Red Bay Coffee
Red Bay Coffee is a Black-owned Oakland-based specialty coffee roaster operating five Bay Area cafes, nationwide DTC e-commerce, a recurring Coffee Club subscription, and a wholesale program serving Fortune 500 food service accounts and retail partners including World Market.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Red Bay Coffee does
Red Bay Coffee is a Black-owned specialty coffee roaster founded in 2014 by Keba Konte in Oakland, California. The company operates a vertically integrated specialty coffee business spanning direct-trade green coffee sourcing, in-house roasting, five Bay Area retail cafes (Fruitvale roastery, Grand Ave, Berkeley, Ferry Building, 220 Montgomery, and 650 California in San Francisco), nationwide direct-to-consumer e-commerce, a recurring Coffee Club subscription program, and a B2B wholesale and food service operation targeting Fortune 500 accounts, independent cafes, and consumer packaged goods retail distribution including World Market.
The core product portfolio includes 15+ coffee SKUs organized into a Signature Line (East Fourteenth, Coltrane, Chasing Lions, Brazilian Cake Lady, Slow Burn, Ocho Libre Decaf), the Hero Collection of protest-themed blends (Fight The Power, This Is America, People Get Ready), limited releases (Juneteenth), and adjacent offerings (Shizuoka Matcha, Red Bay Teas, drinkware, gift cards). Pricing spans $19–$25 for 10 oz bags, $52.95 for 1 kg and $108 for 5 lb bulk, with subscribers receiving 10–15% discounts and free shipping. The company's underlying capability is its direct-trade sourcing infrastructure: long-term relationships with Sweet Unity Farms in Tanzania, CENCOIC in Colombia, Exportadora San Vicente in Honduras (100+ smallholders on Santa Barbara Mountain), SOAC in Papua New Guinea, and Peruvian and Ethiopian smallholder cooperatives, which the company uses to claim farmer-direct pricing without middleman markup.
Revenue is generated through four streams: one-time DTC e-commerce purchases, recurring Coffee Club subscriptions (1 to 8 week delivery cadences), B2B food service wholesale to Fortune 500 offices, hotels, tech companies, hospitals, and hospitality businesses, and CPG retail distribution through World Market and independent retailers. The company markets itself as a flagship of the fourth wave of coffee movement, emphasizing equity, inclusion, and community impact, and has won multiple Golden Bean North America roaster competition medals. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2024 amid rising input costs and subsequently filed an SEC exempt securities offering in May 2025 for $662,050 USD.
Red Bay Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Red Bay Coffee
- Legal name
- Red Bay Coffee Company, Inc.
- Website
- https://redbaycoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Red Bay Coffee is a Black-owned Oakland-based specialty coffee roaster operating five Bay Area cafes, nationwide DTC e-commerce, a recurring Coffee Club subscription, and a wholesale program serving Fortune 500 food service accounts and retail partners including World Market.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Red Bay Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Roasting
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing (AFAFADAD), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Red Bay Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Red Bay Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Coffee Product Sales: One-time purchases of whole-bean and ground coffee products sold through e-commerce and 5 Bay Area cafe locations. Products include signature roasts, single origins, and specialty collections.
- Coffee Subscription: Recurring subscription model delivering freshly roasted coffee on a schedule (every 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 weeks) with 10% discount and free shipping. Subscribers receive exclusive access to limited releases and Coffee Club events.
- Food Service Wholesale: Scalable coffee solutions for Fortune 500 companies, offices, hotels, tech companies, hospitals, and hospitality businesses throughout the U.S.
- Consumer Packaged Goods: Retail distribution through independent to larger retail, DSD (Direct Store Delivery), Big Box, and Drugstores for packaged coffee products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard 10oz coffee bags - one-time purchase |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bulk coffee options for home brewing |
| Subscription | Monthly | Coffee subscription with recurring deliveries |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Combo packs and gift sets |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Red Bay Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Red Bay Coffee is a Black-owned specialty coffee roaster that sources direct-trade green coffee from farmers and cooperatives in Tanzania, Colombia, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and across Latin America and Africa. It sells roasted whole-bean and ground coffee, matcha, teas, drinkware, and accessories through its own e-commerce store, a subscription program, five Bay Area cafes, and a wholesale food service program serving Fortune 500 companies, retail partners, and independent cafes.
Product overview
Red Bay Coffee is a Black-owned specialty coffee roaster offering a diverse portfolio of single origin and blended coffees across multiple roast profiles. The core product lineup centers on 15+ coffee varieties including signature roasts (East Fourteenth, Coltrane, Chasing Lions), the Hero Collection (Fight The Power, This Is America, People Get Ready) inspired by protest anthems, and specialty offerings like Ocho Libre Decaf and Half Caff. The company also offers non-coffee beverages (Shizuoka Matcha, Red Bay Teas), drinkware, accessories, and gift cards. A subscription service provides recurring deliveries with 10% savings and free shipping, while a wholesale program serves food service, retail, and hospitality businesses. Products range from single 10oz bags to bulk 5lb and 1 kilo options, with prices from $19.00 to $108.00.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- East Fourteenth Coffee Dark roast single-origin coffee sourced from Sweet Unity Farms in Tanzania, featuring notes of blackberry, dark chocolate, and date. Available as a 10oz whole-bean bag for individual consumers and home brewing.
