Laughing Man Blog

Hugh Jackman is an actor, a dancer and an awards host. (Heck, he’s even Wolverine!) So why did he help start Laughing Man, a small coffee and tea company in the crowded, caffeinated land of New York City? The answer lies in Jackman’s humanitarian work, Paul Newman’s legacy and his longtime friendship with Barry Steingard, a former coffee wholesaler and café owner.

In 2009 Jackman traveled to Ethiopia as part of his work with the relief nonprofit World Vision. There he met with farmers, including a man named Dukale, who was trying to diversify his crops and join the global Fair Trade coffee market.

Back in New York, Jackman met up with longtime friend Barry Steingard, who mentioned that he and his son, David Steingard, were getting back into the coffee business. Jackman saw an opportunity, and asked if they wanted a partner.

A Do-Good Company Is Born

David Steingard and Jackman were both inspired by Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good, a book that describes how Paul Newman and A.E. Hotchner created Newman’s Own and distributed all of the company’s profits to charity. They decided to create a company that would incubate businesses and donate money to charity.

Laughing Man Worldwide was born, a company that aims to support entrepreneurs and donate 100 percent of its profits to charity. Its first and thus far only project is a company that sells coffee, tea and chocolate. Laughing Man Market launched in the Manhattan neighborhood of Tribeca last October, half of it owned by Jackman. Through May the Market has seen revenue growth of 500 percent, says David Steingard, the company’s CEO.

The actor lends his name, public relations resources and support, but gets no money in return. “I love it!’’ Steingard says. “I get better PR. I love this model of giving back so other companies can come up.’’

All the products sold by Laughing Man are organic and fairly traded, Steingard says. That’s not an easy task. The specialty coffee world strives to conduct direct trade with farmers, using no middle man, getting the farmers the best payment possible, Steingard says. But he adds that the reality of working with farmers in the developing world is quite harsh.

Respect Everyone

Most coffee farmers own two or three acres and work in a cooperative to sell their goods. It’s hard to get access to those small cooperatives because foreign governments impose tariffs or trade restrictions that make importing difficult. “It’s never as simple as finding the farm and buying the beans. There’s legwork involved, and whatever political situation exists,’’ Steingard says.

“Our philosophy is, respect the farmer. All our stuff is respectfully traded. If it’s certified, great,’’ Steingard says, but many farmers can’t afford the thousands of dollars it costs to win such a designation. At the café, “the coffee has to be of a premium quality. It has to be a good product.’’

Dukale the farmer, who Jackman met on his trip, benefits from being part of World Vision’s community development program. It has helped him earn more money for his crop, diversify them and buy land, giving him access to bigger markets. “He’s a muse for us and a good friend,’’ Steingard says. As a tribute, the company named a coffee for him, called Dukale’s Dream.

“Everybody wants a shot to have a livelihood, create their own destiny, based on putting out the work and getting paid for it,’’ Steingard says.

What types of things does your company do to do good?

Image via Rogers and Cowan

‘I like to make orange and ricotta pancakes, crêpes and eggs. You know men – we usually go for breakfast because it’s the easiest thing to cook and then we try to make it seem fancy’

What is the best food or drink you’ve ever had on a film set?

The last meal of any Wolverine film, because I’m on a very strict diet for those movies. On the last day, I start with eggs Benedict and sultana bran. I have lasagna at some point; I have tiramisu. I have a milky cappuccino. If I haven’t thrown up by dinnertime, I have a hamburger. After five or six months of not eating carbohydrates, they’re usually what I feel like.

Source: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/c031a9a4-7873-11e1-b237-00144feab49a.html#axzz2BgAmFEob

If you could throw X-men, The Prestige, and Swordfishinto a blender you’d have the fierce, devilishly tasty punch that is Hugh Jackman. But when he’s not busy bringing us movies we can’t live without, Jackman is bringing all that’s good to every morning. Laughing Man, the lovechild of an international bromance is home to coffee, tea, chocolates and gifts from determined communities globally. Beginning with a trip to Ethiopia to meet friend and local coffee farmer Dukale, Hugh Jackman’s humanitarian mission was born.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, so this gourmet food baby is nurtured just as such. With the help of close friend and coffee biz veteran Barry Steingard, his son David Steingard and Culinary Institute of America grad/competing barista Queenie Fok, Jackman took a stab at the coffee business… and we’re so excited he did!

