Refuge Coffee Co.
Refuge Coffee Co. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating coffee shops and mobile catering in metro Atlanta as a paid, 12-14 month job training platform for resettled refugees and immigrants, serving community members, event clients, and a recurring donor base.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersClarkston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Refuge Coffee Co. does
Refuge Coffee Co. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 by Kitti Murray in Clarkston, Georgia, that operates coffee retail and catering as a platform for a refugee and immigrant job training program. The organization employs 10-15 trainees annually in paid, full-time positions for a 12-14 month curriculum that includes barista instruction (credentialed through the Specialty Coffee Association), hospitality training, ServSafe food safety certification, ESOL/GED support, and job placement assistance; since inception, 55 baristas from 18 countries have been trained and more than 70% of full-time staff are resettled refugees or immigrants, including graduates who have advanced into management roles. The core technology is straightforward specialty coffee operations: roasting and beverage preparation, a mobile espresso cart/truck catering fleet, and a multi-location retail platform with online ordering via Toasttab.
The business operates through four metro Atlanta retail locations (Clarkston, Midtown at the Woodruff Arts Center, Norcross, and an upcoming Decatur site at Lulah Hills), a mobile catering business serving corporate events, film sets, weddings, and festivals across Dekalb, Fulton, Cobb, and Gwinnett counties, event space rental ($125/hour at the Clarkston flagship), merchandise sales through an online shop, and a recurring donor program (Cortado Club). Revenue is a hybrid of transactional retail and catering fees, recurring donations, foundation grants, and event sponsorships; the organization states it invests over $1 million directly into the training program each year.
Customer segments include newly arrived refugees and immigrants receiving training (primary), local metro Atlanta community members seeking specialty coffee in a welcoming space (secondary), and event organizers and corporate clients (including Atlanta Film Studios and Woodruff Arts Center visitors) using the catering and event space offerings. Marketing centers on storytelling through a Weekly Pour email newsletter, organic social media, signature events such as the annual Refuge Coffee Run, chai-making workshops, and earned media including a 2026 feature on The Kelly Clarkson Show.
Refuge Coffee Co. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Refuge Coffee Co.
- Legal name
- Refuge Coffee Co.
- Website
- https://refugecoffeeco.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Refuge Coffee Co. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating coffee shops and mobile catering in metro Atlanta as a paid, 12-14 month job training platform for resettled refugees and immigrants, serving community members, event clients, and a recurring donor base.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Refuge Coffee Co. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Shop & Coffee Services
- NAICS
- Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Independent Neighborhood Cafes (THAFADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG), Coffee Shops, Cafés & Beverage Programs (EDALADAG), Specialty Coffee Adjacent Beverage Bars (Chai, Cacao, Alternative Lattes) (THAFAKAH)
Keywords
Where Refuge Coffee Co. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clarkston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Refuge Coffee Co. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Retail Coffee Sales: Revenue from coffee and specialty beverage sales at three retail locations (Clarkston, Midtown, Norcross) plus online ordering through Toasttab platform
- Event Catering: Mobile espresso cart and coffee catering services for corporate events, film sets, weddings, parties, and festivals throughout metro Atlanta. Options include full trailer, espresso cart, or beverage-only delivery.
- Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from individuals (one-time and monthly Cortado Club members), corporate sponsors for events, and grants from foundations supporting refugee resettlement and workforce development
- Event Space Rental: Clarkston location available for private event rental including birthday parties, weddings, community events, meetings, and photo/film shoots during non-operating hours
- Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling Refuge Coffee branded merchandise including shirts and hats
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Event Space Rental - Clarkston |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Full Coffee Service Catering |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sound System Rental |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Chai-Making Workshop |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Refuge Coffee Co. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Refuge Coffee Co. operates specialty coffee shops in the metro Atlanta area (Clarkston, Midtown at Woodruff Arts Center, and Norcross), offers mobile coffee catering for corporate and private events, and runs an event space rental business. The company is structured as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses coffee sales as a platform to fund and deliver a paid 12-14 month barista job training program for newly arrived refugees.
Product overview
Refuge Coffee Co. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit coffee company that operates a network of coffee shops and mobile catering services in the Atlanta metro area. The company offers four physical locations (Clarkston, Midtown, Norcross, and an upcoming Decatur location), mobile espresso catering for events, and an online merchandise shop. At its core, the organization uses coffee shops and catering operations as a platform for a comprehensive job training program that employs 10-15 refugee and immigrant trainees annually, providing paid full-time positions with barista training, hospitality instruction, food safety certification, and workforce development. Additional offerings include event space rental, chai-making workshops, and the annual Refuge Coffee Run fundraiser.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 55 baristas trained from 18 countries since 2015
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Refuge Coffee Co.
