Dunn Brother's Coffee
Dunn Brothers Coffee is a Minneapolis-based specialty coffee franchisor founded in 1987, operating nearly 50 locally-owned shops across seven Upper Midwest states through daily in-store roasting, certified roasters, and a multi-channel distribution model spanning e-commerce, grocery, catering, and a rewards app.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Dunn Brother's Coffee does
Dunn Brothers Coffee is a Minneapolis-headquartered specialty coffee franchisor founded in 1987 by brothers Ed and Dan Dunn, operating under the legal entity Dunn Bros Coffee Franchising, Inc. The company's defining operational feature is daily in-store small-batch roasting at every location, executed by roasters trained through the proprietary Dunn Brothers Certified Roaster Program, with the stated guarantee that coffee is never more than five days old. The product portfolio spans freshly roasted coffee, handcrafted espresso and specialty beverages (including cold brew and seasonal limited-time offerings under the Infinite Black sub-brand), a made-to-order breakfast and lunch menu, and grocery-packaged beans and K-Cups.
The company monetizes primarily through a franchise model with an initial $30,000 fee, a 5% royalty, and a 3% national marketing fund contribution on franchisee sales, with total store-level investment ranging from $456,000 to $798,960. Distribution extends across nearly 50 franchised locations in seven Upper Midwest states (Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and others), direct-to-consumer e-commerce shipping, grocery retail through Kowalski's and Lunds Byerly's, catering via ezCater, and a mobile rewards app. Sourcing is anchored by Fair Trade USA, Rainforest Alliance, World Coffee Research, and Cafe Imports partnerships, including a Women Coffee Producers Collection launched in 2018. The central franchising entity is small (11–50 employees), privately held with no disclosed parent or institutional investor, and led by President Ben Anderson.
Dunn Brother's Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dunn Brother's Coffee
- Legal name
- Dunn Bros Coffee Franchising, Inc.
- Website
- https://dunnbrothers.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Dunn Brothers Coffee is a Minneapolis-based specialty coffee franchisor founded in 1987, operating nearly 50 locally-owned shops across seven Upper Midwest states through daily in-store roasting, certified roasters, and a multi-channel distribution model spanning e-commerce, grocery, catering, and a rewards app.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dunn Brother's Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Retail
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG), RTD Coffee Production (Non-Dairy/Non-Alcoholic) (AFAFABAE), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Dunn Brother's Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Dunn Brother's Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Franchise Fees: Initial franchise fee of $30,000 for new franchisees, plus ongoing royalty fees of 5% of sales and marketing fund contributions of 3% of sales.
- Retail Coffee Shop Sales: Revenue from company-owned and franchised coffee shop locations selling beverages, food, and merchandise directly to consumers.
- E-commerce and Retail Grocery: Sale of roasted coffee beans, K-Cups, and related products through the company's online shop and grocery retail partners including Kowalski's and Lunds Byerly's.
- Catering Services: Catering services for events and office locations through ezCater integration, providing coffee, beverages, and food for gatherings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One time | Franchise Initial Investment |
| Subscription | Monthly | Franchise Ongoing Fees |
| Freemium | Monthly | Loyalty Rewards Program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Dunn Brother's Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dunn Brothers Coffee is a specialty coffee retailer that roasts small batches of coffee in-store daily at each of its nearly 50 locations, ensuring beans are never more than 5 days old. Beyond handcrafted beverages and a build-your-own breakfast and lunch menu, the company sells packaged coffee at grocery retail, ships beans through e-commerce, provides catering via ezCater, runs a mobile rewards and order-ahead app, and licenses its operating model to franchisees across the Upper Midwest.
