Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is a privately held, founder-owned specialty coffee roaster founded in 2011 by Trish Rothgeb in San Francisco, selling specialty-grade whole-bean coffee, subscriptions, and wholesale through a single Cow Hollow cafe, a Shopify e-commerce store, and food-service accounts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters does
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is a privately held specialty coffee roaster founded in 2011 by Trish Rothgeb in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company roasts specialty-grade green coffee (84+ points on the specialty scale) and sells whole-bean coffee through three channels: a Shopify e-commerce store shipping within the US, a single full-service retail cafe at 2271 Union Street in San Francisco's Cow Hollow neighborhood, and a wholesale program supplying restaurants, cafes, offices, and retailers. Its core product line includes five coffees — Pillow Fight Espresso (signature Brazil/Ethiopia/Colombia blend), Triple Double Blend, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 1 Banko, Guatemala Alma, and Decaf Pillow Fight — available in 12oz, 2lb, and 5lb sizes with one-time purchase or subscription options priced at $20-$24 per 12oz bag.
The company operates with a sourcing-led model: direct trade relationships with Onyx Coffee Importers (Guatemala) and the Banko Dhadhato Cooperative under YCFCU (Ethiopia), both Fair Trade and organic certified. The Guatemala Alma product embeds a social-impact component, donating $0.05 per raw pound to Habitat for Humanity Guatemala's Smokeless Stove Program. Founder Trish Rothgeb is credited with coining the term "third wave coffee," holds Q-Grader and Q Trainer credentials from the Coffee Quality Institute, and has served in leadership roles across SCAA, the Roasters Guild, the World Barista Championship, and the Barista Guild of America.
Wrecking Ball monetizes through retail cafe sales (espresso, brewed coffee, matcha lattes, teas), e-commerce whole-bean sales, recurring subscriptions ($20-$22/month, weekly to monthly cadence, USPS shipping included), wholesale accounts, and $25 gift cards sold via Square. It ships only to US addresses and has not raised external funding, making it a founder-owned and operated specialty coffee business with limited disclosed scale and a single physical retail location.
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters
- Legal name
- Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters
- Website
- https://wreckingballcoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is a privately held, founder-owned specialty coffee roaster founded in 2011 by Trish Rothgeb in San Francisco, selling specialty-grade whole-bean coffee, subscriptions, and wholesale through a single Cow Hollow cafe, a Shopify e-commerce store, and food-service accounts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Roasting
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)
Keywords
Where Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Whole Bean Coffee Sales: Direct sales of roasted whole bean coffee to consumers through e-commerce and retail cafe. Products available in 12oz, 2lb, and 5lb sizes with one-time purchase or subscribe-and-save options.
- Cafe Retail: Full-service coffee cafe offering espresso drinks, brewed coffee, matcha lattes, teas, and herbal tisanes at the Union Street location.
- Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring subscription service delivering 12oz bags of whole bean coffee weekly or monthly. Includes espresso, decaf, rotating, and specific coffee options. Ships within 24 hours of roasting with USPS shipping included in price.
- Gift Cards: e-Gift cards redeemable at the cafe, sold through Square.
- Wholesale: Wholesale accounts for food service businesses and retailers to purchase Wrecking Ball coffee products for resale.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pillow Fight Espresso - Signature espresso blend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Triple Double Blend - Versatile blend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 1 Banko - Single origin |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Despierta Blend - Southside Century |
| Subscription | Monthly | Coffee Subscriptions - Recurring delivery |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Cafe e-Gift Card |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster that sources, roasts, and sells whole-bean specialty-grade coffee (84+ points) to consumers. The company operates a full-service cafe in San Francisco's Cow Hollow neighborhood and sells its single-origin and blended coffees directly to consumers through an e-commerce platform, with subscription delivery options and a wholesale program for food service businesses.
Product overview
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roasting company offering a curated selection of whole-bean coffees through a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform. Their product portfolio centers on five core coffee offerings: Pillow Fight Espresso (their signature Brazilian/Ethiopian/Colombian blend), Triple Double Blend (a rotating two-to-three coffee blend with caramel and chocolate notes), Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 1 Banko (a single-origin light-medium roast from the Yirgacheffe region), Guatemala Alma (a sweet, chocolate-forward blend supporting Habitat for Humanity Guatemala), and Decaf Pillow Fight (a Mountain Water decaf process coffee). They complement their coffee lineup with gift cards redeemable at their San Francisco cafe, subscription services allowing weekly or monthly deliveries of whole-bean coffee, and gift subscription options for special occasions. The company operates as both an e-commerce retailer and a full-service cafe in San Francisco's Cow Hollow neighborhood.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pillow Fight Espresso
- Triple Double Blend
- Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 1 Banko
- Guatemala Alma
- Decaf Pillow Fight
- Despierta Blend
- Coffee Subscriptions
- Coffee Gift Subscriptions
- Cafe e-Gift Card
- Wholesale Coffee Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 84+ points specialty coffee consistently (Guatemala Alma scores above 84pts)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Onyx Coffee ImporterscoreOnyx Coffee Importers sources and supplies Guatemala coffee offerings. For three generations, Onyx has grown coffee in the highlands of Huehuetenango and expanded to partner with producing families, cooperatives, and associations across Guatemala. Their mission is connecting families and their coffees with roasters worldwide. Wrecking Ball partners with Onyx for all Guatemala offerings.
