Kicking Horse Coffee

What Kicking Horse Coffee does

Kicking Horse Coffee Co. Ltd. is a Canadian specialty coffee roaster founded in 1996 in Invermere, British Columbia, and operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Italy's Lavazza Group since 2017. The company roasts 100% certified Fairtrade (FLOCERT) and Organic (ECOCERT, USDA Organic) Arabica coffee at a single facility in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, with green coffee warehoused in Vancouver and decaffeinated via the chemical-free Swiss Water Process. The product portfolio spans nine blends across light, medium, and dark roasts in whole-bean and ground formats, plus a Decaf SKU and a Cliff Hanger Espresso SKU, all sold as bagged coffee in 10oz, 2.2lb, and 1kg sizes.

Revenue is generated through three channels: (1) direct-to-consumer e-commerce on kickinghorsecoffee.com at $16.99-$43.99 USD per bag, (2) a Subscribe & Save subscription program offering 10-15% recurring discounts, and (3) physical retail distribution across 12+ US grocery chains (Natural Grocers, Fresh Thyme, The Fresh Market, Raley's, Lunds & Byerlys, Bristol Farms, King Soopers, Harris Teeter, Lazy Acres, Heinens, Fred Meyer, H-E-B), complemented by a flagship Kicking Horse Café at the Invermere roasting facility. The customer base is primarily health-conscious and ethically-minded consumer buyers in Canada and the US, with secondary foodservice/hospitality and retail-grocery partner segments. The company employed 136 people in Canada in 2024 and is led by CEO Cedric Malaga, with governance, ESG reporting, and supplier policies inherited from the Lavazza Group parent. The company's competitive position rests on dual Fairtrade/Organic certification, scale as the largest Fairtrade roaster in Canada, and a distinct brand identity anchored in Rocky Mountain heritage.

Name

Kicking Horse Coffee

Legal name

Kicking Horse Coffee Co. Ltd.

Website

https://kickinghorsecoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kicking Horse Coffee is a Canadian specialty coffee roaster (founded 1996, Invermere BC) that sells 100% certified Fairtrade and Organic Arabica coffee through D2C e-commerce with subscriptions, 12+ US grocery chains, and a flagship café, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Lavazza Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC), Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Organic fairtrade coffee
• Arabica coffee beans
• Coffee subscription service
• Decaffeinated coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Invermere

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Coffee Product Sales (E-commerce & Retail): One-time purchase of coffee bags in various sizes (10oz, 2.2lb) and formats (whole bean, ground). Products organized by roast (light, medium, dark), type (whole bean, ground), brew method (drip, French press, espresso, moka pot, cold brew, pour over), and specialty categories (decaf, best sellers). Prices range from ~$16.99 to $43.99 USD per bag.
2. Coffee Subscription Service: Subscription model offering recurring deliveries of selected blends. Subscribers save 10% on every order (15% off if ordering 4+ bags of the same 2.2lb blend or 6+ smaller sizes), plus free shipping on orders $75+. Customers can manage frequency, blends, and delivery address through their online account. Cancel or adjust anytime.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kicking Horse Coffee roasts and sells 100% certified organic and Fairtrade Arabica coffee under multiple named blends across light, medium, and dark roast profiles, available in whole bean and ground formats. The company sells direct-to-consumer via its own e-commerce website, operates a recurring coffee subscription service, distributes through US and Canadian grocery retail chains, and runs a flagship café at its Invermere, BC roasting facility. Decaffeinated coffee is produced using the chemical-free Swiss Water Process.

