Larry's Coffee
Larry's Coffee is a Raleigh, NC-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1994 that small-batch roasts 100% Organic, Fair Trade, and Shade-Grown beans sourced from 16 countries, selling through DTC e-commerce, a Raleigh storefront, 2,000+ retail partners, and a subscription program serving coffee enthusiasts and B2B wholesale buyers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersRaleigh, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Larry's Coffee does
Larry's Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster founded in 1994 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, operating a small-batch roastery housed in three buildings with solar water-heated floors, rainwater-driven restrooms, and passive-solar design. The company sources 100% USDA Organic, Fair Trade, and Shade-Grown beans from small-farm cooperatives across 16 countries through Cooperative Coffees, a founding-member direct-trade cooperative, and decaffeinates via DESCAMEX's chemical-free Mountain Water Process. Each roasting batch is capped at 100 lbs to ensure per-bean attention, and production runs fresh Monday through Friday.
The product portfolio spans single-origin coffees (Bolivia, Ethiopia, Sumatra), signature blends (Cowboy Blend, #17 Secret Espresso, Larry's House Blend, El Salvador Dali, Mightier Mocha Java), decaf variants (Decaf Twilight, Sammy Decaf Jr, Magic City Decaf, Decaf Espresso #9), seasonal SKUs (Day Tripper, Woodstock), and a For-a-Cause line (Bad Kitty, Appalachian Journey, Happy Otters, Swimming w/ Sharks, Blue Ridge, Smoky Mountain) tied to nonprofit donations. Formats include 12oz bags, 2lb and 5lb bags, recyclable K-Cups in four roast options, and Cold Brew Concentrate.
Larry's Coffee generates revenue through four primary streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce on larryscoffee.com, a Raleigh retail storefront, a wholesale channel serving 2,000+ retail partners across the United States, and a Subscribe & Save subscription program offering 15% recurring discounts and free shipping over $100. Ancillary revenue comes from bundles (10-17% off), gift cards ($25-$300), prepaid gift subscriptions ($70), and branded merchandise including MIIR travel mugs and t-shirts. The customer base is split between individual specialty coffee enthusiasts and B2B wholesale accounts, with the value proposition centered on ethical sourcing, B-Corp certification, and small-batch freshness.
Larry's Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Larry's Coffee
- Legal name
- Larry's Coffee
- Website
- https://larryscoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Larry's Coffee is a Raleigh, NC-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1994 that small-batch roasts 100% Organic, Fair Trade, and Shade-Grown beans sourced from 16 countries, selling through DTC e-commerce, a Raleigh storefront, 2,000+ retail partners, and a subscription program serving coffee enthusiasts and B2B wholesale buyers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Larry's Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Roasting
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC), RTD Coffee Production (Non-Dairy/Non-Alcoholic) (AFAFABAE)
Keywords
Where Larry's Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Raleigh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Larry's Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Coffee Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of roasted coffee beans, K-Cups, and cold brew concentrate through the company's e-commerce platform and retail storefront. Products include various roast levels (light, medium, dark), single origins, blends, and decaf options.
- Coffee Subscription: Recurring subscription model offering 15% discount on all orders, free shipping on orders $100+, flexible delivery schedules (every 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 weeks), with subscriber-only perks and surprises.
- Wholesale: B2B sales to 2000+ retail partners including cafes, restaurants, and grocery stores across the United States.
- Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including travel mugs ($24), t-shirts ($23.50-$25), and gift cards ($25+).
- Bundles: Pre-configured and customizable coffee bundles offering 10-17% discounts on multiple 12oz bags or 4oz sample packs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard 12oz Coffee Bags |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Large Format Coffee (2lb and 5lb) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription (15% Off) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bundle Discounts (10-17% Off) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | K-Cups (4-pack) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cold Brew Concentrate |
| Other | One time | Gift Cards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Larry's Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Larry's Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster that sources 100% Organic, Fair Trade, and Shade-Grown green coffee from small-farm cooperatives across 16 countries, roasting it in small batches (no larger than 100lbs) at its Raleigh, NC facility. The company sells roasted whole bean coffee, single-serve K-Cups, and cold brew concentrate directly to consumers via its e-commerce platform and Raleigh retail storefront, and distributes wholesale to 2000+ retail partners across the United States.
Product overview
Larry's Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster offering a diverse portfolio of small-batch roasted, organic, fair trade, and shade-grown coffee products. The core offering consists of single-origin coffees (Bolivia, Ethiopia, Sumatra), blended roasts (Cowboy Blend, #17 Secret Espresso, Larry's House Blend, El Salvador Dali, Mightier Mocha Java), and decaf options (Decaf Twilight, Sammy Decaf Jr, Magic City Decaf, Decaf Espresso #9). The company sells in multiple formats including 12oz bags, 2lb bags, 5lb bags, K-Cups, and cold brew concentrate. Additional offerings include subscription services (Subscribe & Save at 15% off), customizable bundles (Build Your Own Bundle, themed bundles by roast level), seasonal limited releases (Day Tripper, Woodstock Blend), cause-related coffees (Bad Kitty for Foundation of Hope, Appalachian Journey, Happy Otters, Swimming w/ Sharks), gift cards and gift subscriptions, and branded merchandise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cowboy Blend Medium roast blend combining Indonesian Sumatra and Nicaraguan coffees with bold, dark chocolate sweetness, rustic earthiness, and buttery smoothness. Most popular blend.
- #17 Secret Espresso Dark roast espresso blend from Nicaragua, Peru, and Honduras with rich, creamy notes of walnut, molasses, and melted chocolate with tangy acidity.
