Fire Department Coffee
Fire Department Coffee is a veteran- and firefighter-founded specialty coffee roaster in Rockford, Illinois, founded in 2016. It sells direct-to-consumer coffee, proprietary spirit-infused roasts, monthly subscription clubs, merchandise, and wholesale bulk coffee, with proceeds supporting firefighter charities through its 501(c)(3) foundation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersRockford, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Fire Department Coffee does
Fire Department Coffee, Inc. is a veteran- and firefighter-founded specialty coffee roaster headquartered in Rockford, Illinois, founded in 2016 and operating as a privately held for-profit entity with 51-100 employees. The company procures, roasts, and retails coffee beans through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (firedeptcoffee.com), a subscription-based 'club' model, and a contract-free wholesale program for cafes, restaurants, offices, and retailers. Its flagship product is Original Medium Roast coffee, with adjacent lines including dark roast, espresso (Skull Crushing, Backdraft, Shellback), Keurig-compatible pods, Nespresso-compatible capsules, instant coffee, bundles, and merchandise (shirts, mugs, stickers).
The company's core technical differentiator is a proprietary spirit infusion process developed in 2016, in which real bourbon, whiskey, rum, and tequila are infused into green coffee beans before roasting, producing non-alcoholic spirit-flavored coffee the company describes as a first-of-its-kind method. Spirit Infused Coffee is sold as individual SKUs and as the centerpiece of the Spirit Infused Coffee Club monthly subscription. Five subscription clubs (Coffee of the Month, Spirit Infused, Fire Department Coffee, Shirt, and Sticker) anchor recurring revenue, with prepaid tiers offering 5-15% discounts on 3/6/12-month commitments and free U.S. shipping on all subscription orders.
Fire Department Coffee monetizes through three primary streams: recurring subscription revenue across five clubs, direct one-time product sales at price points from $15.99 for 12oz bags to $29.99+ for bundles and apparel, and wholesale bulk sales with a 10% subscribe-and-save discount and no minimum contracts. A lifetime 20% discount is extended to first responders, active-duty military, and veterans. Customer segments span first responders/veterans (primary persona), general consumer coffee drinkers (primary persona), and wholesale/business buyers. The company operates the Fire Dept. Coffee Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established in 2021 that supports sick and injured firefighters, and deploys a disaster relief fire truck branded Rescue-1 for community engagement. In January 2026 the company completed a $900,000 Rule 506(c) exempt equity offering from 8 undisclosed investors.
Fire Department Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fire Department Coffee
- Legal name
- Fire Department Coffee, Inc.
- Website
- https://firedeptcoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Fire Department Coffee is a veteran- and firefighter-founded specialty coffee roaster in Rockford, Illinois, founded in 2016. It sells direct-to-consumer coffee, proprietary spirit-infused roasts, monthly subscription clubs, merchandise, and wholesale bulk coffee, with proceeds supporting firefighter charities through its 501(c)(3) foundation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fire Department Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Roasting
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)
Keywords
Where Fire Department Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rockford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fire Department Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Subscription Revenue: Monthly recurring revenue from coffee subscription clubs including Coffee of the Month Club, Spirit Infused Coffee Club, Fire Department Coffee Club, and Shirt Club. Subscribers receive 25% off first order and 15% ongoing discount with free U.S. shipping.
- Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase of coffee products including whole bean, ground, coffee pods, instant coffee, and gift bundles. Products sold at various price points from budget to premium.
- Wholesale/Bulk Sales: Bulk coffee sales to businesses including 5lb bags, wholesale coffee pods, and shelf displays. Offers subscribe and save 10% for wholesale customers with free shipping and no commitments or contracts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Coffee of the Month Club - $18/12oz subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Spirit Infused Coffee Club - $15.99/8oz subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Fire Department Coffee Club - $15.99/12oz subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Fire Department Shirt Club - $29.99/subscription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual Coffee Products |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Fire Department Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fire Department Coffee is a veteran- and firefighter-founded coffee roaster that procures, roasts, and retails specialty coffee beans and coffee-based products under its own brand. Its flagship offering is a proprietary spirit-infused coffee line, complemented by whole bean, ground, single-serve pods, instant coffee, branded merchandise, gift bundles, and recurring subscription clubs. Proceeds from select products and clubs support a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation for sick and injured firefighters.
