Cafe Imports
Cafe Imports is a Minneapolis-based independent importer of specialty green coffee, sourcing from 30+ origins and serving wholesale roasters worldwide through owned warehouses in the US, Australia, and Europe, with tools like the Coffee Rose sensory platform and C-market hedging support.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cafe Imports does
Cafe Imports is an independent specialty green coffee importer founded in 1993 by Andrew Miller and headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company sources, sells, and ships green coffee from more than 30 producing countries — including Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Sumatra — to coffee roasters globally through three owned or affiliated warehouses in Minneapolis, Australia, and Europe (with shipping from 7+ ports worldwide). Its product mix spans Spot, Afloat, and At-Origin coffees, plus tiered offerings (Microlots, Signature Coffees, Regional Coffees) and specialty programs such as Women Coffee Producers; sister brand La Bodega handles sub-bag quantities and subsidiary Oxcart Coffee operates as a Costa Rica-based exporter. Cafe Imports monetizes primarily through wholesale green coffee sales in full-bag units (59–70kg), supplemented by warehouse storage ('few pennies per pound/month' up to four months) and ancillary offerings. Risk management services include C-market navigation and USD/international currency hedging support, while a differentiator is the in-house sensory analysis team and proprietary tools including the Coffee Rose cupping platform, water activity analysis, and Ikawa sample roast profiling. The company holds B Corp certification, has been carbon neutral since 2008, and is organized through three legal entities — Cafe Imports Fulfillment LLC (Minnesota), Cafe Imports Australia Pty Ltd (Victoria), and Cafe Imports Europe CIE GmbH (Berlin) — with no external institutional investors disclosed.
Cafe Imports firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cafe Imports
- Legal name
- Cafe Imports
- Website
- https://cafeimports.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cafe Imports is a Minneapolis-based independent importer of specialty green coffee, sourcing from 30+ origins and serving wholesale roasters worldwide through owned warehouses in the US, Australia, and Europe, with tools like the Coffee Rose sensory platform and C-market hedging support.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cafe Imports industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Green Coffee Importing and Distribution
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale (AFAIAGAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Ethnic Beverages Wholesale (Specialty/Import) (AFAIAIAG)
Keywords
Where Cafe Imports is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Cafe Imports business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Green Coffee Sales: Direct sale of specialty green coffee beans to coffee roasters. Offerings include spot coffee, coffees afloat, and coffees at origin. Coffee is sold in full-bag quantities (59-70kg bags). Revenue generated through product sales with pricing based on origin, grade, certification, and volume.
- Warehouse Storage Services: Storage services for contracted coffee at approximately few pennies per month per pound. Lots can be stored for up to four months with periodic release at buyer convenience.
- Oxcart Coffee (Costa Rica): Cafe Imports' exporting company in Costa Rica manages and develops direct sourcing relationships with producers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Full-bag green coffee sales with no minimum order quantity |
| Subscription | Monthly | Warehouse storage for contracted coffee |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Cafe Imports product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cafe Imports is an independent importer and developer of specialty green coffees, sourcing coffee from 30+ origins globally and selling it wholesale to coffee roasters. The company operates warehouses in Minneapolis, Hamburg, London, and Australia, providing spot, afloat, and at-origin green coffee, plus logistics, sensory analysis, contracting, hedging, and warehousing services.
Product overview
Cafe Imports operates as an independent specialty green coffee importer with a multi-product portfolio. The core offering is green coffee importing across multiple origins (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, Rwanda, Sumatra, etc.), available as spot inventory, afloat shipments, or at-origin purchasing. Supporting services include Ed+U Academy for coffee education, professional Sensory Analysis services, and tools like Coffee Rose for cupping management. The product lineup includes specialty tiers such as Microlots, Signature Coffees, and Regional Coffees, alongside programs like Women Coffee Producers and Oxcart Coffee (Costa Rica origin program). A sister brand, La Bodega, serves roasters needing smaller quantities. Warehouses are maintained in Minneapolis (USA), Europe, and Australia to serve international customers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Green Coffee Importing Independent specialty green coffee importing service that sources from 30+ origins (Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Costa Rica, Rwanda, Sumatra, etc.) and sells full-bag quantities (59-70kg) to wholesale coffee roasters worldwide, with C-market navigation and hedging support.
- Microlots Premium, small-batch specialty coffees sourced from specific farms or producers, representing exceptional quality and unique flavor profiles, targeted at quality-focused specialty roasters.
- Signature Coffees Curated selection of distinguished specialty coffees representing exceptional quality and unique origin characteristics, selected by Cafe Imports' expert sourcing team.
- Regional Coffees Specialty coffees from specific geographic regions offering distinct terroir-driven flavor profiles characteristic of their growing area.
- Women Coffee Producers Program Specialty coffee sourcing program featuring coffees from women-led farming operations, often including gender equity price premiums to support women producers.
- Oxcart Coffee (Costa Rica Origin Program) Cafe Imports' exporting company in Costa Rica, focusing on direct trade relationships with Costa Rican producers and managing origin-level coffee development.
- La Bodega (Sister Brand) Sister brand offering smaller quantities of specialty coffee (50lb GrainPro-lined bags) shipped free via FedEx Ground for roasters needing smaller volumes than full bags.
- Sensory Analysis Services Professional coffee quality evaluation services including cupping, sample roasting, water activity testing, and scoring forms for green coffee assessment by trained sensory analysis professionals.