- Coltrane Coffee Medium roast Colombian single-origin coffee with tasting notes of orange, nectarine, and chocolate, sold as a 10oz whole-bean bag for individual consumers.
- Fight The Power Coffee Espresso blend combining Papua New Guinea and Peru origins with notes of passionfruit, brown sugar, and toffee, sold as part of the Hero Collection for individual consumers.
- This Is America Coffee Dark roast Honduras single-origin coffee from Santa Barbara Mountain featuring plum, almond, and s'mores notes, sold as part of the Hero Collection for individual consumers.
- Chasing Lions Coffee Medium roast Ethiopian single-origin coffee from the Guji Zone with stone fruit, wildflower, and citrus notes, sold as a 10oz whole-bean bag for individual consumers.
- People Get Ready Coffee Coffee blend from the Hero Collection inspired by the protest anthem, sold as a 10oz whole-bean bag for individual consumers.
- Brazilian Cake Lady Coffee Medium roast Colombian coffee with a sweet, comforting flavor profile reminiscent of Brazilian cake, sold as a 10oz whole-bean bag for individual consumers.
- Ocho Libre Decaf Coffee Decaffeinated medium roast Colombian single-origin coffee with notes of dark chocolate, cane sugar, and grape, sold as a 10oz bag for individual consumers seeking caffeine-free options.
- Slow Burn Coffee Medium-dark roast coffee offering rich, bold flavor with a smooth finish, sold as a 10oz whole-bean bag for individual consumers.
- Half Caff Coffee Blend combining half caffeinated and half decaffeinated beans for a balanced coffee experience with reduced caffeine, sold as a 10oz whole-bean bag for individual consumers.
- 1 Kilo Whole Bean Coffee Bulk 1 kilogram (~2.2 lbs) whole-bean coffee option for individual consumers, families, or small offices wanting larger quantities.
- 5 lb Whole Bean Coffee Bag Bulk 5 lb whole-bean coffee bag for individual consumers, families, or small businesses wanting high-volume freshly roasted coffee.
- Juneteenth Limited Release Coffee Limited release coffee commemorating Juneteenth and celebrating freedom and Black history, sold as a 10oz bag for individual consumers during the Juneteenth season.
- Shizuoka Matcha Matcha green tea sourced from solar-powered and organically produced tea farms in Shizuoka, Japan, with light umami and bittersweet notes and a fragrant sweet aftertaste.
- Red Bay Teas Tea collection featuring various loose-leaf and bagged tea offerings from Red Bay Coffee for individual consumers seeking non-coffee alternatives.
- Africa Unite Combo Pack Combo pack featuring multiple African-origin coffee varieties bundled together for individual consumers who want to sample or gift African-sourced coffees.
- Africa's Gift Coffee Mug Black ceramic coffee mug featuring the 'Africa's Gift' design, sold as part of Red Bay Coffee's drinkware merchandise line for individual consumers.
- Hero Collection Button Pack Button pack featuring designs from the Hero Collection celebrating protest anthems and social movements, sold as accessories for individual consumers and brand fans.
- Red Bay Coffee E-Gift Card Electronic gift card available in $25 increments, redeemable on the Red Bay Coffee e-commerce site for gifting purposes.
- Coffee Subscription Service (Coffee Club) Recurring coffee delivery subscription offering 10% savings and free shipping with flexible delivery frequencies from weekly to every 8 weeks. Subscribers receive exclusive access to limited releases, Coffee Club events, and direct contact with the Coffee Club manager. Targeted at individual consumers who want fresh specialty coffee delivered regularly.
- Wholesale Coffee Program (Food Service & CPG) B-Corp certified specialty coffee wholesale program offering scalable food service coffee solutions for Fortune 500 companies, offices, hotels, tech companies, hospitals, and hospitality businesses, plus consumer packaged goods distribution through independent retail, DSD (Direct Store Delivery), Big Box, and Drugstores across the U.S.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4296 verified reviews with high customer satisfaction
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Red Bay Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Red Bay Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Red Bay Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Sweet Unity Farms (Tanzania)coreDirect-trade coffee sourcing partnership with Sweet Unity Farms in Tanzania, founded by David Robinson (son of Jackie Robinson). Provides beans for the East Fourteenth blend. Supports smallholder farmers in the southern highlands of Tanzania with quality-focused harvesting and sustainable practices.
- CENCOIC (Colombia)coreDirect-trade sourcing partnership with CENCOIC, a Colombian coffee producer organization. Supports equitable access to global specialty coffee markets.
