What Airship Coffee does

Airship Coffee Co. is an independently owned specialty coffee roaster founded in 2010 by Mark and Amber Bray in Bentonville, Arkansas, tracing its origins to a 2008 green-coffee import from Central America. The company roasts single-origin and blended coffees using diverse processing methods (washed, natural, honey, anaerobic) sourced from farmer relationships across Central America, Africa, South America, and Asia, and supports the roasting operation with a dedicated Green Sourcing role added in October 2021.

The business is vertically integrated across four distribution channels: four company-operated cafes in Bentonville (5th Street roastery-cafe, Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, Pumphouse in a restored 1954 water station, and The Porch on the Walmart Campus); a Shopify-hosted direct-to-consumer e-commerce store selling beans, equipment, and merchandise; a recurring bean subscription with quiz-driven onboarding; and a B2B wholesale program supplying coffee shops, bakeries, and grocery stores with beans, cold brew concentrate, tea, and cleaning supplies. The product portfolio is organized by four flavor profiles (Fruity & Floral, Dark & Roasty, Sweet & Balanced, Herbs & Spice) and includes named heritage blends such as Black Apple Espresso and Buffalo Blend, plus the Airship Harvest Series sub-brand.

Airship monetizes through unit-priced retail bags ($11-$22 per 250g), recurring subscriptions, wholesale bulk pricing, and in-cafe beverage/food sales. The company also runs sustainability-led community programs — Leave the Keys (bike-based cafe visits), the Canister Club (reusable containers via Ozark Compost & Swap), and CSA pickups — that double as marketing and retention mechanics. Cafe order-ahead is enabled through Square.site, the e-commerce site runs on Shopify, and the company operates with an estimated headcount of 51-100 employees under founder Mark Bray.

Name

Airship Coffee

Legal name

Airship Coffee Co.

Website

https://airshipcoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Airship Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster in Bentonville, Arkansas, operating four cafes, a national DTC e-commerce and subscription service, and a B2B wholesale program for coffee shops, bakeries, and grocery stores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale (AFAIAGAD), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Single origin coffee
• Coffee subscription service
• Wholesale coffee distribution
• Specialty coffee cafes

Headquarters

HQ city

Bentonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Coffee Sales: Online retail sales of roasted coffee beans in various sizes (250g, 750g, 2kg), equipment, and merchandise through the Shopify-hosted website. One-time purchase model.
2. Coffee Subscription Service: Recurring subscription model offering freshly roasted coffee delivered on a scheduled basis with benefits including early access to new brews and discounts. Customers can customize delivery frequency.
3. Wholesale/B2B Coffee Sales: Bulk sales to coffee shops, bakeries, grocery stores, and other businesses. Wholesale pricing available for approved members with dedicated product catalog including beans, cold brew concentrate, tea, and equipment cleaning supplies.
4. Cafe Retail: In-cafe beverage and food sales across four physical locations in Bentonville, Arkansas. Includes specialty drinks, grab-and-go food items, and retail merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Airship Coffee roasts and sells specialty coffee beans, including single-origin coffees from countries such as Ethiopia, Burundi, Sumatra, Peru, Colombia, and Kenya, plus signature blends (Buffalo Blend, Black Apple Espresso, Night Moves, Black Bear Blend) and Sugar Cane Decaf. Products are distributed through a Shopify e-commerce store, a recurring subscription service, an application-based wholesale program for businesses, and four physical cafés in Bentonville, Arkansas. The company also offers the Airship Harvest Series limited releases, tea, equipment, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

