Kaldis Coffee Roasting Company

What Kaldis Coffee Roasting Company does

Kaldis Coffee Roasting Company is a privately held specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator founded in 1994 in the Demun neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. The company roasts coffee using Probat equipment and operates a direct-to-consumer model that combines e-commerce sales on kaldiscoffee.com, a mobile app on iOS and Android, and 18 company-owned cafes across St. Louis, MO (14 locations) and Atlanta, GA (4 locations, predominantly on the Emory University campus). It also runs institutional cafe operations at Washington University in St. Louis and BJC Healthcare facilities. Core products include whole-bean blends and single-origin coffees (12oz bags priced $17.50-$21.50), compostable coffee pods, a proprietary 3:1 Cold Brew Concentrate, ready-to-drink Cold Brew Cans, Firepot Tea, and branded merchandise, with a wholly owned sub-brand called Dancing Goats.

Revenue mechanics blend one-time retail purchases, in-cafe sales, and a subscription coffee service offering 10% discounts, free shipping at a $25 threshold, tiered rewards (2% back on orders 1-9, 4% back from order 10+), and text-message management. Gift subscriptions are offered in 3-month ($67.50), 6-month ($135), and 12-month ($270) durations. Sourcing is structured around a Relationship Coffee program that purchases green coffee at a minimum 15% above Fair Trade prices, with documented partnerships including Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (Brazil), Sholi Cooperative (Rwanda), and the Monserrate Community (Colombia). Distribution is omnichannel through company storefronts (e-commerce, mobile app, cafes) and select institutional partnerships, with no third-party wholesale or major grocery presence disclosed. The company employs 251-500 people and has won the USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice #1 Best Coffee Chain award in both 2024 and 2025.

Name

Kaldis Coffee Roasting Company

Legal name

Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Co.

Website

https://kaldiscoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kaldis Coffee Roasting Company is a privately held St. Louis-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1994, operating 18 company-owned cafes across St. Louis and Atlanta alongside an e-commerce site, mobile app, and subscription coffee service for consumer and institutional customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Coffee subscription service
• Coffee retail cafes
• Single origin coffee
• Cold brew coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee Sales: Sale of whole bean coffee in 12oz, 2lb, and 5lb bags across blends and single origins. Core products include Cafe Kaldi, 700, Dancing Goats Blend, Highlander Grogg, and seasonal offerings. Prices range from $17.50-$21.50 for 12oz bags.
2. Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring subscription model offering 10% discount on standard blends and pods, free shipping at $25 threshold, and rewards (2% back orders 1-9, 4% back orders 10+). Options include blend subscriptions, Roaster's Choice single origin rotation, Seasonal Blend rotation, and Blend Tour.
3. In-Cafe Sales: 18 company-owned and operated cafe locations across St. Louis, MO and Atlanta, GA serving espresso drinks, cold brew, and food items. Order-ahead functionality via Kaldi's Coffee app.
4. Coffee Pods: Compostable coffee pods compatible with K-cup style brewers. 10-pack boxes in House Blend, French Roast, Breakfast Blend, Highlander Grogg, Colombia Single Origin, and FTO Natural High varieties. Prices $8.99-$10.99 per 10-pack.
5. Cold Brew Products: Cold Brew Concentrate in 16.9oz and 32oz bottles ($13-$15), plus ready-to-drink Cold Brew Cans 4-pack ($50). Made from South American and African coffee blend.
6. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including mugs ($12.99), tumblers ($29.99), apparel, hats, candles ($16), and Bissinger's Espresso 700 Truffles ($15).
7. Gift Cards and Subscriptions: Retail gift cards redeemable in cafes and app (from $25) and website-only gift cards (from $20). Gift subscriptions in 3-month ($67.50), 6-month ($135), and 12-month ($270) durations.
8. Tea Products: Firepot Tea offerings including Masala Chai concentrate ($17), Amai Matcha ($33.10), and Rituals Collection sachets ($10.50-$11.99).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Kaldi's Coffee Roasting Company roasts specialty coffee on Probat roasters and sells whole-bean and single-serve coffee (blends and single origins), compostable pods, cold brew concentrate, ready-to-drink cold brew cans, Firepot tea, and branded merchandise through its e-commerce site, subscription program, and 18 company-owned cafes in St. Louis, MO and Atlanta, GA. The company also operates on-site cafes at Emory University and Washington University / BJC Healthcare, runs a roastery tour and cupping experience, and runs a rewards/mobile-app program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dancing Goats: A separate café brand operated by Kaldi's Coffee, featuring coffee alongside the signature Dancing Goats Blend named after the legendary goats that discovered coffee

