Beans and Rice: A Florida Teen's Coffee With a Purpose
An 18-year-old founder is turning Fair Trade coffee into meals for hungry children, one cup at a time.
At 12 years old, Nathanael Peter Victor-Smith had an idea that many adults might have dismissed as too simple. Sell coffee beans. Use the proceeds to buy rice and other food for children in need. There was no investor, no warehouse, and no business degree behind it. There was only a young Floridian who believed a morning ritual could become a meal for someone else. Six years later, that idea has grown into Beans & Rice, a Florida coffee company with a mission far larger than its size.
Service Came Before Coffee
Nathanael was only a year old when his older brother founded KidsServe. He grew up participating in its projects, including backpack drives and support for Feeding Empty Little Tummies, known as FELT, an organization fighting childhood hunger in Manatee County, Florida.
Today, Nathanael carries that commitment into Beans & Rice, donating proceeds from its coffee and tea sales to KidsServe to help feed children. Those contributions have supported charities serving children in Florida, Nevada, Louisiana, and Haiti.
“Serving others has been part of my life for as long as I can remember,” Nathanael says. “Growing up helping with KidsServe, backpack drives, and Feeding Empty Little Tummies taught me that you don’t have to wait until you’re older or have a lot of money to make a difference.”
Beans and Rice founder, Nathanael Peter, at age 13 serving at a Golf tournament in 2022.
From a 12-Year-Old's Idea to a Florida Coffee Company
The idea for Beans & Rice began with Nathanael’s desire to help feed children—and a little creative thinking about how to get his mother to let him drink coffee.
“I wanted to drink coffee, but my mom told me it would stunt my growth,” he recalls. “I figured if I owned a coffee business, she would have to let me try the coffees.”
That playful reasoning became part of a bigger purpose.
“I started Beans & Rice when I was 12 because people were already buying coffee every day,” he explains. “Why couldn’t that purchase help provide rice and other food for children who need it?”
Now 18, he remains hands-on, developing coffee and tea offerings, finding new customers, and shaping a brand that reflects his personality and commitment to serving others. He also publishes blog posts on the Beans & Rice website to educate readers about his coffees and teas and share the mission behind the business: donating proceeds from sales to KidsServe to help feed children.
Fair Trade Quality With a Florida Personality
Beans & Rice offers specialty-grade, Fair Trade coffee sourced from around the world. Nathanael believes great coffee should begin with responsible sourcing, so customers can feel good about both the cup and the purpose behind it.
The coffee is roasted by a family-owned company in Temecula, California. Nathanael chose that partnership deliberately. It allows the coffee to be freshly roasted on the very day it ships, and it frees him to focus on growing the business and fulfilling its mission. He does not yet have the land or facilities to roast in Florida, yet. Owning a coffee plantation and a roasting operation remains part of the long-term dream.
"I want people to enjoy our coffee because it's genuinely good coffee, not just because it supports a good cause," he says.
His customers seem to agree. One reviewer, R.R., said the Florida Skunk Ape "had a nice light flavor and warmth to get me through the day." Another, K. B., noted, "There is no bitter aftertaste which I usually taste with coffee. It was very smooth!"
The Florida Skunk Ape Blend
The Florida Skunk Ape Blend is a bold dark roast built from six carefully selected coffees. It takes its name from the legendary creature of Florida folklore and the wild spirit of the state itself.
Nathanael loves Florida, and he wants his company to show it. “The Florida Skunk Ape Blend is a fun way to celebrate the state I call home,” he says. “It’s a bold dark roast made from six coffees, with an aroma that lingers in your spirit long after the cup is empty—just as its legendary namesake lingers in the imagination of anyone who’s wandered the Everglades.”
Big Dreams for a Florida Coffee Company on the Road
Nathanael is working to grow Beans & Rice while finishing college. He has participated in live events supporting children’s charities, including golf events, fishing tournaments, and music events. These gatherings give him opportunities to introduce people to his coffee and share the mission behind every purchase.
He will graduate from college in May 2027, just before his 19th birthday, and plans to continue building the business and expanding his presence as a coffee vendor.
One goal is to save enough to buy and outfit a mobile coffee trailer, which he would pull behind his 2011 Ford F-150 Raptor—a hand-me-down truck he is proud to call his own.
“It’s a hand-me-down truck, but it’s my truck,” he says, “and I think it would be pretty cool to take Beans & Rice on the road and serve coffee at festivals and live events.”
Alongside those events, Nathanael is working to build a community of regular subscribers. By donating proceeds from Beans & Rice coffee and tea sales to KidsServe, he helps provide food for children who need it. Growing subscriptions would help make those contributions more consistent.
“I don’t want helping people to be something we do once in a while,” he says. “I want it to become something the business can do every month.”
Building a Future While Feeding Others
Nathanael is open about the personal side of his dream.
"I want to build something that can feed children around the world, but I also want to build a future for myself," he says. "Someday I hope to get married, have a family, and be able to provide for them through a business I started when I was 12."
That honesty is part of the appeal. Beans & Rice is not a faceless corporation. It is a young entrepreneur who is not waiting until he is older, wealthier, or more established to make a difference. His story suggests that other young people also do not need permission to pursue an idea or find a way to serve.
Why This Florida Coffee Company Deserves Your Support
Beans & Rice proves that a business does not have to start big to dream big. It combines specialty-grade, Fair Trade coffee, a proud Florida identity, and a lifelong habit of service. Nathanael sums it up simply: "We're not just selling coffee. We're selling an opportunity to be part of something bigger."
Readers who would like their morning cup to carry more meaning are invited to visit shopbeansandrice.com to explore the coffees, try the Florida Skunk Ape Blend, and consider a subscription that helps provide meals for children on a regular basis. Customers enjoy a smooth, bold coffee, support an independent young entrepreneur, and take part in a mission that began with a 12-year-old and a very good idea.
Explore More About Beans & Rice
Discover more from Beans and Rice by visiting their official website at shopbeansandrice.com. Stay connected on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for the latest updates. You can also explore their offerings on The Nourish Mart and VendorsMap.
