From BOWLING GREEN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce has announced the recipient of its investor grant for the second quarter of 2026: Flatlands Coffee.
Ben Vollmar launched Flatlands Coffee as a cafe in 2015 and garnered a devoted following from his downtown Bowling Green location. In 2019, Flatlands Coffee’s success allowed Vollmar to open an accompanying roastery, which Food and and Wine Magazine named the best coffee roaster in Ohio in 2022.
Flatlands Coffee is known for its Nordic-style light roast, using advanced roasting techniques to create coffee that is extra light and naturally sweet. Vollmar aims to ensure that the partnering farmer is compensated well, and triple-sorts his coffees before they are ever brewed.
Vollmar applied for the investor grant to support the purchase of a new water filter system and coffee maker, which will allow Flatlands Coffee to keep their expansion plans in motion. Because Flatland Coffee’s bakery is currently being renovated, this grant will alleviate the business’s financial investment, allowing its momentum to continue.
“Using such a grant for a new water filter system and coffee maker would improve team morale, guest satisfaction, and financial relief to help propel the business forward,” stated Vollmar.
Flatlands Coffee remains committed to delivering a premier coffee experience through craft beverages, made-from-scratch pastries, precision-roasted coffee beans, a designer atmosphere, and friendly service.
The quarterly investor grants are available to all investors in good standing at the chamber, and the application is available online. The grant provides a chamber investor up to $1,000 that can offset the cost of an employee training program, the purchase of business-related equipment, or apply towards the offset of a BGSU/Owens student internship. The deadline for third quarter grant submission is Sept. 30.