Product overview
Fire Department Coffee is a veteran- and firefighter-founded premium coffee company offering a diverse product portfolio centered around specialty roasted coffees and charitable giving. The core product line includes Original Medium Roast and Dark Roast coffees in ground and whole bean formats, plus espresso varieties (Skull Crushing Espresso, Backdraft Espresso, Shellback Espresso). The company's signature offering is its proprietary Spirit Infused Coffee line—infused with real bourbon, whiskey, rum, and tequila since 2016—featuring flavors like Toasted Marshmallow Whiskey, Black Cherry Bourbon, Vanilla Bean Bourbon, and Dragon Slayer Bourbon. Coffee is available in multiple formats: standard bags (12oz, 24oz, 5lb), single-serve Keurig-compatible pods (12/24 count), Nespresso-compatible capsules (10/20 count), and instant coffee (10-count boxes). Subscription services include the Coffee of the Month Club (rotating single-origin coffees), Spirit Infused Coffee Club (monthly spirit-infused flavors), Fire Department Coffee Club (monthly coffee with fire department donations), Fire Department Shirt Club, and Sticker Club. Multiple bundle options exist including Build Your Own 4-Pack, Coffee Pod Variety Pack (6 boxes of 12-count), Rescue Pack, and themed bundles (Skull Bundle, Shellback Bundle, St. Paddy's Day Bundle). The company also offers a wholesale program for retailers (5lb bags, pods in bulk), merchandise (apparel, mugs, stickers), and operates the Fire Department Coffee Charitable Foundation with its Rescue-1 disaster relief truck. Founded in 2016, the company donates proceeds to support sick and injured firefighters.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fire Department Coffee Foundation: 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports sick and injured firefighters
Products and services
- Original Medium Roast Coffee
Quantifiable outcome
- 37,000+ customer reviews with 4.9-star average rating
Companies that use Fire Department Coffee
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Fire Department Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature1 record
Fire Department Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Rockford Fire DepartmentcoreDecember 2025 campaign where Fire Department Coffee donates proceeds from product sales (Coffee Club and Shirt Club subscriptions) to support Rockford Fire Department programs including peer support, safety training, and firefighter wellness initiatives.
- Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Charitable FoundationcoreNovember 2025 campaign supporting firefighters through donations from product sales. Funding directed toward safety training, wellness initiatives, and assistance for firefighters and their families in Wisconsin.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fire Department Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Black Rifle Coffee Company: Veteran-founded DTC coffee company with strong mission-driven branding, subscription clubs, wholesale, and a similar community-led GTM motion targeting military, veterans, and first responders. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping founder DNA, customer base, and product mix.
- Trade Coffee: Subscription coffee marketplace offering curated roasts from multiple specialty roasters. Comparable in subscription model and curated/specialty coffee positioning, though it operates as a marketplace rather than a roaster.
- Driftaway Coffee: Subscription-focused specialty coffee roaster with curated single-origin experiences. Comparable in subscription-first GTM motion and single-origin product positioning.
- Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with a sustainability and education focus, offering subscription programs and wholesale. Comparable in single-origin/specialty positioning and DTC-plus-wholesale GTM.
- Death Wish Coffee: DTC specialty coffee brand built around bold, strong positioning with subscription offerings and broad roast/pod coverage. Comparable in DTC-first subscription model, roast variety, and format breadth (whole bean, ground, pods).
- Angel's Cup: Coffee subscription service offering curated blind-tasting experiences and limited-edition roasts. Comparable in subscription model and discovery-oriented coffee positioning.
- Bones Coffee Company: Themed DTC coffee roaster offering flavored coffees, subscriptions, and bundles with a strong direct-to-consumer e-commerce presence. Comparable in flavored/specialty coffee subscription model and gift bundle strategy.
- Volcanica Coffee: Specialty DTC coffee retailer focused on single-origin and premium coffees with subscription offerings. Comparable in DTC-first specialty coffee model and single-origin positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Established specialty coffee roaster with broad wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels. Comparable as a multi-format specialty roaster, though substantially larger and owned by a major incumbent (Peet's).
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium specialty coffee company with subscription service, retail cafes, and broad distribution. Comparable in single-origin and subscription offerings, though significantly larger and backed by a major strategic (Nestlé).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fire Department Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceFire Department Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fire Department Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Fire Department Coffee subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Fire Department Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fire Department 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 Fire Department Coffee
What does Fire Department Coffee do?
Fire Department Coffee is a veteran- and firefighter-founded coffee roaster that procures, roasts, and retails specialty coffee beans and coffee-based products under its own brand. Its flagship offering is a proprietary spirit-infused coffee line, complemented by whole bean, ground, single-serve pods, instant coffee, branded merchandise, gift bundles, and recurring subscription clubs. Proceeds from select products and clubs support a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation for sick and injured firefighters.
Is Fire Department Coffee a public or private company?
Fire Department Coffee is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Fire Department Coffee founded?
Fire Department Coffee was founded in 2016. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Fire Department Coffee based?
Fire Department Coffee is headquartered in Rockford, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fire Department Coffee make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Revenue is the primary driver. The others are direct Product Sales and wholesale/Bulk Sales.
Who are Fire Department Coffee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Black Rifle Coffee Company, Trade Coffee, Driftaway Coffee, Counter Culture Coffee, Death Wish Coffee, Angel's Cup, Bones Coffee Company and Volcanica Coffee. Broad incumbents are Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Blue Bottle Coffee.
Does Fire Department Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fire Department Coffee.
What industry is Fire Department Coffee in?
Fire Department Coffee's product category is Specialty Coffee Roasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.