Philz Coffee
Philz Coffee is a third-wave specialty coffee chain operating 80+ company-owned retail stores across California and Chicago, complemented by e-commerce, subscriptions, wholesale, and a mobile loyalty program built around in-house roasted, customized coffee blends.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Philz Coffee does
Philz Coffee is a third-wave specialty coffee retailer founded in 2003 by Phil Jaber in San Francisco's Mission District. The company operates 80+ company-owned retail storefronts primarily across California (San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, Orange County, Ventura County, Inland Empire) and Chicago, with corporate headquarters and an in-house roasting facility located at 680 85th Ave, Oakland, CA. Its core differentiator is handcrafted, customized coffee blends made to each customer's specifications, utilizing sustainably sourced green beans roasted in-house under the Philz Preferred Partners program; signature blends include Tesora, Philtered Soul, and Jacob's Wonderbar, complemented by seasonal limited-time offerings such as Cashew Cocoa, Pistachio Spice, Caramel Coconut, Salted Butterscotch, Campfire S'mores, and Peanut Butter Cup cold brews.
Revenue is generated across multiple channels: in-store beverage and food sales at retail locations (primary), direct-to-consumer e-commerce via philzcoffee.com and a mobile app (whole bean 16oz bags at $22.50, K-Cup pods at $12.99/10ct, branded merchandise, and gift cards from $5-$100), three subscription tiers (Build Your Own, Roast Discovery, Surprise Delivery) with $2.50 per-bag savings and free shipping on 2+ bags, a B2B wholesale program for offices and grocery (excluding resale-brew arrangements), and the Philz Rewards loyalty program (10 points per $1, free drink at 1,200 points). The company employs 1,001-5,000 people, is privately held, and was acquired by private equity firm Freeman Spogli & Co. for $145 million in August 2025, with CEO Mahesh Sadarangani continuing to lead the company under PE ownership and stated plans for continued store expansion.
Philz Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Philz Coffee
- Legal name
- Philz Coffee, Inc.
- Website
- http://philzcoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Philz Coffee is a third-wave specialty coffee chain operating 80+ company-owned retail stores across California and Chicago, complemented by e-commerce, subscriptions, wholesale, and a mobile loyalty program built around in-house roasted, customized coffee blends.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Philz Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Shops
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC), Single-Serve Coffee (Pods, Capsules) (CRADAHAH), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Philz Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Philz Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Coffee Shop Sales: In-store beverage sales and food items at 80+ retail locations across California and Chicago, including handcrafted coffee drinks and seasonal limited-time offerings.
- E-commerce Coffee and Merchandise: Direct-to-consumer sales of whole bean coffee (16oz bags), K-Cup pods, merchandise (hoodies, mugs, tumblers, totes), and gift cards through philzcoffee.com and mobile app.
- Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring subscription service delivering fresh roasted beans on a scheduled basis with savings of $2.50 per bag and free shipping on 2+ bags. Includes Build Your Own, Roast Discovery, and Surprise Delivery subscription options.
- Wholesale: Office coffee programs and grocery store partnerships selling Philz coffee for preparation in office settings, excluding partnerships where coffee is brewed for resale purposes.
- Philz Rewards Program: Loyalty program allowing members to earn 10 points per $1 spent, with 1200 points automatically converting to a free drink reward. Includes birthday treats, drink upgrades, and promotional bonus points.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Whole Bean Coffee - 16oz bags |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | K-Cup Pods - 10 count boxes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
| Freemium | Monthly | Philz Rewards Program |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription Delivery |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Philz Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Philz Coffee roasts and sells customized specialty coffee blends at 80+ company-owned retail coffee shops in California and Chicago, and through e-commerce, subscriptions, and wholesale. Core products include handcrafted coffee beverages, whole bean coffee (16oz bags), K-Cup pods, and a mobile-app-based loyalty program. Supporting offerings include branded merchandise, gift cards, three subscription tiers (Build Your Own, Roast Discovery, Surprise Delivery), and a wholesale program for offices and grocery retailers.
Product overview
Philz Coffee is a specialty coffee chain offering handcrafted coffee drinks and whole bean products. The core offering consists of customized coffee blends roasted in-house (Tesora, Philtered Soul, Jacob's Wonderbar, and others), available as whole bean bags or K-Cup pods for home brewing. The company operates a subscription service with three tiers: Build Your Own (customizable), Roast Discovery (roast preference-based), and Surprise Delivery (rotating curated blends). Supporting products include branded merchandise (apparel, drinkware), physical and digital gift cards, and a Philz Rewards loyalty program accessible via mobile app. The company also maintains a wholesale program for office coffee and retail distribution, and serves food items including pastries at cafe locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Coffee Blends (Whole Bean) Specialty coffee blends roasted in-house at Philz's Oakland, CA facility and sold as whole bean in 16oz bags. Available across Light, Medium, Dark, Decaf, and Flavored categories, including flagship blends Tesora, Philtered Soul, and Jacob's Wonderbar.
- K-Cup Pods Single-serve coffee pods compatible with Keurig K-Cup brewing systems. Available in Philtered Soul and Tesora varieties in 10-count packs, recyclable and brewing up to 12 oz coffees each.
- Build Your Own Subscription Coffee subscription allowing customers to choose exact blends and delivery frequency, with $2.50 savings per bag and free shipping on 2+ bags.
- Roast Discovery Subscription Monthly coffee subscription where customers select a roast preference (light, medium, or dark) and receive curated blends chosen by Philz's coffee team.
- Surprise Delivery Subscription Adventure-style subscription delivering surprise rotating blends curated by Philz's expert coffee team for discovery of new favorites.
