Onyx Coffee receives ‘Living Wage’ status

Rogers-based Onyx Coffee Lab has been certified by Living Wage for Us for the company’s commitment to paying all workers a living wage. According to Lilburn, Ga.-based Living Wage, Onyx is the first Arkansas company to attain the recognition.

Living Wage for Us defines a living wage as employee pay that covers the basic cost of living in the area where the business operates, ensuring that employees can afford essential needs like housing, food, health care, and transportation without financial strain.

The hourly pay to meet the living wage requirement in Benton, Madison and Washington counties is $20.03, according to Living Wage for Us.

“This isn’t about optics or accolades — it’s about making a genuine, measurable difference in the lives of those who contribute to our growth every day,” said Andrea Allen, cofounder of Onyx. “We view this certification as both an accomplishment and a starting point. It is an ongoing commitment to our team’s well-being and prosperity, reinforcing our promise to not just sustain but elevate the living standards of our team members.”

Onyx operates four cafes in Northwest Arkansas — the headquarters operation in Rogers, two sites in Bentonville, including at The Momentary, and one in Fayetteville. The company also operates an e-commerce business and a full-service restaurant in Springdale called Hail Fellow Well Met!

“We are excited by Onyx’s ongoing commitment to ensure all its workers earn a living wage and to provide leadership in the state of Arkansas to advance the living wage movement,” said Michelle Murray, founder of Living Wage for Us. “All the data estimating this wage is not only recalculated annually based on changes in cost of living in partnership with the Economic Policy Institute, but the methodology behind those calculations is reviewed by a range of stakeholders including labor representatives, employers, and civil society actors, and shared publicly along with our data to ensure that Living Wage for Us estimates accurately represent the pay needed for a decent standard of living for a worker and their families.”

Onyx noted in a press release that the hospitality sector is consistently the lowest-paid industry in every state, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This trend is often due to low profit margins which are often exacerbated by fluctuating market conditions and high operational costs.