Couple Moves From Puerto Rico To Work For Oklahoma Coffee Chain Employing People With Disabilities

The Rosaly and Matos family moved to Oklahoma City just after Christmas to work for Oklahoma-based coffee chain Not Your Average Joe, the couple told News 9 on Thursday. 

Nicole Rosaly and Xavier Matos worked in the coffee industry for two decades prior to moving to Oklahoma. 

“They moved here all the way from Puerto Rico because they have a kiddo with autism, but also because we have exceptional coffee,” Not Your Average Joe’s founder Tim Herbel said. 

Not Your Average Joe is an Oklahoma-based, nonprofit coffee chain that employs people with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, the founder shared. 

Several months ago and through a mutual connection; Herbel met the couple in Puerto Rico. 

“We saw the mission. We saw Not Your Average Joe. We saw what was really happening; the quality of the coffee, the amazing people and the mission that we have here at Not Your Average Joe and we decided to move out of Puerto Rico,” Matos explained. 

The family said the move has been challenging. 

“It has been a challenge to move all the way from Puerto Rico with two kids and one of them on the spectrum of autism. We have to acknowledge that the people here are awesome,” Rosaly said. 

Having to have to learn English and the ropes of a new city is a tall order, but one the family said it is up for making. 

“They're two of the best coffee professionals on the planet — both in roasting, and then we'll have the first AST-certified coffee lab coming to Oklahoma City because of Xavi and Nicole,” Herbel added. “So, we’re super excited.” 

Matos reflected, “Now that we found this company that employs people with disabilities, we said ‘we’re not only building a future for our kids- it could be a career for them- and also for other people and parents that have kids with disabilities.’”