Jimmy Butler catches up with the founder of BIGFACE Brand about his coffee company and plans for the future

Jimmy Butler drinking coffee outside against a BIGFACE truck.

Jimmy Butler and I spoke about his expanding coffee firm, BIGFACE, last time we were in Boston for the 2022 Specialty Coffee Expo. He stopped by the Barista Magazine booth kindly enough (he was featured on the cover of the magazine we were giving away at the show, after all), and then he wandered around the show floor and looked around the U.S. Coffee Championships area.

Cover image of the April + May 2022 issue of Barista Magazine featuring Jimmy Butler. Jimmy was featured on the cover of Barista Magazine’s April and May 2022 issue.A few days following the performance, he defeated the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Playoffs with 45 points at his other employment. In the end, he guided the Miami Heat to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022. Jimmy got to see a coffee farm for the first time that summer when he went to La Palma y El Tucán in Colombia with several people from Onyx Coffee Lab. Then, in the previous season, he led his basketball club to the NBA Finals and won MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals. In addition to becoming one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season, Jimmy has been putting a lot of effort on developing BIGFACE off the court. Jimmy drinks coffee at a table from a ceramic cup. When Jimmy Butler has time away from his hectic NBA schedule, he works on his coffee brand, BIGFACE.Jimmy stopped over to talk with us about the most recent events at BIGFACE during a break in the NBA schedule. The BIGFACE Dripkit’s recent release has him very thrilled. Jimmy describes the pourover kit as “another way to have what I call the world’s best coffee.” “This was done with blооd, sweat, and tears, yet it’s simple. You can have coffee on-the-go anywhere in the world with just the Dripkit, a mug, and some hоt water.It’s true that Jimmy occasionally travels with a slightly more complex coffee setup than the Dripkit. In order to ensure that he could prepare espresso wherever he might be, he has a reputation for carrying his La Marzocco Linea Mini to the team locker room and even on the aircraft to away games. He claims, “I bring everything with me when I travel, especially for extended road trips.” He isn’t against utilizing the Dripkit on his own, either. He says, “I really enjoy it.” “I feel like I’m actually making a difference because of it.” Jimmy Butler wears a BIGFACE hat and T-shirt, carrying a pourover carafe of coffee and two cups. Jimmy’s favorite thing about the coffee industry is the passionate people who work there. When he has the chance, he likes to nerd out over coffee with other people.Known for launching BIGFACE in the NBA Orlando Bubble, Jimmy also ran a coffee business out of his hotel room, selling coffee to other players. Although he relished the role of his teammates’ go-to expert on coffee for a while, he claims that “now they all ask me for coffee.” I too find it difficult to fork over coffee. I have no desire to offer them free coffee. They seem to be taking advantage of me. I would much prefer gift them an expensive watch or a pair of shoes. My coffee must be paid for by them.Speaking of paying Jimmy for coffee, that chance may present itself to everyone in person very soon. In the spring of 2024, BIGFACE intends to launch its first retail outlet in Miami. Jimmy declares, “I’m very excited about what’s coming up.” “I want BIGFACE to be accessible to everyone in the manner that I desire.” Additionally, watch for Jimmy to take over if someone calls in sick. He responds, “You dаmn right, I’ll be in the shop!” “I’m going to do the work when I have time to pull up and work.” Jimmy adds, “I want to be a barista.” It’s not that he doesn’t appreciate his side gig in the NBA. My dream job would be baristaing. Jimmy Butler walks outside of a hotel wearing a BIGFACE t-shirt. On the road with the Heat, Jimmy will often check out local cafés.

A recent highlight of his coffee adventures was going to the previously mentioned La Palma y El Tucán in 2022. He remarks, “It was great,” adding that it had a profound effect to witness directly the amount of work that goes into making coffee. It made me consider how BIGFACE and I would like to support coffee growers worldwide. Observing firsthand how hard they have to work, I have a great deal of respect for them. Working hard in my craft is necessary. People do this on a daily basis, as seen by the number of workers needed to produce one bag of coffee. The most exquisite aspect of it was that.

Jimmy says he’s hoping to make it to the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago this year, and the Heat’s schedule might make it possible. He says, “I hope to be there for more reasons than coffee.” “I adore Chicago to the core of my being.” Additionally, he like Expo’s overall atmosphere, which attracts a large number of international coffee professionals. He describes himself as a “coffee nerd,” so he says, “I get to sit there and talk coffee with all the other people who are like me, and it’s great.”

Meanwhile, Jimmy hopes to pour you a cup of coffee personally and extends an invitation to all to attend BIGFACE’s Miami location as soon as it opens. Jimmy acknowledges that his coffee abilities are “very mediocre,” but he’s not one to give up easily. He’s determined to keep working hard to raise his game. He states that his current priorities are “being a dad and a boring basketball player.” But you can find him there “as soon as I can lock in on being a barista,” he continues.