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Refuge Coffee Co. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Refuge Coffee Co. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Refuge Coffee Run Sponsorscore40+ corporate sponsors for annual 5K/1K/Color Run event including Canvas Planning Group, Boosterthon, Taqueria del Sol, PNC Bank, City of Clarkston, Greater Atlanta Family Healthcare, See Spark Go, Georgia State University, and many others providing financial and marketing support.
- Community Sponsorship HubcoreOrganization with permission to bring Afghan SIV refugees to the US through sponsor circles. Refuge Coffee is helping establish sponsor circles in Georgia, with trainees participating as vital members of sponsor groups.
- Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies (CRSA)coreGeorgia-based coalition of refugee service organizations. Refuge co-hosts World Refugee Day celebration with CRSA at the Eritrean-American Community Center in Stone Mountain.
- The Woodruff Arts CentercorePremier Atlanta arts complex housing Alliance Theater, Atlanta Symphony, and High Museum. Hosts the Refuge Midtown coffee shop location, sharing a vision of welcoming everyone to spaces of art and culture.
- Specialty Coffee AssociationcoreProfessional association providing barista training curriculum and certification. Refuge Coffee provides professional barista instruction in partnership with SCA.
- City of ClarkstonminorMunicipal government of Clarkston, described as 'the most diverse square mile in the country.' Mayor Ted Terry actively supports and promotes Refuge Coffee as an example of community welcome.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Refuge Coffee Co. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Higher Grounds Coffee: Mission-driven coffee company focused on refugee and community impact, with similar nonprofit-adjacent model combining specialty coffee sales with employment programs for vulnerable populations.
- Pura Vida Coffee & Tea: Specialty coffee roaster and café operator with a social-impact ethos including refugee and immigrant employment, comparable to Refuge's blend of mission-driven training and retail operations.
- Café Momentum: Nonprofit restaurant and training program providing paid culinary and hospitality training to at-risk youth — directly analogous to Refuge's model of using a foodservice operation as a paid job-training classroom.
- Bean North Coffee Roasting: Specialty coffee roaster and café operator with strong community and social-enterprise positioning, comparable to Refuge in combining craft coffee with community impact programs.
- Just Coffee Cooperative: Worker-owned specialty coffee roaster with a mission-driven cooperative structure, comparable to Refuge in its values-led operating model and direct-to-consumer specialty coffee business.
- The Coffee Oasis: Nonprofit coffee company operating cafés whose profits fund youth services and employment programs — analogous to Refuge's nonprofit coffee shop funding refugee training programs.
Regional players
- Octane Coffee: Established Atlanta-based specialty coffee shop and roaster with multiple locations across the metro — competes for the same specialty coffee customer base in metro Atlanta where Refuge operates.
- West Egg Cafe: Atlanta-based community café and brunch operator with a strong neighborhood-gathering-space identity comparable to Refuge's community-anchored positioning.
- Condesa Coffee: Atlanta specialty coffee shop with a focus on hospitality and community, competing in the same metro Atlanta market as Refuge's coffee shops.
Broad incumbents
- Starbucks: Global coffee chain with established refugee hiring initiatives and the Starbucks Foundation's community grant programs; broader incumbent that overlaps with Refuge on specialty coffee retail, catering, and refugee employment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Refuge Coffee Co. social profiles
Digital presenceRefuge Coffee Co. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Refuge Coffee Co. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Refuge Coffee Co. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Refuge Coffee Co. 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 Refuge Coffee Co.
What does Refuge Coffee Co. do?
Refuge Coffee Co. operates specialty coffee shops in the metro Atlanta area (Clarkston, Midtown at Woodruff Arts Center, and Norcross), offers mobile coffee catering for corporate and private events, and runs an event space rental business. The company is structured as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses coffee sales as a platform to fund and deliver a paid 12-14 month barista job training program for newly arrived refugees.
Is Refuge Coffee Co. a public or private company?
Refuge Coffee Co. is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Refuge Coffee Co. founded?
Refuge Coffee Co. was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Refuge Coffee Co. based?
Refuge Coffee Co. is headquartered in Clarkston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Refuge Coffee Co. make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Coffee Sales are the primary driver. The others are event Catering, donations and Grants, event Space Rental and merchandise Sales.
Who are Refuge Coffee Co.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Higher Grounds Coffee, Pura Vida Coffee & Tea, Café Momentum, Bean North Coffee Roasting, Just Coffee Cooperative and The Coffee Oasis. Regional players are Octane Coffee, West Egg Cafe and Condesa Coffee. Starbucks is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Refuge Coffee Co. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Refuge Coffee Co..
What industry is Refuge Coffee Co. in?
Refuge Coffee Co.'s product category is Specialty Coffee Shop & Coffee Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAC, Independent Neighborhood Cafes, with a secondary code of THAFADAG, Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus). Its NAICS code is 722515 and its SIC code is 5810.