- Warehouse Storage Services Warehouse storage services for contracted coffee lots, available at approximately few pennies per month per pound, with storage up to four months and periodic release at buyer convenience.
- Origin Travel Programs Education-based trips to coffee-producing countries offering both 101-style educational experiences and personalized sourcing opportunities for coffee roasters throughout the year.
- Ed+U Academy (Coffee Education) Coffee education platform offering classes on origins, varieties, harvest, processes, sensory analysis, and roasting, delivered via the Thinkific platform for coffee professionals.
Quantifiable outcome
- Less than 0.1% bag damage rate
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cafe Imports
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cafe Imports technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Cafe Imports partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Asman GayominorTrusted local partner in Sumatra for disaster relief efforts following December 2025 floods and landslides. Working directly to fund recovery efforts in affected coffee-growing communities.
- GARMINDOminorLocal partner in Aceh, Sumatra for disaster relief efforts. Women's cooperative involved in coffee recovery and rebuilding efforts.
- EcobaristaminorProvides biodegradable and home-compostable sample bags for coffee samples. Certified B Corporation with globally recognized sustainability certifications.
- Grounded PackagingminorProvides biodegradable and home-compostable sample bags. Certified B Corporation providing sustainable packaging materials.
- COOPACcoreCooperative founded in 2001 by Emmanuel Rwakagara with ~110 farmers, now grown to 6 washing stations with 8,000+ members. Cafe Imports CEO Jason Long has been sourcing from COOPAC for approximately 15 years. Provides agronomic training, fertilizers, farm inputs, and community support.
- Tropic CoffeecoreOperates Cyato washing station in Rwanda's Karundura Valley (built 2017) and other facilities. Provides youth and women's social programs, processing experiments, and quality-focused coffee production.
- World Coffee Research (WCR)minorCafe Imports participates in WCR Check-Off Fund supporting coffee research and development initiatives.
- La BodegaminorSister small-bag company offering 50lb GrainPro-lined bags shipped via FedEx Ground for roasters needing smaller quantities than full bags.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cafe Imports competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bodhi Leaf Coffee Traders: Independent US green coffee importer focused on small-to-mid batch specialty roasters with strong direct trade positioning. Comparable in target customer and independence-driven value proposition.
- Royal Coffee: US-based independent green coffee importer serving specialty roasters with a broad origin portfolio, sensory analysis lab, and education programs. Closest direct comparable to Cafe Imports in model, customer base, and scale.
- Ally Coffee: Specialty green coffee importer with offices in the US, Europe, and origin countries, selling to mid-market specialty roasters with emphasis on traceability and direct relationships. Highly comparable in GTM and customer profile.
- Sweet Maria's: Independent green coffee seller focused on home and small-batch roasters, with strong education content and origin travel programs. Overlaps with Cafe Imports on sourcing model and education-driven customer engagement.
- Crop to Cup Coffee Importers: Specialty green coffee importer sourcing directly from cooperatives and farmers across Latin America and Africa for roasters. Comparable independent, relationship-led model serving similar specialty roaster customers.
- Nordic Approach: Norway-based specialty green coffee importer serving European roasters with emphasis on transparency, quality, and long-term producer relationships. Comparable in philosophy, customer segment, and origin-driven model.
Broad incumbents
- Sucafina: Global green coffee trading company with significant specialty and sustainable sourcing operations. Comparable in coffee category but with substantially greater scale, capital base, and integrated supply chain.
- Volcafe: One of the world's largest green coffee traders, part of ED&F Man, with extensive global origin network. Competes with Cafe Imports across the specialty/commercial boundary with vastly greater scale.
- InterAmerican Coffee: Larger, established green coffee trader serving a broad range of roasters including specialty accounts. Overlaps with Cafe Imports in specialty wholesale but operates at greater scale with broader portfolio.
Others
- La Bodega: Cafe Imports' wholly-owned sister brand offering smaller (50lb) green coffee quantities to roasters who don't need full bags. Included for ecosystem completeness rather than as an external competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cafe Imports social profiles
Digital presenceCafe Imports financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cafe Imports leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Cafe Imports subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Cafe Imports funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cafe Imports 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 Cafe Imports
What does Cafe Imports do?
Cafe Imports is an independent importer and developer of specialty green coffees, sourcing coffee from 30+ origins globally and selling it wholesale to coffee roasters. The company operates warehouses in Minneapolis, Hamburg, London, and Australia, providing spot, afloat, and at-origin green coffee, plus logistics, sensory analysis, contracting, hedging, and warehousing services.
Is Cafe Imports a public or private company?
Cafe Imports is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Cafe Imports founded?
Cafe Imports was founded in 1993. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cafe Imports based?
Cafe Imports is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cafe Imports make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Green Coffee Sales are the primary driver. The others are warehouse Storage Services and oxcart Coffee (Costa Rica).
Who are Cafe Imports's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bodhi Leaf Coffee Traders, Royal Coffee, Ally Coffee, Sweet Maria's, Crop to Cup Coffee Importers and Nordic Approach. Broad incumbents are Sucafina, Volcafe and InterAmerican Coffee. La Bodega is listed as an others.
Does Cafe Imports have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cafe Imports.
What industry is Cafe Imports in?
Cafe Imports's product category is Green Coffee Importing and Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIAGAD, Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale, with a secondary code of AFAIAIAG, Ethnic Beverages Wholesale (Specialty/Import). Its SIC code is 5140.