What Caffe Umbria does

Caffè Umbria Inc. is a Seattle-based, family-owned specialty coffee roaster that operates as a vertically integrated, multi-channel coffee business. The company roasts nine signature espresso blends plus a rotating Cupping Room Collection of single-origin coffees, using multi-origin Arabica blending (up to 15 varietals) refined over three generations of the Bizzarri family. Product formats span 12oz and 5lb whole-bean bags, espresso pods, compostable Nespresso-compatible capsules, K-Cups, soft pods, nitrogen-flushed portion packs, cold brew concentrate, canned cold brew, and Espresso Spritz RTD beverages, with companion offerings including Rishi teas and branded merchandise.

The company monetizes through three concurrent channels: (1) a B2B wholesale program supplying cafés, hotels, restaurants, offices, and grocers — including luxury hospitality accounts such as Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton and featured restaurant partners like Rose Mary Chicago — with customized programs, barista training, and private label capabilities; (2) eleven company-owned retail cafés across Seattle (4), Portland (3), Chicago (2), and Miami Beach (1) serving espresso drinks, pastries, panini, wine, and beer; and (3) direct-to-consumer e-commerce with a ReCharge-powered subscription service offering a 10% discount on automatic delivery. Pricing on 12oz retail bags ranges from $17 to $20, with 5lb bags at $96–$114 and flat-rate shipping tiers for U.S. destinations. The business is privately held with no institutional ownership disclosed and is led by Master Roaster Emanuele Bizzarri alongside partners Jesse Sweeney and Pasquale Madeddu.

Name

Caffe Umbria

Legal name

Caffè Umbria Inc.

Website

https://caffeumbria.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Caffè Umbria is a third-generation, family-owned Seattle-based artisan coffee roaster selling wholesale to hospitality businesses (including Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton), operating 11 retail cafés across four U.S. cities, and running a direct-to-consumer e-commerce and subscription business.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Single-Serve Coffee (Pods, Capsules) (CRADAHAH), Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG)

Keywords

• Artisan coffee roasting
• Espresso blend wholesale
• Specialty coffee retail
• Cold brew beverages
• Coffee subscription service

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee Sales: Direct sales of whole bean coffee, ground coffee, and single-serve formats (pods, capsules, K-Cups) to individual consumers through e-commerce website
2. Wholesale Coffee Program: B2B sales of coffee products to hospitality businesses including cafes, hotels, restaurants, and offices. Includes customized coffee programs and private label options
3. Cafe Retail Locations: Revenue from company-owned retail cafe locations in Seattle, Portland, Chicago, and Miami Beach serving espresso drinks and food
4. Subscription Service: Recurring delivery of coffee products on weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedules with 10% subscription discount
5. Cold Brew RTD Products: Ready-to-drink cold brew coffee concentrate, canned cold brew, and Espresso Spritz products sold retail and wholesale

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Caffè Umbria is a third-generation, family-owned artisan coffee roaster that sources, blends, and roasts premium Arabica coffee into signature Italian-style espresso blends. The company sells whole bean, ground, pod, capsule, and ready-to-drink cold brew coffee products through its own e-commerce store, company-operated retail cafés, and a wholesale program serving hospitality businesses across North America.

Product overview

Caffè Umbria is a third-generation family-owned artisan coffee roaster based in Seattle, Washington, founded by the Bizzarri family whose roasting roots trace back to Perugia, Italy in the 1940s. The company's product portfolio centers on nine signature espresso/coffee blends (Bizzarri, Gusto Crema, Terra Sana, Arco Etrusco, Grifo, Mezzanotte Decaf, Leone Limited Edition, Naturale, and Buona Sera Decaf), sold in multiple formats including 12oz and 5lb whole bean/ground bags, portion packs, espresso pods, compostable Nespresso capsules, and K-Cups. Beyond whole bean retail, the portfolio includes a ready-to-drink line (Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate, Canned Cold Brew, Espresso Spritz), the seasonal Cupping Room Collection of single-origin limited releases, and a curated selection of Rishi teas. Complementary offerings include branded merchandise (Miir travel tumblers, coffee canisters, Bialetti moka pots) and gift sets (sampler boxes, mug sets, tumbler bundles). Caffè Umbria operates a wholesale program serving the hospitality sector (cafés, hotels, restaurants, offices) with customized coffee programs, barista training, and private label options, and maintains 11 retail café locations across Seattle, Portland, Chicago, and Miami Beach. A subscription service powered by ReCharge offers recurring deliveries with a 10% discount across all products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cupping Room Collection: Seasonal single-origin coffees with unique flavor characteristics, sourced by the roasting team, available in limited supply.