The roots of this project lie in supporting local farmers from countries like Ethiopia and Indonesia. More than anything though, there is an obvious focus on bringing people together in a way that makes their talents shine. Laughing Man only backs people and companies that they believe in and that believe in their motto “All be Happy”; so that only the highest quality products go from farm to you. Their company has changed lives worlds over by creating jobs and new beginnings for people in the difficult gourmet beverage industry. What really sets Laughing Man apart is their focus on community health. In an effort to bring people together with farming and selling, they tell stories and create memories that are the heart of what “All be Happy” is about. Did we mention they take all of the profits received — yes, 100 percent — from these community efforts and donate it to charity? Because they certainly do. Talk about the snack that gives back.

They stay true to their motto, by keeping an intense focus on making the customer the star, and who can argue with that? By highlighting the flavors and strengths of different regions of the world, this is truly a global experience. What we really appreciate about this operation (aside from their passion and dedication) is the humanity behind it. Laughing Man aims to make everyday a chance to learn, grow and be better than the day before. When life brings you down, they remind you to smile and laugh just a little more. And who doesn’t need that sort of pick me up in the morning?

But let’s not forget what brought this Laughing Man Worldwide team effort together in the first place, the wide array of culinary creations. What started it all was of course?… the coffee. With flavors from different regions of the world including Papua New Guinea, Peru, Jampit Estate, Guatemala and more, you’ll be taking a trip around the globe without leaving your kitchen. There are a variety of brewing methods as well, ranging from Eva Solo to Single Pour Drip. If you want something a little more exotic, try their teas which range from Herbal French Lemon Ginger to White Tea Coconut Creme…YUM! If you want that extra dose of indulgence, take a stab at the luscious chocolate box sets and hot chocolate. And if you want to show just how happy you are that Laughing man is in your life now, get one of their classy mugs.

Warm your hearts and kitchens with the scents of inspiration that Laughing Man emulates. With photos of laughing friends on every package, their products are sure to put a smile on your face. They sure put one on ours.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-jurkowitz/laughing-man-hugh-jackman_b_1286829.html

Source: http://shopwithmeaning.org/2012/02/rise-and-shine-with-laughing-man-worldwides-socially-responsible-coffee/

Hugh Jackman walked on the “Anderson” set with a plaid-patterned thermos, and coffee lovers everywhere know that there was only one thing he could be touting. Hugh brought Anderson a cup of coffee from his own coffee business, Laughing Man Coffee.

Jackman says the book “Shameless Exploitation in the Pursuit of Common Good,” by Paul Newman, was his inspiration for creating his own business for coffee. Laughing Man Coffee is made from beans that come from Indonesia, South America, Ethiopia and other countries around the world. All of the proceeds for Laughing Man Coffee go to charity.

“Really, the journey began when I was in Ethiopia…,” Jackman said. “I spent a day working on a farm… with [an Ethiopian farmer]… working on his farm, seeing how hard he worked. I made a promise to him that I’d do whatever I could to help him out.”

Anderson, however, has been very vocal about his dislike of coffee. See Anderson’s reaction when he tries some of Hugh’s Laughing Man Coffee…

Source: http://www.andersoncooper.com/2011/11/17/hugh-jackman-anderson-cooper-laughing-man-coffee/

He stormed onto our screens as the iconic mutant Wolverine, and his robot smash Reel Steel is tearing up the box office.

But it seems Australian heartthrob Hugh Jackman has a softer side outside the day job.

The 43-year-old actor has opened up his own cafe- called Laughing Man Coffee & Tea in New York.

Central pecks! Hugh Jackman has opened up a cafe in Tribeca New York called Laughing Man Coffee & Tea

Good cause: The tea shop is part of the Laughing Man charity orgaisation, founded by Hugh Jackman alongside friends Barry and David Steingard

The star even brought tea outside to serve to young fans, naturally delighted to see their hero in such incongruous surroundings.

Posing in a black leather jacket and black glasses, Hugh hardly looked like an average waiter.

The shop is part of an organisation founded by Jackman and his friends Barry and David Steingard, and is part of their Laughing Man charity.

