Cxffeeblack x Castle Retail Group: A Historic Partnership Rooted in Memphis’ Legacy

Memphis, TN – Cxffeeblack, the Black-owned coffee brand reclaiming coffee’s African origins, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with Castle Retail Group, the Memphis-based, family-owned business behind Cash Saver, High Point Grocery, and South Point Grocery. This collaboration represents more than business—it’s a convergence of two families from different communities in Memphis, both shaped by the land, both committed to investing in the future.

As part of this partnership, Cxffeeblack products are now available at South Point Grocery and soon to be at High Point Grocery and Cash Saver locations. Cxffeeblack will also serve as the wholesale coffee provider for the in-house coffee shop at Castle Retail Group’s upcoming location, South Point Grocery at Silo Square in Southaven, MS.

At the heart of this collaboration is a deep respect for history and a shared belief in the power of hard work. Rick James, owner of Castle Retail Group, sees this as a continuation of his family’s legacy—a legacy rooted in labor, dignity, and the land itself.

“My grandfather and grandmother worked the land. They farmed in Arkansas, lived in a one-room shack with a dirt floor, and paid the people who worked alongside them in Booker T. Washington half-dollar coins as a sign of respect,” James recalled. “They knew that the people in the fields with them were equals, even when the world didn’t see it that way.”

Those same coins—minted between 1946 and 1951 to honor the journey of an African American leader from a slave cabin to the Hall of Fame—have now reappeared in a new context, as James and his family join forces with Bartholomew Jones, founder of Cxffeeblack.

“We’re doing what we can with what we have, just like our ancestors did,” said Jones. “My grandmother picked 600 pounds of cotton a day in Alabama. My great-grandfather found ways to own his labor in Arkansas. And now, we’re reclaiming coffee—not just as a product, but as a legacy.”

A Partnership Rooted in Legacy and the Future of Memphis Coffee

This collaboration goes beyond placing Cxffeeblack coffee on grocery store shelves—it represents an investment in the next generation. By making Cxffeeblack the wholesale coffee provider for Castle Retail Group’s in-house coffee shop at their upcoming location (South Point Grocery at Silo Square) in Southaven, this partnership ensures that Memphis-grown Black coffee culture continues to expand.

“This is the kind of partnership that can change a city,” James said. “Too often, we let barriers divide us—race, neighborhood, history—but at the root, our stories are more connected than we think. We’re all tied to the land, to labor, and to the pursuit of dignity. That’s what this is about.”

Through this collaboration, Cxffeeblack will:

✅ Expand its reach into Memphis and the greater Mid-South’s grocery retail market.

✅ Launch Regional Distribution for Cxffeeblack line of coffee fruit kickballs, Gold Brew and Rose Gold Brew

✅ Be the flagship coffee at Castle Retail Group’s coffee shop at South Point Grocery at Silo Square in Southaven, MS.

✅ Support Black coffee farmers globally, ensuring economic empowerment at every step of the supply chain.

✅ Invest in young Black creatives by creating job and career opportunities in the coffee industry.

✅ Honor Memphis’ history by redefining what it means to build generational wealth in the city.

“This isn’t just about coffee on a shelf,” Jones added. “This is about partnership. About seeing each other. About making sure our kids and grandkids don’t have to fight the same battles we did. And most importantly, it’s about Memphis. Because Memphis is not just a place where things happen—it’s a place where the future is being built.”

Taylor James, Vice President of Castle Retail Group, thinks that this partnership should give confidence to others thinking of investing in Cxffeeblack. “We not only believe in the business potential of Cxffeeblack, but we believe in their mission and their importance in the city of Memphis. We hope other folks join us in investing in an independent, locally owned business.”

You can find out more on how you can invest at https://wefunder.com/cxffeeblack/

With Cxffeeblack’s culturally rooted specialty coffee now available at South Point Grocery and soon featured as the official coffee in Castle Retail Group’s Southaven location, consumers will have the chance to taste history, invest in a future built on partnership, and redefine what it means to do business in Memphis and beyond.