New Leaf Café, located in Colusa, California, exists at the intersection of food, opportunity, and community care. What began as a café has grown into a place where individuals are trained, supported, and equipped with practical skills that open doors to long-term employment and personal stability.
As a workforce development initiative of New Leaf Industries, New Leaf Café operates as a hands-on apprenticeship and training environment. Participants gain real-world experience in culinary preparation, customer service, barista operations, food safety standards, and day-to-day café management. Training happens in a live, working café where expectations are real, support is constant, and growth is encouraged through mentorship and teamwork.
Our approach is rooted in dignity and purpose. Trainees are not observers or volunteers. They are active contributors who learn what it means to show up on time, work collaboratively, serve customers with care, and take pride in quality and consistency. These experiences help build confidence, accountability, and transferable job skills that extend well beyond the food service industry.
New Leaf Café also plays a vital role in advancing community health. Our cafés serve as distribution points for Medically Tailored Meals, ensuring that individuals with specific medical and nutritional needs receive food that supports healing and wellness. This connection allows our trainees to participate in something larger than themselves, understanding how their work directly impacts the health and lives of others.
Every aspect of New Leaf Café is designed to create pathways forward. From learning how to prepare nutritious meals to mastering customer interactions, participants leave with experience, references, and a renewed sense of direction. At the same time, customers become partners in the mission. Each purchase helps fund training, expand access to wellness-focused meals, and strengthen the community we serve.
At New Leaf Café, food is a starting point. The real impact is found in the lives being rebuilt, the skills being formed, and the belief that meaningful work can lead to lasting change. Every order supports a new beginning, for individuals, families, and the community as a whole.
At New Leaf Café, coffee is more than a daily ritual. It is an opportunity for renewal.
From your first sip in the morning to a mid-day pause, our responsibly sourced coffee and thoughtfully selected teas are prepared with care and intention. Every hand-crafted drink you enjoy helps support meaningful training and real opportunities for those building a better future.