The idea came about after Jackman visited Ethiopia and befriended a coffee farmer named Dukale. 

He later broached the idea of a partnership to the Steingards, family friends who were planning a re-entry into the coffee business.

Riding the buzz: Hugh’s latest film Reel Steel has been a box office success

Inspiration: Hugh had the idea for the project while planting coffee trees in Ethiopia

Hugh has said of the Laughing Man Brand:

‘I met a man who changed the way I looked at the world. As Dukale and I planted coffee trees together, I began to see the potential for one man’s hard work to transform an entire community.’

‘While working with Dukale that day, I was so inspired by what I learned from him and his community. I made Dukale a promise to do my bit to help. Laughing Man Worldwide is the fulfillment of that promise.’

Hands on: Hugh dashed back and forth between the shop and his eager customers

Change of pace: Hugh’s fans are more used to seeing him in his iconic role as Wolverine

The charity plans to focus initially on aid for education.

Jackman is riding high on the box office success of his latest blockbuster Real Steel.

The robot boxing movie scored an easy box office knockout against George Clooney’s Ides Of March this weekend.

The flick, which is set in a near future sci-fi world, debuted at No. 1 with $27.3million according to today’s studio estimates.

Not your average waiter: Hugh looked dapper in a black leather jacket and black glasses

Got your order right? Hugh counted on his fingers to ensure no-one was left empty-handed

It features Hugh as a former boxer who gets thrown together with his young son as they turn a junkyard robot into a world-class contender.

Disney’s head of distribution Dave Hollis claimed the movie brought in a solid mix of couples and parents with children, adding: ‘The men might have been more attracted to this idea of boxing robots and the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em part of it.

‘For women, it was more Hugh and the Hugh and Evangeline angle.

‘For families, it’s this father-son story and the somewhat redemptive rise to glory toward the end.’

A natural: Hugh took to his pouring duties with ease

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2052726/Hugh-Jackman-opens-quaint-tea-shop-New-York.html

Laughing Man Coffee & Tea—a.k.a. Hugh Jackman’s coffee line—has opened its jewel box of a café at 184 Duane, in the space that had previously been the site of Project No. 8‘s pop-up and Pomme Tribeca. As you can tell from my photos, its small size makes it hard to take anything besides a close-up, and yet when I walked in it seemed larger than I remembered (possibly an effect of having stuff on the walls or seating in the window).

The café—known as Laughing Man Marketplace—will serve the full range of traditional espresso drinks, including the Australian favorite, flat white; drip coffee, besides featuring a single-origin coffee on a weekly basis; tea and tea latte drinks; and hot chocolate. At this point, Laughing Man has no plans to serve food. You can buy beans, teas, hot chocolate mix, as well as coffee and tea paraphernalia, as well as branded souvenirs (mugs, hats, shirts, etc.). More seating is available in the storefront next door—it’s Laughing Man’s headquarters—at least for a while.

There’s something about Laughing Man I need to clarify; it should’ve been in the initial post, but who’s going to read that now? Basically, Laughing Man Coffee & Tea is but one arm of Laughing Man Worldwide. I’ll let co-founder David Steingard explain: “Laughing Man Worldwide is the mothership. It has two main goals: support entrepreneurial economy, creating jobs and wealth. At the same time, we want to give back in a philanthropic way, so we decided to incubate companies. The first one is Laughing Man Coffee & Tea; it’s 50% owned by Laughing Man Worldwide. Laughing Man Worldwide, which receives revenue from Laughing Man Coffee & Tea, gives all of its revenue to charity. For other companies, we’ll offer Laughing Man branding or co-branding, give them PR or our e-commerce engine, legal or PR assistance…. In return they have to subscribe to our philanthropic model. How much they give will be determined on a case-by-case basis.”

As for the café, it may be the first of many. “It’s a great model that we’re going to be able to franchise,” says Steingard.  “I’ve gotten a couple emails already from Chicago, Tennessee, all over.”

Laughing Man Marketplace is at 184 Duane (between Greenwich and Hudson);livelaughingman.com. Currently, the hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to around 4 p.m. Sundays are to be determined.

NOTE: To comment on Laughing Man Marketplace, please go to its page in the Tribeca Citizen Restaurant Guide.