Kayla Bellman, the founder and owner of Finca to Filter, first had the idea of changing the coffee industry while living in Guatemala back in 2016. She had the opportunity to meet several coffee farmers and distributors through her work with Habitat for Humanity Guatemala.
Her vision became reality in 2020, during the pandemic, when she opened her first location along the Atlanta Beltline Westside Trail. In October of 2023, she opened a second brick-and-mortar location in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.
Bellman credits the growth of her business to her patrons and says it was very important to her that her businesses serve as safe places for the LGBTQ+ community. But for many small businesses along the Atlanta Beltline, high rent prices threaten their longevity. Bellman says something needs to be done to help small businesses before more big box stores take over unique city spaces.
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