Airship Coffee is an independently owned specialty coffee roaster based in Bentonville, Arkansas, founded in 2010 by Mark and Amber Bray. The company operates as a vertically integrated specialty coffee business with four café locations (5th Street, Coler, Pumphouse, The Porch) and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform. The product portfolio centers on roasted specialty coffee beans sold in single-origin and blended formats, organized by four flavor profiles — Fruity & Floral, Dark & Roasty, Sweet & Balanced, and Herbs & Spice — with roast levels spanning Light, Medium, Medium Dark, and Dark. The core offering includes named single origins (Ethiopia Kochere, Burundi Bahire Washed, Sumatra Lake Toba Caldera, Peru Lima Norte, Colombia Sugar Cane Decaf) and signature blends (Black Bear Blend, Buffalo Blend, Night Moves, Black Apple Espresso, The Grape Vine Blend). Supporting product lines include a Subscription Service for recurring bean delivery, a Wholesale Program for B2B accounts, Cold Brew Concentrate (wholesale-only), a Merchandise line (canisters, mugs, tumblers), Equipment accessories (cleaners, filters), and a Tea Program. The company also operates an interactive Coffee Quiz to guide consumer product selection and subscription onboarding. E-commerce and café ordering are powered by Square.site.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Airship Harvest Series: Limited edition coffee collection featuring special harvest varieties.
• Buffalo Blend
• Black Apple Espresso

Products and services

• Single Origin Coffees (Retail) Bagged roasted coffee from named single origins such as Ethiopia Kochere, Burundi Bahire Washed, Sumatra Lake Toba Caldera, Peru Lima Norte, Ethiopia Molecha, and others — each labeled with origin, roast level, and processing method (Natural, Washed, Honey). Sold to home brewers and café visitors through e-commerce and cafés.
• Coffee Blends (Retail) Signature multi-origin blends such as Black Bear Blend, Buffalo Blend, and Night Moves, available in 250g, 750g, and 2kg formats for home brewing and café service. The blends combine different processing methods and origins to deliver defined flavor profiles.
• Black Apple Espresso Airship's flagship espresso blend, named after the Arkansas Black Apple variety discovered near Bentonville in the 1870s. Designed for espresso extraction at medium-dark roast and sold in 250g, 750g, and 2kg sizes for retail and wholesale buyers.
• Sugar Cane Decaf Decaffeinated Colombian coffee processed using the sugar cane method, with tasting notes of dark chocolate, molasses, and black cherry; sold in 250g and 2kg bags in the Sweet & Balanced flavor profile.
• Airship Harvest Series Limited-edition sub-brand of single-origin and blended coffees featuring special harvest varieties such as The Grape Vine Blend, sold as 250g or 2kg bags at premium pricing within the Sweet & Balanced profile.
• Coffee Subscription Service Recurring delivery program for freshly roasted single-origin or blended coffees with customizable delivery frequency, grind size (Whole Bean, Drip/Pour Over, French Press, Chemex, Percolator), and bag weight (250g or 2kg). Benefits include early access to new brews and an onboarding 'Help Me Choose' quiz.
• Wholesale Coffee Program Application-gated B2B program supplying bulk roasted coffee, espresso blends, cold brew concentrate, tea, and cleaning/maintenance supplies (Grindz, Rinza, Cafiza, filters) to coffee shops, bakeries, and grocery stores at wholesale pricing.
• Cold Brew Concentrate Concentrated cold brew coffee sold exclusively through the wholesale program in 1-gallon bag format at $52 per unit, intended for cafés, restaurants, and event venues.
• Tea Program (Wholesale) Wholesale tea catalog offered through the B2B program, including White Melon, Jasmine, Matcha, Herbal Revive, Lavender Earl Grey, Vanilla Black, Ancient Forest Yunnan, Organic Moroccan Mint, Chai, and Tea Sacs at wholesale prices.
• Airship Café Locations Four physical café locations in Bentonville, Arkansas — 5th Street (flagship/roastery home base since 2018), Coler (at the Coler Mountain Bike Preserve, foot/bike access only), Pumphouse (restored 1954 water-pumping building), and The Porch (Walmart Campus) — each with a distinct theme and full beverage plus baked-goods menu. All locations support order-ahead pickup via Square.site.
• Airship Branded Merchandise Branded merchandise line sold through the online shop, including the Airscape Coffee Canister with patented freshness lid, Jetpack Miir Camp Mugs, and Onward & Upward Miir Tumblers.
• Coffee Equipment & Cleaning Supplies Home brewing equipment and café maintenance supplies sold via the online shop and wholesale catalog, including Grindz grinder cleaner, Rinza milk cleaner (32 oz), Cafiza espresso and coffee cleaner, and Large and Medium Fetco coffee filters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Listed as one of National Geographic's 'Most Remote Coffee Shops' for Coler Mountain Bike Preserve location