- Larry's House Blend Medium roast blend from Guatemala and Nicaragua featuring caramel and chocolate notes with hints of pepper and tobacco, soft acidity, and rich full body.
- El Salvador Dali Blend Medium roast blend of Central and South American coffees from Guatemala, Bolivia, and Mexico with caramel, brown sugar, rich chocolate, and vanilla notes.
- Mightier Mocha Java Dark roast interpretation of the classic Mocha Java blend pairing Ethiopian and Sumatran coffees with earthy spice, sweet berry acidity, and chocolate liquor finish.
- Bean Martin Dark roast blend with chocolate, blackberry, and walnut flavor notes.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30-day Happiness Guarantee policy ensures customer satisfaction or full refund/replacement
Companies that use Larry's Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Larry's Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Larry's Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cooperative CoffeescoreLarry's Coffee is a founding member of Cooperative Coffees, the only cooperative of independent roasters that import Fair Trade beans directly from farmers. This partnership establishes the 'gold standard of Fair Trade' with pre-financing and partner-level relationships with small-farm cooperatives across 16 countries.
- DESCAMEX (Mountain Water Process)coreDESCAMEX is a Mexico-based decaffeination facility using mountain water washing process. This chemical-free decaffeination method removes 99.9% of caffeine while maintaining organic certification integrity. This is nearly identical to Swiss Water Process but with reduced carbon footprint due to geographic proximity.
- Foundation of HopeminorThe Foundation of Hope is a North Carolina-based organization fighting mental illness through research funding and awareness. Larry's 'Bad Kitty' blend was crafted in 2010 for the foundation, with 10% of proceeds donated to support their mission.
- Small-Farm Cooperatives (Global)coreLarry's Coffee partners with small-farm cooperatives from 16 countries globally. Small farms (typically 2-5 acres) are supported through fair trade pricing, pre-financing, and long-term partnership relationships rather than transactional broker relationships.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Larry's Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Verve Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster with DTC e-commerce, wholesale, and cafe retail. Comparable farm-direct sourcing program and similar premium positioning targeting third-wave coffee enthusiasts.
- Equal Exchange: Worker-owned cooperative specializing in Fair Trade, organic coffee, tea, and chocolate. Directly comparable ethical-sourcing positioning and cooperative organizational structure with overlapping customer values around sustainability.
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Premium specialty coffee roaster with direct-trade sourcing, DTC e-commerce, wholesale distribution, and cafe presence. Operates at significantly larger scale but competes in the same premium organic/Fair Trade coffee category with similar customer base.
- La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster operating DTC e-commerce, wholesale to cafes and grocers, and a growing cafe chain. Comparable product breadth including draft latte RTD beverages and direct-trade sourcing model.
- Intelligentsia Coffee: Specialty third-wave coffee roaster known for pioneering direct-trade relationships with farmers. Similar emphasis on single-origin transparency, freshness, and education-driven marketing that targets the same high-end consumer.
- Kicking Horse Coffee: Canadian specialty coffee roaster focused on organic and Fair Trade certified coffees. Highly comparable sustainability positioning, product formats, and target consumer despite Canadian rather than US origin.
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium third-wave coffee roaster with DTC e-commerce, subscription, wholesale, and cafe retail. Strongly comparable product portfolio (single-origin, blends, decaf, ready-to-drink) and customer demographic despite larger scale and corporate backing.
- Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster headquartered in Durham, NC with a near-identical operating model: organic and Fair Trade certified, small-batch roasting, DTC e-commerce, wholesale to cafes and grocery, and education-driven marketing. Geographic and operational proximity makes it the closest comparable peer.
- Red Bay Coffee: Small-batch specialty coffee roaster in Oakland, CA with direct-trade farmer relationships, DTC e-commerce, and wholesale to local cafes. Similar scale and artisanal production model to Larry's Coffee.
Broad incumbents
- Peet's Coffee: Established specialty coffee brand (founded 1966) operating at much greater scale with broad retail grocery distribution, DTC subscription, and cafe presence. Represents the broader competitive landscape and potential exit comparable for specialty coffee brands.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Larry's Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceLarry's Coffee compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Larry's Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Larry's Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Larry's Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Larry'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 Larry's Coffee
What does Larry's Coffee do?
Larry's Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster that sources 100% Organic, Fair Trade, and Shade-Grown green coffee from small-farm cooperatives across 16 countries, roasting it in small batches (no larger than 100lbs) at its Raleigh, NC facility. The company sells roasted whole bean coffee, single-serve K-Cups, and cold brew concentrate directly to consumers via its e-commerce platform and Raleigh retail storefront, and distributes wholesale to 2000+ retail partners across the United States.
Is Larry's Coffee a public or private company?
Larry's Coffee is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Larry's Coffee founded?
Larry's Coffee was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Larry's Coffee based?
Larry's Coffee is headquartered in Raleigh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Larry's Coffee make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Coffee Sales are the primary driver. The others are coffee Subscription, wholesale, merchandise and bundles.
Who are Larry's Coffee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Verve Coffee Roasters, Equal Exchange, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, La Colombe Coffee Roasters, Intelligentsia Coffee, Kicking Horse Coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee, Counter Culture Coffee and Red Bay Coffee. Peet's Coffee is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Larry's Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Larry's Coffee.
What industry is Larry's Coffee in?
Larry's Coffee's product category is Specialty Coffee Roasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAHAG, Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean), with a secondary code of THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.