Transcendence Coffee is a female-founded brand reshaping the specialty coffee industry through global flavors and all-natural flavored syrups.
They're the first scaling brand to create shelf-stable syrups made with high-quality whole spices and no preservatives, extracts, or acidifiers. Their goal is to highlight quality spices from around the world, bringing as much attention to the diversity of flavor and craft of syrups as the supply chain of coffee at every coffee shop.
The founders, Mitalee & Lisa, are engineers and former baristas who met in college by working together at a campus coffee shop.
After seeing that all coffee shops had the same few syrup brands that all taste like chemicals, they bootstrapped and beta-launched Transcendence Coffee in April 2022.
While the founders started very scrappily, creating all the syrup themselves in a commercial kitchen facility in Queens, NY and packing the orders out of an NYC apartment, the brand has ramped up significantly with a co-manufacturer producing in small batches and a fulfilment partner.
When looking for a partner for their spices, they wanted quality that would be undeniably good in food service, given that they're really trying to create the leading syrup brand for coffee shops and cafes. They said they found value in sourcing spices that are chef-driven, which make them a natural alignment for food service products. Said Mitalee, "At the end of the day, good products speak for themselves and the spices from Spicewalla were an easy choice for us."
The brand was launched with two flavors from the founders' cultural roots: Indian Gulab Jamun Syrup (Rose, Cardamom, Saffron) and Algerian Baklava Syrup (Orange Blossom, Honey, Cinnamon). In July 2023, they launched their first new flavor since founding the brand with the help of the amazing culinary lavender from Spicewalla. Their newest flavor is a French Lavender Madeleine (Lavender, Vanilla Bean, Hint of Lemon).!
Recipe: Transcendence Coffee Baklava Cold Brew with Salted Cold Foam
A delicious Algerian twist on a popular dessert, this baklava-inspired syrup brings notes of orange blossom and honey and with a touch of oat milk, and a frother, blends perfectly into a refreshing iced bevvy that you won't believe you whipped up in your kitchen.
Ingredients
2-3 tbsp Transcendence Coffee Baklava Syrup
1/4 cup Oat Milk
Pinch of Flake Sea Salt
1 tbsp Orange blossom Honey
Cold Brew Coffee of your choice
Ice
Preparation
1. Pour the cold brew of choice into a cup.
2. In a separate vessel, combine Orange Blossom Honey, Oat Milk, Sea Salt, Transcendence Coffee Baklava Syrup and froth!
3. Pour Cold Foam onto cold brew and swirl, sprinkle with Flake sea salt
4. Enjoy!