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EverGraincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with EverGrain to offer barleymilk as a sustainable milk alternative. EverGrain developed Upcycled Certified solution for spent barley grain from beer brewing. Barleymilk is upcycled, sustainable, plant-based with protein and fiber. Airship features the Barley Milk Latte and exclusive use of this alternative at their cafes.
• Crop to CupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrading partner for sourcing specialty coffees, specifically mentioned for Kenya Nyeri coffee. Crop to Cup helps connect Airship with international coffee sourcing opportunities and farmer relationships.
• Ozark Compost & SwapminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerComposting program partner. Ozark Compost & Swap provides bins, guidelines, and doorstep pickup of compost. Canister club members receive canister refills delivered to their doorstep through this partnership.
• Cobblestone FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Supported Agriculture (CSA) partner. Airship serves as a pickup location for Cobblestone Farms CSA, supporting local farmers and addressing food insecurity.
• The Food ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSA partner and pickup location. Partners with agencies to address food insecurity in Northwest Arkansas and develop sustainable food programs.
• People For BikesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNon-profit partnership for the Leave the Keys bike incentive program. Uses People For Bikes' Ride Spot app to track bike rides to cafes for the reward program (5 rides = free drip coffee, 10 = free latte, 15 = free pastry + coffee).
• Trade CoffeeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMentioned in Night Moves product launch as requesting a darker roast option. Trade Coffee is a subscription service that connects roasters with customers and identified market gap for quality dark roasts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Onyx Coffee Lab: Arkansas-rooted specialty roaster and café operator with a comparable multi-channel model (specialty roasting, subscription, café locations) and similar focus on direct trade and competition-grade sourcing — making it the most directly comparable peer to Airship.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Specialty roaster known for direct trade and education-led branding, with cafés and wholesale distribution — highly comparable to Airship on philosophy and go-to-market.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with deep expertise in processing methods, transparency in sourcing, and a strong educational/wholesale program — directly comparable to Airship on craft roasting and farmer relationships.
• Colectivo Coffee: Mid-size specialty roaster combining roasting, cafés, and wholesale with strong community engagement — comparable to Airship in size, channel mix, and mission-driven positioning.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster operating its own cafés alongside DTC and subscription, with a strong sustainability and origin-story narrative similar to Airship's.

Broad incumbents

• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Multi-channel specialty roaster with cafés, wholesale, DTC, and a strong ready-to-drink (RTD) line — a relevant scale benchmark for Airship's cold brew concentrate and canned extension ambitions.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Large, established specialty roaster with café, wholesale, and DTC operations and a comparable emphasis on single-origin storytelling — a relevant incumbent benchmark for Airship's ambitions.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Large specialty roaster (Nestlé-owned) with cafés, subscription, and packaged retail — represents the scaled specialist Airship is competing against at the premium end.

Emerging players

• Trade Coffee: Subscription marketplace that connects roasters with customers and partners directly with Airship — comparable as both a competitor and a distribution channel for the company's beans.
• Drift Coffee: Smaller specialty roaster with cafés and DTC focused on craft coffee and subscription — a relevant emerging comparable for Airship's growth-stage trajectory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/airshipcoffee
• Instagraminstagram.com/airshipcoffee
• Xx.com/airshipcoffee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Airship Coffee