Gates Chili senior is crazy

by Colleen Onuffer

For many high school seniors, senioritis is setting in as they daydream about their last summer before college or the “real world.” But Gates Chili senior Hiram Santiago Jr. is busy brewing up his coffee business.

Santiago is the owner and sole employee of Golden Lion Coffee Co., an online, specialty-grade coffee company that delivers freshly roasted beans straight to consumer’s doors.

“I have been aspiring to be an entrepreneur for many years but have been really set on it in the past year, exploring many different areas of business to develop my skills and find out what I enjoy,” said Santiago, who handles all of the company’s responsibilities, including supply chain management, marketing, graphic design, financials and customer service.

“Golden Lion Coffee Co. started with a drive and pressure to have a successful business that I actually enjoyed bringing to light,” explained Santiago. While scrolling on Instagram over spring break, he saw an ad for a coffee roaster who was looking for new business partners. “It was a perfect match for me as I drank a lot of coffee and was within that community already.”

“I immediately got to work planning, organizing, and carrying out what I needed to make this idea a reality. I was up ‘till 5 a.m. night after night, grinding out the start-up work until I finally had something to work with at hand. It was a proud moment seeing the heavy lifting finished.”

When it came to naming the business and designing a logo, Santiago was inspired by the quality of the coffee and another passion of his: gaming. Santiago has participated in Esports (short for electronic sports, the world of organized, competitive video gaming where spectators watch gamers compete against each other) for 10 years as a competitive gamer. In the fall, he will attend Siena Heights University in Michigan on a scholarship to compete at the collegiate level within the video game VALORANT.

“Golden Lion Coffee Co. came from thinking of names that build on my gaming persona and represent the quality of the coffee (grade 1),” said Santiago. “My competitive gaming name is Noble, so I wanted to think of something that was noble, kingly, royalty. I eventually thought of the lion as the jungle king and gold is usually a sign of wealth and nobility throughout history. The logo further represents the persona and quality, being a lion wearing a king’s crown.”

Golden Lion Coffee Co. currently offers seven different types of coffee – all ethically sourced from smallholder farmers across the globe. Products come from some of the world’s top coffee producing countries: Colombia, Brazil, Honduras, Bali, Ethiopia, Peru and Tanzania. Santiago is already considering new products, such as a mocha flavored blend and holiday flavors like pumpkin spice and candy cane, as well as creating recipe guides for trying different types of coffee at home.

“What is different about our coffee is that not only is it ethically sourced, but it is also the highest grade (quality) of coffee you can get, grade 1. This means it is smooth and easy to drink and has a rich taste and aroma,” explained Santiago. “It is also freshly roasted to order; this means that your coffee beans will be roasted right before it is shipped to your home, guaranteeing its freshness.”

Because the coffee is freshly roasted before it is shipped, products take about five to six days to be delivered. Golden Lion’s coffee is currently only available through the website, where shipping is free to U.S. customers, but Santiago hopes to get it into local stores soon.

“I want Golden Lion Coffee to become a staple in our community and something that we all love and talk about!” he exclaimed.

Santiago is looking forward to graduating from high school so he has time to put more work into his coffee business before he heads off to college in pursuit of his other dream of becoming a professional gamer.

“I look forward to what the future awaits, and I am glad to have started this venture in my hometown and with supportive people around me.”