- Smallholder Cooperatives (Latin America & Africa)coreDirect-trade relationships with smallholder cooperatives across Latin America and Africa, eliminating middleman mark-up to ensure fair prices for farmers.
- Exportadora San Vicente (Honduras)coreLong-term, transparent relationship with Exportadora San Vicente for Honduras coffee sourcing. Works with over 100 smallholder producers farming along Santa Barbara Mountain.
- Siane Organic Agriculture Cooperative (SOAC)corePartnership with SOAC cooperative in Chuave District, Papua New Guinea. Members gain direct access to international markets with sustainable incomes, organic certification, and community programs supporting education and gender equity.
- Peruvian Smallholder FarmerscoreSourcing partnership with Peru's smallholder farmers (over 95% of producers manage fewer than 3 hectares). Peru is the third-largest coffee producer in South America with 100% washed Arabica production.
- World MarketcoreMajor retail distribution partner with 100+ store locations across the U.S. selling Red Bay Coffee packaged products.
- Fortune 500 Companies (Food Service)coreEnterprise food service partnerships providing scalable coffee solutions for offices, hotels, tech companies, hospitals, and hospitality businesses throughout the U.S.
- Andy's Sunflower Cafe (Chicago)minorIndependent cafe in Chicago serving Red Bay Coffee products.
- Taste 222 Cafe (Chicago)minorIndependent cafe in Chicago serving Red Bay Coffee products.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Red Bay Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Verve Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster operating cafes in California (including Bay Area), with DTC e-commerce and subscription. Highly comparable to Red Bay in cafe-plus-roastery hybrid model and West Coast urban market focus.
- Ritual Coffee Roasters: Bay Area specialty roaster with cafe locations, direct-trade sourcing, and wholesale accounts. Directly comparable to Red Bay in San Francisco cafe market, quality positioning, and wholesale distribution.
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium specialty coffee roaster with cafe locations, direct-trade sourcing, and subscription service. Closely comparable to Red Bay in product model (specialty single-origins), retail format (roastery cafes), and DTC-plus-subscription revenue mix.
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster with cafe locations, direct-trade sourcing (Hair Bender, etc.), subscription service, and wholesale distribution. Closely matches Red Bay's product portfolio, DTC-plus-cafe model, and foodservice channel.
- Equator Coffees: B-Corp certified specialty coffee roaster based in Marin County, California, with direct-trade sourcing, cafe/wholesale operations, and a values-led mission. Strong analog to Red Bay in B-Corp certification, Northern California footprint, and sustainability framing.
- Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with strong direct-trade farmer relationships, training programs, and wholesale distribution to cafes and foodservice. Comparable to Red Bay in values-led sourcing model, educational mission, and specialty wholesale focus.
- Intelligentsia Coffee: Pioneering specialty roaster with direct-trade farmer relationships, training programs, and barista competitions. Comparable to Red Bay in third-wave sourcing philosophy and quality-driven brand positioning.
- La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster with cafes, DTC subscriptions, draft latte RTD line, and national wholesale. Comparable to Red Bay in roaster-plus-cafe-plus-subscription model and broad channel distribution strategy.
- Sightglass Coffee: San Francisco-based specialty roaster with roastery-cafe hybrid locations and direct-trade sourcing. Direct geographic and operational peer to Red Bay's Bay Area cafe footprint and roastery model.
Regional players
- Philz Coffee: Bay Area-originated specialty coffee chain with cafe locations across California and beyond. Comparable to Red Bay in Bay Area cafe density and specialty coffee positioning, though more chain-style and less roastery-focused.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Red Bay Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceRed Bay Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Red Bay Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Red Bay Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Red Bay Coffee M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Red Bay Coffee
What does Red Bay Coffee do?
Red Bay Coffee is a Black-owned specialty coffee roaster that sources direct-trade green coffee from farmers and cooperatives in Tanzania, Colombia, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and across Latin America and Africa. It sells roasted whole-bean and ground coffee, matcha, teas, drinkware, and accessories through its own e-commerce store, a subscription program, five Bay Area cafes, and a wholesale food service program serving Fortune 500 companies, retail partners, and independent cafes.
Is Red Bay Coffee a public or private company?
Red Bay Coffee is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Red Bay Coffee founded?
Red Bay Coffee was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Red Bay Coffee based?
Red Bay Coffee is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Red Bay Coffee make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Coffee Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are coffee Subscription, food Service Wholesale and consumer Packaged Goods.
Who are Red Bay Coffee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Verve Coffee Roasters, Ritual Coffee Roasters, Blue Bottle Coffee, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Equator Coffees, Counter Culture Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee, La Colombe Coffee Roasters and Sightglass Coffee. Philz Coffee is listed as a regional player.
Does Red Bay Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Red Bay Coffee.
What industry is Red Bay Coffee in?
Red Bay Coffee's product category is Specialty Coffee Roasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes), with a secondary code of AFAFADAD, Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.