Product overview
Dunn Brothers Coffee operates as a Minneapolis-based specialty coffee chain founded in 1987, offering a unified portfolio centered on small-batch, in-store roasted coffee and handcrafted beverages. The core product line includes freshly roasted coffee (roasted daily, never more than 5 days old), specialty drinks (espresso, cold brew, nitro, teas, seasonal LTOs), and a breakfast/lunch food menu (build-your-own sandwiches, bakery items, soups, naan pizzas). The company extends its brand through a mobile rewards app (loyalty points, birthday drinks, exclusive offers), online ordering for delivery/pickup, catering services via EZCater, and retail grocery products (ground coffee, whole bean, K-Cups) sold at Kowalski's and Lunds Byerly's. Additionally, the company offers a franchise program for entrepreneurs to open new locations across the Upper Midwest.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Infinite Black: Cold brew coffee product line
Products and services
- Fresh Roasted Coffee (In-Store Roasted) Small-batch coffee roasted in-store every day at each location, ensuring coffee is never more than 5 days old. The foundational product of Dunn Brothers Coffee since founding in 1987, served via handcrafted beverages in-store and sold as whole bean, ground, and K-Cup products at grocery retail and through e-commerce.
- Coffee & Specialty Drinks Handcrafted beverages including espresso drinks, cold brew, nitro drinks, teas, frappes, and seasonal specialty drinks such as Espressotini, Butterfly Citrus Spritz, and Butterscotch Barrel Fizz, sold at Dunn Brothers Coffee shop locations for immediate consumption and mobile order-ahead.
- Breakfast & Lunch Menu Made-to-order breakfast sandwiches built on hand-cracked egg soufflé and cheese with choice of bread and protein, plus burritos, avocado toast, bakery items, sandwiches, naan pizzas, soups, and fresh-baked pastries served all day at Dunn Brothers Coffee locations.
- Dunn Brothers Rewards App Mobile loyalty application (iOS and Android) where customers earn 1 point per $1 spent, redeem 170 points for a free prepared beverage up to $8 value, receive a free birthday drink, and access exclusive member offers and order-ahead functionality.
- Online Ordering for Delivery and Pickup Digital order-ahead service for delivery and pickup, integrated through the Dunn Brothers Rewards mobile app and a third-party ordering platform (order.online), enabling customers to place orders in advance at participating locations.
- Catering Services (via ezCater) Catering for offices and events providing handcrafted Dunn Brothers drinks, fresh-baked pastries, and made-to-order food, coordinated through the ezCater platform.
- At-Grocery Coffee Products Pre-packaged roasted coffee products (Founder's Blend Light Roast, Classic Cafe Blend Medium Roast, Nightfall Blend Dark Roast, Brazil Whole Bean, Guatemala Whole Bean, and K-Cup pods) distributed through grocery retail partners Kowalski's and Lunds Byerly's in the Upper Midwest.
- Dunn Brothers Coffee Franchise Program Franchise program licensing the Dunn Brothers Coffee brand, operational systems, training (at Minneapolis headquarters), and ongoing support to entrepreneurs opening new shops; financial requirements include minimum $100,000 liquid assets, $500,000 net worth, $30,000 initial franchise fee, and total investment of $456,000-$798,960 per location, with ongoing 5% royalty and 3% marketing fund.
Companies that use Dunn Brother's Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Dunn Brother's Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Dunn Brother's Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cafe ImportscorePartnership with Cafe Imports to source coffee from women producers globally. Through the Women Coffee Producers Collection, women producers receive additional premiums per pound for their coffee, with no stipulations on how premiums are used—often applied to community projects like health-care access and education.
- Fair Trade USAcoreDunn Brothers Coffee partners with Fair Trade USA, one of the most respected certifiers of sustainably grown coffee. The company is committed to offering 100% certified or independently verified sustainably produced coffees.
- Rainforest AlliancecorePartnership with Rainforest Alliance for certification of sustainably grown coffee. The company verifies that farmers adhere to sustainable farming practices that protect the environment while producing quality coffees.
- World Coffee ResearchminorDunn Brothers has partnered with World Coffee Research (WCR), a collaborative R&D program of the global coffee industry committed to growing, protecting, and enhancing coffee supplies while improving livelihoods of producing families.
- CENFROCAFEminorCooperative of 220 small-scale farms from the Cajamarca region of Peru supporting 2,000 farmer members and their families with access to education, health care, and social services.
