés in Miami and San Diego, where Butler lives during NBA offseasons. Maintaining close involvement with Bigface's ventures,[15] Butler also plans to expand the brand to have a global presence through cafés and grocery store merchandise.[13][37]

Notes

  1. ^ Listed are sources spelling the company's name as Bigface,[1] Big Face,[2] or BigFace.[3] The all caps stylization is present on the company's official website and used in some third-party sources.[4][5]
  2. ^ Sources differ on the exact amount of these envelopes, ranging from $1,040 up to $2,400.[3][12][13]

References

  1. ^
    Insider. Insider Inc.
    Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Kasabian, Paul (September 17, 2020). "Heat's Jimmy Butler Files 3 Trademarks for Coffee Business in NBA Bubble". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  3. ^
    AP News. Associated Press
    . Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Sprung, Shlomo (October 14, 2021). "Jimmy Butler Talks BIGFACE Coffee's Shopify Progress". Boardroom. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Klausing, Sara (August 5, 2022). "Jimmy Butler Gives Us the Inside Scoop on His Coffee Company's Ice Cream Collab". Men's Health. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  6. ^ "HEAT Acquire Butler And Leonard". National Basketball Association. July 6, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  7. ^ Aschburner, Steve (March 12, 2020). "Coronavirus pandemic causes NBA to suspend season after player tests positive". NBA.com. National Basketball Association. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c Wojnarowski, Adrian (June 4, 2020). "NBA approves 22-team format to finish season". ESPN. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  9. The Miami Herald
    . Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  10. ^ Jimmy Butler on Chris Paul beef: I don't care, I don't need friends in the bubble | The Jump. The Jump. ESPN. August 14, 2020. Event occurs at 2:58–3:34. Retrieved June 3, 2023 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ a b Dator, James (August 17, 2020). "Jimmy Butler's $20 coffee hustle is the best business in the NBA bubble". SB Nation. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Young, Jabari (October 1, 2021). "NBA star Jimmy Butler launches his Bigface coffee brand". CNBC. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Briggs, David (November 21, 2022). "'I'll give them some good coffee': Jimmy Butler on venture Big Face Coffee". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  14. Sun-Sentinel
    . Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  15. ^ a b c d e Mizoguchi, Karen (October 1, 2021). "Jimmy Butler Launches Big Face Coffee After NBA Bubble Pop Up, Aspires to Run Own Café After Career". People. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  16. ^ "Jimmy Butler is charging $20 a cup from his NBA bubble coffee shop". ESPN. August 16, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Fillari, Giovanni (March 30, 2022). "Jimmy Butler Of BIGFACE Brand: The Sprudge Interview". Sprudge. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  18. ^ a b c Thompson, Kat (July 6, 2022). "How NBA Star Jimmy Butler Became a Huge Coffee Nerd". Thrillist. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  19. ^ Florsheim, Lane (October 11, 2021). "Jimmy Butler Wants You to Enjoy His $100,000 Cup of Coffee". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  20. ^
    The Arkansas Times
    . Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  21. ^ Collins, Barbara (December 18, 2022). "NBA star Jimmy Butler on his coffee love affair and 'very, very hard' second career". CNBC. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  22. ^ Bicks, Emily (February 6, 2023). "Heat's Jimmy Butler Reveals Big Face Coffee Banked Him Thousands". Heavy. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  23. ^ Richardson, Shandel (December 2, 2022). "Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler To Debut Collaboration with Luxury Sportswear Brand Daniel Patrick At Art Basel This Weekend". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  24. ^ a b Stoddard, Taylor (June 20, 2022). "Jimmy Butler's Big Face Coffee Pops Up In Miami Design District with Sweet Treats And Merch". Ocean Drive. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  25. ^ Dator, James (June 20, 2022). "Jimmy Butler wants you to boo him at barista contests". SB Nation. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  26. ^ McCarthy, Kelly (June 22, 2022). "Miami Heat star recalls ice cream that made him fall in love with NYC: 'Doesn't mean I'm coming to the Knicks'". Good Morning America. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  27. ^ Rodgers, Josh (May 24, 2022). "Jimmy Butler Could Be Expanding His Big Face Coffee Brand Based On His Recent Trademark Filings". AfroTech. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  28. ^ Sprung, Shlomo (May 8, 2023). "How Big Face Coffee Fueled the Miami Grand Prix". Boardroom. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  29. ^ Richardson, Shandel (May 12, 2023). "Jimmy Butler's Big Face Coffee Brand Partners With Lids HD". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  30. ^ Fernandez, Jenise (June 7, 2023). "Jimmy Butler's Big Face Coffee opens pop-up shop outside Kaseya Center ahead of Game 3". WPLG. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  31. ^ a b "Artpresso Design Teams with Jimmy Butler, Bigface Coffee". License Global. Informa. June 2, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  32. ^ Chin, Tyler (April 30, 2022). "The Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler Brings This $6K Espresso Machine Everywhere He Goes". Gear Patrol. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  33. ^ Brayson, Johnny (August 4, 2023). "The NBA's Resident Coffee Nerd Jimmy Butler Teams Up with Fellow for a Caffeinated Collab". Gear Patrol. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  34. ^ "This New Coffee Collab Has an NBA Pedigree". UrbanDaddy. August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  35. ^ Miranda, Alex; King, Ki-Jana (January 22, 2024). "Jimmy Butler brings the heat with a new collaboration between his coffee brand and Bacardi". WSVN. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  36. ^ "BIGFACE Coffee - by Brandmonger / Zenpack". Core77. 2023. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  37. ^ Gamble, Andrew (June 3, 2023). "Jimmy Butler could become a billionaire despite making just $45m in the NBA". mirror.co.uk. Retrieved August 2, 2023.

See also

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