Products and services

• Bizzarri Blend Signature medium-dark roast espresso blend crafted to pair with milk and cream, featuring notes of molasses, pecan, and banana. Sourced from Peru, El Salvador, and Uganda. A Golden Bean North America medal-winning coffee.
• Gusto Crema Blend Classic medium roast Italian espresso blend defined by a creamy body and delightful sweetness with milk chocolate and dried fig notes. Sourced from Brazil, Colombia, and Guatemala. Featured espresso at Caffè Umbria cafés.
• Terra Sana Blend Organic and Fair Trade certified medium roast blend sourced from smallholder cooperative farmers in Peru, Mexico, and East Timor, balancing crisp apple-like acidity with deeper cocoa notes.
• Arco Etrusco Blend Darkest blend in the Caffè Umbria lineup, dark roast with cane sugar sweetness, fudge-like body, low acidity, and a persistent roasty aftertaste. Sourced from Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.
• Grifo Blend Medium roast anniversary blend created by Master Roaster Emanuele Bizzarri, with seven origins melding to create a complex, intense coffee with notes of dried mango, currant, lychee, tea rose, and anise. Official coffee for the 2024 Coffee Fest Latte Art World Championship Open.
• Mezzanotte Blend Medium-dark roast decaffeinated blend with creamy body, low acidity, notes of milk chocolate and nut with hints of black tea. Sourced from Colombia and Costa Rica.
• Leone Blend Limited edition light roast espresso blend made primarily of washed Ethiopian and South American coffees, with notes of apricot, brown sugar, vanilla, and huckleberry. Sourced from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Ethiopia.
• Naturale Blend Medium-dark roast blend ethically sourced from sustainable farms in Mexico and South America, earthy with notes of stone fruit and lemon zest, roasted to bring out citrus sweetness.
• Buona Sera Blend Water-processed decaffeinated blend with medium body and notes of dark chocolate, roasted almonds, and vanilla, sourced from South and Central America.
• Cupping Room Collection Seasonal limited-supply single-origin coffees sourced by the roasting team, highlighting expertise in global sourcing, including Ethiopia Gedeb Reku Habtamu and Brazil Mantiqueira de Minas.
• Cold Brew Coffee (Canned) Convenient cold brew coffee in 12-count cases of 11.5-ounce cans. Smooth, full-bodied, and ready to drink.
• Espresso Spritz Refreshing Italian-style soda with a touch of espresso, lightly sweetened and carbonated, sold in 12-count cases of 11.5-ounce cans.
• Compostable Nespresso Compatible Capsules Home compostable capsules compatible with OriginalLine Nespresso machines, 100% bio-based. Available for Bizzarri Blend, Gusto Crema Blend, and Mezzanotte Decaf Blend in 10-count boxes or 200-count cases.
• Rishi Tea Individually wrapped tea sachets in 50-count boxes sourced and blended by Rishi Tea, including Chamomile, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Jade Cloud, Jasmine Green, Matcha Super Green, and Turmeric Ginger varieties.
• Wholesale Coffee Program Wholesale program for hospitality businesses (cafés, hotels, restaurants, offices, grocers) providing artisanal quality blends, cold brew RTD program, barista training and support, customized solutions, sustainability practices, and private label options.
• Retail Café Experience Full-service café experience across 11 locations in Seattle, Portland, Chicago, and Miami Beach. Offers espresso drinks, pastries, panini, gelato, wine, and beer.
• Coffee Subscription Service Subscribe-and-save program powered by ReCharge, offering 10% discount on regular deliveries. Customers choose frequency (weekly to every 4 weeks) and product across all coffee blends and formats.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered community, featured, event partner and product partnership.

• No Kid HungrycommunityOthers · 16 September 2024Charitable partnership during Negroni Week. $1 from every bag of Negroni Week Blend sold benefits No Kid Hungry campaign to end child hunger.
• Rose Mary ChicagofeaturedChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocated in the historic Fulton Market district of Chicago's West Loop neighborhood, Rose Mary is Chef/Owner Joe Flamm's debut restaurant inspired by his Italian heritage and Croatian cuisine. Features seasonal menu of rustic yet refined dishes.
• Imbibe Magazineevent partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of Negroni Week annual fundraising event celebrating the Negroni cocktail while raising money for charitable causes.
• Camparievent partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organizer of Negroni Week annual fundraising event with Imbibe Magazine.
• Rishi Teaproduct partnershipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCaffe Umbria offers Rishi Tea products including chamomile, earl grey, english breakfast, jade cloud, jasmine, matcha, and turmeric ginger varieties.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-born specialty coffee roaster with wholesale, DTC, cafes, and cold brew/can lines. Direct competitor to Caffè Umbria in North American specialty wholesale and RTD formats.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Premium specialty roaster with deep wholesale penetration in upscale cafes and hospitality. Closely comparable on multi-origin blending craft and direct-trade positioning.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty roaster with strong sustainability focus and wholesale training programs. Comparable on multi-origin espresso blend portfolio and barista education.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with multiple retail cafes, DTC e-commerce, and a major RTD draft latte line. Closest peer competing across wholesale, cafes, and RTD.
• Caffè Vita Coffee Roasting Co. Seattle-based Italian-style specialty roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC. Most direct local peer to Caffè Umbria on craft Italian espresso positioning and Pacific Northwest wholesale channel.

Broad incumbents

• Blue Bottle Coffee: Nestlé-owned specialty coffee brand with a much larger DTC subscription, cafe, and wholesale footprint. Overlaps on craft positioning, formats (capsules, RTD), and hospitality channel ambition.
• Lavazza: Italian heritage coffee giant spanning espresso beans, pods/capsules, RTD, and global foodservice. Comparable brand heritage (Italian espresso tradition) and overlapping category coverage.
• Illy Caffè: Italian heritage espresso brand with premium hotel/restaurant program, pods, and DTC. Directly comparable on Italian espresso tradition and luxury hospitality channel.

Regional players

• Espresso Vivace Roasteria: Seattle-based Italian-style espresso roaster famous for caffè cultura, with retail/roasteria. Comparable on craft Italian espresso focus; competes primarily in the Seattle market.

Emerging players

• Chameleon Cold Brew: RTD cold brew specialist with bottled and canned lines in natural foods channel. Relevant as the bundled cold brew / canned format peer for Caffè Umbria's RTD products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/caffeumbria
• Facebookfacebook.com/CU.CaffeUmbria
• Instagraminstagram.com/caffeumbria
• Pinterestpinterest.com/caffeumbria

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 Caffe Umbria