- Merchandise Branded apparel and drinkware including hoodies, t-shirts, totes, mugs, and tumblers available through the Philz Coffee online shop.
- Gift Cards Physical and digital gift cards available in denominations from $5 to $100, redeemable at Philz retail locations or online.
- Philz Rewards Program Free-to-join mobile app loyalty program where members earn 10 points per $1 spent, receive a free drink upgrade and 150 points for signing up, get birthday treats, and automatically convert 1,200 points to a free drink reward.
- Wholesale Program Office coffee program offering Philz blends for businesses, grocery stores, and special occasions. Not available for partnerships where coffee is brewed for resale.
- In-Store Drinks and Food Handcrafted coffee beverages including cold brews, iced coffees, specialty lattes, and customized drinks, plus food items such as pastries and egg bites available at Philz cafe locations.
- Philz Mobile App iOS and Android mobile application for ordering pickup, managing the Philz Rewards loyalty program, and accessing exclusive offers. Apple App Clips integration enables seamless in-app ordering.
Companies that use Philz Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Philz Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature3 records
Philz Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Onyx Coffee LabminorRoaster-to-roaster collaboration (Project III, November 2025) with Onyx Coffee Lab (US), La Cabra (Denmark), and Phil & Sebastian (Canada) to jointly source and roast coffees from Finca La Negrita in Colombia.
- La CabraminorRoaster-to-roaster collaboration (Project III, November 2025) with Onyx Coffee Lab (US), La Cabra (Denmark), and Phil & Sebastian (Canada) to jointly source and roast coffees from Finca La Negrita in Colombia.
- Phil & SebastianminorRoaster-to-roaster collaboration (Project III, November 2025) with Onyx Coffee Lab (US), La Cabra (Denmark), and Phil & Sebastian (Canada) to jointly source and roast coffees from Finca La Negrita in Colombia.
- Simon SinekminorCollaboration on Optimism Coffee, a branded coffee collaboration with author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek.
- Food 4 FarmerscorePartnership supporting sustainable food systems in coffee farming communities. Philz's Gratitude blend is sourced from Mexico, Central America, and Colombia with proceeds supporting Food 4 Farmers organizations. Supports company mission of Better Days for everyone.
- World Coffee ResearchminorPartnership enhancing livelihoods of coffee farmers and supporting agricultural innovation and research.
- Too Good To GominorPartnership reducing food waste by offering surplus food from Philz stores at discounted prices through the Too Good To Go app.
- Point FoundationminorPartnership supporting LGBTQ+ individuals through Point Foundation, aligning with Philz's community values and Pride flag initiatives.
- Coffee Coalition for Racial EquityminorAndi Trindle Mersch, VP of Coffee Operations & Sustainability, serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Philz Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with sustainability focus, wholesale, training centers, and DTC — comparable sustainability narrative and craft positioning.
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Third-wave coffee roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC — owned by Peet's/Lavazza. Closely comparable craft positioning, multi-channel distribution, and signature named blends.
- La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster operating cafes, wholesale, and DTC channels with a similar premium positioning and growing footprint on the West Coast and East Coast.
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Third-wave specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain with similar craft positioning, in-house roasting, and DTC/subscription model. Direct peer in the premium specialty segment and a key Bay Area competitor before its Nestlé acquisition.
- Dutch Bros Coffee: Fast-growing specialty coffee chain with company-owned and franchised locations, mobile ordering, and a loyalty program — comparable multi-unit growth model and custom-drink menu.
- Peet's Coffee: Heritage specialty coffee roaster with cafe locations, wholesale grocery distribution, and K-Cup pods. Direct competitor across cafe, grocery, and subscription channels; one of Patti Nelson's prior employers.
- Intelligentsia Coffee: Pioneering third-wave coffee roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC. Comparable craft positioning and sourcing-driven brand, though with smaller retail footprint.
- Verve Coffee Roasters: California-based third-wave coffee roaster with cafes in LA and the Bay Area, in-house roasting, and DTC/subscription. Closely comparable craft, geography, and channel mix.
- The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: Specialty coffee and tea chain with cafes, grocery wholesale, and K-Cup pods — directly comparable multi-channel model and prior employer of Philz's CDO Patti Nelson.
Broad incumbents
- Starbucks: Dominant global coffee chain whose Reserve stores and premium positioning compete with Philz for premium share; broader portfolio and vastly greater scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Philz Coffee social profiles
Digital presencePhilz Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Philz Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Philz Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Philz 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 Philz Coffee
What does Philz Coffee do?
Philz Coffee roasts and sells customized specialty coffee blends at 80+ company-owned retail coffee shops in California and Chicago, and through e-commerce, subscriptions, and wholesale. Core products include handcrafted coffee beverages, whole bean coffee (16oz bags), K-Cup pods, and a mobile-app-based loyalty program. Supporting offerings include branded merchandise, gift cards, three subscription tiers (Build Your Own, Roast Discovery, Surprise Delivery), and a wholesale program for offices and grocery retailers.
Is Philz Coffee a public or private company?
Philz Coffee is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Philz Coffee founded?
Philz Coffee was founded in 2003. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Philz Coffee based?
Philz Coffee is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Philz Coffee make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Coffee Shop Sales are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce Coffee and Merchandise, coffee Subscriptions, wholesale and philz Rewards Program.
Who are Philz Coffee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Counter Culture Coffee, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, La Colombe Coffee Roasters, Blue Bottle Coffee, Dutch Bros Coffee, Peet's Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee, Verve Coffee Roasters and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Starbucks is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Philz Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Philz Coffee.
What industry is Philz Coffee in?
Philz Coffee's product category is Specialty Coffee Shops. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes), with a secondary code of AFAFADAC, Coffee Blending & Flavoring. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 5810.