Products and services

• Specialty Whole Bean Coffee (Blends and Single Origins) Fresh-roasted specialty coffee sold as whole bean or ground (drip, espresso, French press) in multiple bag sizes for home brewing by individual coffee drinkers.
• Coffee Subscription Service Recurring home-delivery coffee subscription for individual consumers that delivers rotating or fixed blends/single origins on a schedule, with self-serve management via website, mobile app, or SMS text message.
• Compostable Coffee Pods Single-serve compostable coffee pods compatible with K-cup style brewers, sold in 10-pack boxes across House Blend, French Roast, Breakfast Blend, Highlander Grogg, Colombia Single Origin, and FTO Natural High varieties at $8.99-$10.99 per 10-pack.
• Cold Brew Concentrate Ready-to-dilute cold brew coffee concentrate sold in 16.9oz ($13) and 32oz ($15) bottles for individual consumers making cold brew or iced lattes at home.
• Cold Brew Cans (Ready-to-Drink) Ready-to-drink Classic Black Cold Brew sold in 4-packs of cans at $50 per 4-pack for individual on-the-go consumption.
• Firepot Tea Premium loose-leaf and concentrate tea products sold to individual tea drinkers through the e-commerce site, including Masala Chai concentrate, Amai Matcha, and Rituals Collection sachets.
• Kaldi's Branded Merchandise Logo-branded mugs, tumblers, apparel, hats, candles, and Bissinger's Espresso 700 Truffles sold to individual consumers through the e-commerce site.
• Gift Subscriptions Fixed-term coffee gift subscriptions of 3, 6, or 12 months purchased by individual consumers as gifts for holidays, birthdays, and special occasions.
• Gift Cards Retail gift cards redeemable in Kaldi's cafes and app (from $25) plus website-only gift cards (from $20) purchased by individual consumers for gifting.
• Kaldi's Cafe Service Walk-in and order-ahead service at 18 company-owned cafes across St. Louis (14) and Atlanta (4) offering espresso-based beverages, cold brew, and food for individual cafe guests, including drive-thru and campus locations.
• Roastery Tour and Cupping Experience Paid 60-90 minute guided roastery tour and professional coffee cupping session at $5 per person at the St. Louis roastery, with a maximum of 10 guests per session.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of subscription customers likely or very likely to recommend the service
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kula ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKaldi's donates 1% of all sales to Kula Project in Rwanda through 1% for the Planet, supporting women, health, and education initiatives in coffee-growing communities.
• World Coffee Research (WCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKaldi's donates to WCR with every pound of coffee purchased. WCR's mission is to grow, protect, and enhance supplies of quality coffee while improving livelihoods of farming families.
• Brew for ImpactminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal St. Louis organization providing homes for families in need in North St. Louis and supporting coffee producers and families in Haiti with children's homes, education, medical care, and clean water.
• Arbor Day FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Arbor Day Foundation supporting tree planting and environmental conservation efforts.
• Always Green RecyclingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKaldi's donates all used coffee grounds from cold brew production to Always Green Recycling. Cafes also offer coffee grounds for customers to use in gardens.
• Sleeve a MessageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal coffee sleeve manufacturer that plants a tree for every 7,000 sleeves produced, supporting sustainability initiatives.
• Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian coffee producer partnership featuring sustainable organic agriculture and exceptional cup quality. Source of Brazil FAF Bobolink and other relationship coffees. Led by Felipe Croce.
• Sholi Cooperative (Abateraninkunga ba Sholi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRwanda cooperative of 619 members (241 women) established in 2008. Kaldi's annual release of Rwanda Sholi Natural supports community health center, community center, and young mothers program.
• Monserrate Community (Colombia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongest-standing relationship coffee partnership dating back to 2009. Source of Colombia Monserrate community lot used in Cafe Kaldi and 700 blends. Multiple origin trips and ongoing collaboration.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-born specialty coffee roaster with wholesale, e-commerce subscriptions, and cafes — closely comparable to Kaldi's in offering, target customer (third-wave coffee enthusiasts), and direct-trade sourcing model. Now owned by Peet's/Peet's parent, illustrating both the scale ceiling and exit path Kaldi's could face.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Specialty roaster with cafe locations and DTC subscriptions, owned by Nestle. Directly comparable on cafe + subscription omnichannel model and premium pricing, though at significantly larger scale.
• Colectivo Coffee: Midwest-based specialty roaster and cafe chain. Directly comparable to Kaldi's as a regional specialty roaster with multiple cafe locations, subscription service, and similar scale.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with cafes and a leading RTD cold brew line. Comparable to Kaldi's on the roaster-cafe-RTD diversification model and premium positioning; relevant benchmark for cold brew category execution.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster known for Direct Trade sourcing program, cafes, and DTC. Highly comparable to Kaldi's on ethical sourcing narrative and single-origin/specialty positioning.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with a strong sustainability and transparency focus, training programs, and subscription/online retail — directly comparable to Kaldi's Relationship Coffee positioning and educational content approach.

Broad incumbents

• Peet's Coffee: Larger specialty coffee chain and roaster with national retail, wholesale, and DTC. Comparable as a specialty incumbent that has scaled the roaster-cafe model — and which acquired Stumptown, providing a strategic-acquisition reference point for Kaldi's.
• Dutch Bros Coffee: Fast-growing regional-to-national coffee chain with drive-thru focus. Comparable to Kaldi's St. Charles and Ellisville drive-thru locations and demonstrates the scale-up trajectory available for a well-capitalized regional chain.
• Starbucks: Global coffee chain that Kaldi's was ranked above in USA Today polls. Comparable as the dominant incumbent setting consumer expectations on cafe experience, mobile ordering, and loyalty — defining the competitive backdrop.

Emerging players

• Onyx Coffee Lab: Award-winning specialty roaster with cafes, strong competition pedigree, and modern branding. Comparable as a specialty competitor that has won multiple USA Coffee Championships and represents the kind of brand premium that threatens Kaldi's specialty positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kaldis_coffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kaldis-coffee-roasting-company
• Instagraminstagram.com/kaldiscoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/kaldiscoffee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kaldis Coffee Roasting Company