Product overview

Kicking Horse Coffee is a direct-to-consumer coffee company offering a portfolio of 9 distinct coffee blends available in whole bean and ground formats across light, medium, and dark roast profiles. All products are 100% certified Fairtrade and Organic Arabica beans sourced from South America, Central America, Africa, and Indonesia. The company operates a subscription service (Coffee Subscription) offering recurring deliveries with 10-15% savings. Products are sold direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and through retail partners across the USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 454 Horse Power Dark roast coffee blend sourced from Indonesia, featuring cacao nibs, peat, and hints of nutmeg with heavy body, sweet tobacco, and earthy finish with black licorice. Sold in whole bean and ground formats for individual consumers brewing at home.
• Grizzly Claw Dark roast coffee with rich dark chocolate notes, cacao nibs, brown sugar, and roasted hazelnut, sourced from mountain origins. Sold in whole bean and ground formats for individual home brewing.
• Kick Ass Dark roast signature blend combining smoky, sweet vanilla and dark chocolate flavors with chocolate malt, molasses, and licorice finish, sourced from Indonesia and Central & South America. Sold in whole bean and ground formats.
• Three Sisters Medium roast blend combining light, medium and dark roasts paying homage to the Three Sisters Rocky Mountains, featuring sweet dried fruit, toasted coconut, chocolate malt with well-rounded stone fruit and cocoa notes. Sold in whole bean and ground formats.
• Decaf Decaffeinated coffee processed using the Swiss Water Process, a chemical-free method removing 99.9% of caffeine, sourced from Central & South America with deep chocolate aroma and roasted hazelnut finish. Available in whole bean and ground formats; Kosher certified.
• Smart Ass Medium roast coffee recommended for espresso machines, with balanced flavor profile suitable for super-automatic espresso machines. Sold in whole bean and ground formats.
• Cliff Hanger Espresso Medium roast espresso blend specifically formulated for espresso machines, designed for optimal extraction and crema production. Available in larger 1KG format priced at $43.99 USD.
• Happy Camper Medium roast coffee with toasted marshmallow and chocolate malt notes, caramelized sugar, roasted nut and chocolate finish, designed for outdoor and home brewing. Available in whole bean and ground formats.
• Hola Light roast coffee providing a bright and lighter option for consumers seeking lower roast intensity. Sold in whole bean and ground formats.
• Coffee Subscription Service Recurring delivery subscription service offering 10-15% discount on all coffee bag orders, with free shipping on orders over $75 and flexible delivery frequency options. Subscribers can manage frequency, blends, and delivery address through an online account and cancel or adjust anytime.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.9% caffeine removed using Swiss Water Process (chemical-free), yielding only 0.08mg caffeine per decaf cup vs ~140mg in regular drip coffee.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• EcoVadisflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Kicking Horse Coffee began implementation on the EcoVadis sustainability rating platform in 2023. EcoVadis monitors supplier sustainability performance across environment, human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. The Lavazza Group adopted EcoVadis in 2020, and Kicking Horse joined in 2023. EcoVadis assigns scores based on questionnaires covering environment, working practices, human rights, and ethics.
• Lavazza Group (Luigi Lavazza S.p.A.)coreOthers · 1 January 2017Kicking Horse Coffee has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lavazza Group since 2017. Lavazza is an Italian coffee roasting company owned by the Lavazza family, headquartered in Turin, Italy. Kicking Horse Coffee maintains an entirely distinct supply chain from the Lavazza Group. As part of Lavazza Group, Kicking Horse Coffee is bound by Lavazza's global policies including Supplier Code of Conduct, Code of Ethics, and Whistleblower Policy, and contributes to Lavazza's annual Sustainability Report.
• Fairtrade (Fairtrade International / FLOCERT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Kicking Horse Coffee has been 100% certified Fairtrade since 1997. Certified by FLOCERT (independent auditor). Fairtrade sets a minimum price for coffee as a safety net for farmers and provides a Fairtrade Premium for community investment. Kicking Horse has contributed $35.8 million to farmer communities through Fairtrade and organic premiums since 2021. Fairtrade helps prevent and remediate child labour and forced labour in coffee supply chains.
• ECOCERTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECOCERT is the organic certification body that certifies Kicking Horse Coffee as 100% certified Organic. Certification is audited annually. ECOCERT ensures no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers are used in growing the coffee beans.
• Swiss Water ProcesscoreTechnology or IntegrationDecaf coffee is decaffeinated in Vancouver by Swiss Water Process — a chemical-free decaffeination method using only water, temperature, and time to remove 99.9% of caffeine. Swiss Water Process is used for both the Decaf and Half Ass blends.
• Certified Fairtrade & Organic Farming CooperativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeans sourced from certified Organic and Fairtrade farming cooperatives across multiple countries: Peru, Colombia, Sumatra, East Timor, Uganda, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras, and Ethiopia. Beans transported by sea to Vancouver, warehoused, then transported to Invermere for roasting. These cooperatives represent the foundational supply chain partners enabling Kicking Horse's ethical sourcing commitments.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bridgehead Coffee: Canadian Fairtrade specialty coffee roaster based in Ottawa selling through retail and foodservice channels. Closely comparable as a Canadian-headquartered Fairtrade coffee brand with retail and D2C distribution.
• Salt Spring Coffee: Canadian specialty coffee roaster emphasizing ethical sourcing and organic/Fairtrade certifications. Highly comparable in product positioning, Canadian origin, and ethical sourcing-led branding.
• Ethical Bean Coffee: Canadian 100% organic, Fairtrade-certified coffee roaster with D2C and retail distribution. Same dual organic + Fairtrade positioning and Canadian origin as Kicking Horse.
• Equal Exchange Coffee: US-based Fairtrade coffee co-operative and roaster specializing in ethically-sourced, organic-certified coffee for grocery and foodservice. Comparable in mission-driven, farmer-direct specialty coffee positioning.
• Balzac's Coffee Roasters: Canadian specialty coffee roaster with a network of company-owned cafés and grocery retail presence. Comparable in operating a roastery plus café and retail grocery channel model in Canada.
• Counter Culture Coffee: US specialty coffee roaster with strong sustainability, transparency and direct-trade credentials. Comparable as a craft coffee roaster with sustainability-led differentiation and D2C plus wholesale distribution.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster (owned by Peet's/LVMH-related ownership history) with strong D2C, café and wholesale presence in North America. Comparable as a craft specialty roaster with multi-channel premium positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Caribou Coffee: Established North American specialty coffee roaster and café chain (owned by Chinese private equity group). Comparable in offering packaged retail coffee with broad grocery presence plus café experience.
• Green Mountain Coffee Roasters / Keurig Dr Pepper: Largest single-serve coffee platform in North America and a major packaged-coffee competitor on US grocery shelves. Comparable as a US-grocery-dominant coffee brand and broader incumbent in Kicking Horse's core shelf category.

Others

• Lavazza: Italian family-owned global coffee roasting major and parent company of Kicking Horse Coffee since 2017. Comparable as a coffee roaster with overlapping products and indirectly as parent/owner rather than direct retail competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/kickinghorsecoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/KickingHorseCoffee
• Instagraminstagram.com/kickinghorsecoffee
• Xx.com/kcknghrsecoffee

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Kicking Horse Coffee