- ezCaterminorCatering partnership through ezCater for office and event coffee and food catering services.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Dunn Brother's Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Caribou Coffee: Minneapolis-founded specialty coffee chain operating company-owned and franchised stores across the Midwest and beyond. Highly comparable to Dunn Brothers given shared Upper Midwest heritage, craft positioning, and multi-channel retail presence.
- Dutch Bros Coffee: One of the largest U.S. franchise coffee chains with a similar focus on handcrafted specialty drinks, loyalty programs, and community-rooted positioning. Comparable as a franchise-driven growth story competing for the same consumer occasions.
- Biggby Coffee: Community-focused franchise coffee chain operating several hundred locations primarily in the Midwest. Comparable on franchise-led growth, neighborhood-store positioning, and emphasis on loyalty and local community engagement.
- Scooter's Coffee: Large and rapidly growing franchise coffee chain known for drive-thru specialty beverages. Directly comparable on franchise-led growth model, coffee-forward menu, and aggressive unit expansion strategy targeting similar suburban/community markets.
Others
- Kicking Horse Coffee: Premium specialty coffee roaster selling primarily through grocery and e-commerce rather than cafés. Comparable on craft, fair-trade certified coffee positioning and grocery-distribution strategy.
- Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster focused on direct-trade sourcing, training programs, and wholesale supply to cafés and foodservice. Comparable on specialty sourcing partnerships, roaster training ethos, and B2B/wholesale channels.
Broad incumbents
- Peet's Coffee: Established premium coffee roaster and café operator with cafés, grocery, and e-commerce distribution. Comparable on craft roasting heritage, multi-channel monetization, and premium positioning versus mass-market chains.
- Starbucks: Global coffee incumbent with the largest specialty coffee footprint and a licensed-store model that overlaps with Dunn Brothers' franchised approach. Comparable as the dominant competitive reference point in the U.S. specialty coffee category.
- The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: Specialty coffee and tea café chain with company-owned and franchised stores and a strong grocery product line. Comparable on specialty beverage menu, franchised unit model, and retail grocery distribution of branded coffee.
Emerging players
- Black Rifle Coffee Company: Veteran-founded premium coffee brand combining cafés, subscription, and grocery distribution. Comparable on specialty sourcing, multi-channel retail/grocery presence, and brand-led positioning versus legacy chains.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Dunn Brother's Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceDunn Brother's Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dunn Brother's Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Dunn Brother's Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dunn Brother's 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 Dunn Brother's Coffee
What does Dunn Brother's Coffee do?
Dunn Brothers Coffee is a specialty coffee retailer that roasts small batches of coffee in-store daily at each of its nearly 50 locations, ensuring beans are never more than 5 days old. Beyond handcrafted beverages and a build-your-own breakfast and lunch menu, the company sells packaged coffee at grocery retail, ships beans through e-commerce, provides catering via ezCater, runs a mobile rewards and order-ahead app, and licenses its operating model to franchisees across the Upper Midwest.
Is Dunn Brother's Coffee a public or private company?
Dunn Brother's Coffee is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Dunn Brother's Coffee founded?
Dunn Brother's Coffee was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dunn Brother's Coffee based?
Dunn Brother's Coffee is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dunn Brother's Coffee make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Franchise Fees are the primary driver. The others are retail Coffee Shop Sales, E-commerce and Retail Grocery and catering Services.
Who are Dunn Brother's Coffee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Caribou Coffee, Dutch Bros Coffee, Biggby Coffee and Scooter's Coffee. Others are Kicking Horse Coffee and Counter Culture Coffee. Broad incumbents are Peet's Coffee, Starbucks and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Black Rifle Coffee Company is listed as an emerging player.
Does Dunn Brother's Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dunn Brother's Coffee.
What industry is Dunn Brother's Coffee in?
Dunn Brother's Coffee's product category is Specialty Coffee Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAB, Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes, with a secondary code of THAFADAA, Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave). Its NAICS code is 31192 and its SIC code is 2080.