Sustainability Spotlight: Necessary & Sufficient Coffee Is a Brave, Beautiful Business

When you meet Kate Vrijmoet, you immediately sense her authenticity. She will genuinely inspire you as she activates curiosity and creativity. Kate possesses a career dedicated to creating positive change within her community. Throughout her career she shared her diverse talents. The curation of her boundless energy and talent catalyzed with the initiation of her business, Necessary & Sufficient Coffee, and it is growing now with two store locations.

For many years Kate served as an artist for social change. Her studio was located in Chicago’s Logan Square Neighborhood, and she lived in the Printer’s Row neighborhood. Unfortunately, both neighborhoods were riddled with vacant storefronts during those years and Kate wanted to be a part of the revitalization effort. The city began to invest, and Kate’s curation of art and social change led her to the idea of an art placemaking café. Necessary & Sufficient Coffee was born. Her first location opened in 2018 within in the Logan Square neighborhood. Their second café launched in 2023 within the Printer’s Row neighborhood.

Kate Vrijmoet’s purposeful formula for business blends art and social change curation with the art of placemaking via cafés. With a focus on sustainability, she provides coffee, community, and creativity. Kate is taking sustainability to a new level and receives recognition for this. Necessary & Sufficient Coffee was awarded Chicago’s Best Coffee Shop in 2022, 2023, and 2024. They also earned certifications with US Gold Plus Certified for a Living Wage, Blue Verified by Oceanic Global, and a partnership with Let’s Shedd Plastic Program.

In support of this commitment Kate hired Sarah Weaver as a Sustainability Lead. Sarah’s role is one to model for other businesses. Sarah’s many talents and her unique passion secures minimal waste contamination. Each night Sarah sorts through all waste streams to be sure everything is appropriately recycled or composted.