- Habitat for Humanity GuatemalaminorFor every raw pound of ALMA coffee sold, $0.05 goes directly to Habitat for Humanity Guatemala to support their Smokeless Stove Program. Wrecking Ball purchased 1085 lbs of ALMA in the current season. These clean stoves impact families by increasing indoor air quality, improving wood-fuel efficiency, and decreasing cooking time.
- Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU)coreBanko Dhadhato cooperative is part of YCFCU. This cooperative was founded in 2013 in the Worka area with 250 farmers from the Banko Dhadhato kebele, now grown to 755 farmer members representing over 500 hectares of coffee production. YCFCU is Fair Trade and organic certified.
- Banko Dhadhato CooperativecoreDirect sourcing partnership for Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 1 Banko coffee. The cooperative is located in the Gedeb district of Ethiopia's Gedeo zone, known for gifted processing climate and experienced growers. 755 farmer members representing approximately 500 hectares of coffee production.
- Coffee Quality Institute (CQI)coreTrish Rothgeb served as Director of Programs: Q and Educational Services at CQI from 2013-2016. CQI provides Q-Grader certification program that Trish is licensed to train and credential.
- SCAA Roasters GuildminorTrish Rothgeb served on the SCAA Roasters Guild Executive Council. The guild is a professional association within the specialty coffee industry.
- World Barista Championship / Barista Guild of AmericaminorTrish Rothgeb was a charter member of the World Barista Championship Board of Directors and a founding member of the Barista Guild of America.
- La MarzoccocoreEquipment support for the cafe providing commercial espresso machines. La Marzocco is a leading manufacturer of professional espresso equipment.
- MahlkönigcoreEquipment support for the cafe providing commercial coffee grinders. Mahlkönig is a leading manufacturer of professional coffee grinders.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Oakland-born specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator with direct-to-consumer e-commerce, subscriptions, wholesale, and multi-city cafe footprint. Most comparable to Wrecking Ball as a third-wave pioneer with a flagship San Francisco Bay Area presence, omnichannel model, and emphasis on freshly roasted specialty-grade coffee.
- Ritual Coffee Roasters: San Francisco Mission-based specialty coffee roaster operating roastery cafes and wholesale accounts. Closely comparable to Wrecking Ball on geography (SF Bay Area), third-wave positioning, cafe + wholesale + DTC omnichannel model, and emphasis on direct-trade sourcing.
- Sightglass Coffee: San Francisco specialty coffee roaster with a roastery cafe in SoMa and additional cafe locations, plus wholesale distribution. Highly comparable to Wrecking Ball as a Bay Area third-wave roaster with cafe, e-commerce, and wholesale channels targeting specialty-grade coffee enthusiasts.
- Equator Coffees: San Francisco Bay Area specialty coffee roaster operating cafes, wholesale, and DTC e-commerce with a strong direct-trade and social-impact program. Comparable to Wrecking Ball on geography, mission-driven sourcing, third-wave positioning, and omnichannel specialty coffee distribution.
- Verve Coffee Roasters: Santa Cruz-originated specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator with DTC e-commerce, subscriptions, and multi-location wholesale and retail. Comparable to Wrecking Ball on third-wave positioning, Northern California roots, omnichannel specialty coffee model, and direct-sourcing emphasis.
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-based specialty coffee roaster acquired by Peet's, operating cafes, wholesale, and DTC with subscriptions. Comparable to Wrecking Ball as a third-wave specialty roaster with subscription model, direct-trade sourcing narrative, and premium coffee positioning across cafes and e-commerce.
- Intelligentsia Coffee: Chicago-based specialty coffee roaster with direct-trade sourcing, cafes, wholesale, and DTC. Comparable to Wrecking Ball on third-wave heritage, direct-trade program, premium positioning, and presence in specialty wholesale and DTC channels.
- Counter Culture Coffee: Durham, NC-based specialty coffee roaster focused on sustainability, direct-trade sourcing, training programs, and wholesale/DTC distribution. Comparable to Wrecking Ball on third-wave positioning, direct-trade narrative, and education-led specialty coffee brand identity.
Others
- La Marzocco (commercial espresso equipment): Leading manufacturer of professional espresso machines that supplies equipment to Wrecking Ball's cafe. Listed as a comparable ecosystem participant and adjacent enabler rather than a direct competitor — relevant for understanding the cafe's infrastructure and supplier ecosystem.
Regional players
- Philz Coffee: San Francisco Bay Area specialty coffee chain with a large multi-location cafe footprint, custom-blend model, and DTC retail. Comparable to Wrecking Ball on Bay Area roots and cafe-led specialty positioning, but operates a much larger physical footprint and primarily competes in the cafe category rather than wholesale/subscription DTC.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters social profiles
Digital presenceWrecking Ball Coffee Roasters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters 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 Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters
What does Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters do?
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster that sources, roasts, and sells whole-bean specialty-grade coffee (84+ points) to consumers. The company operates a full-service cafe in San Francisco's Cow Hollow neighborhood and sells its single-origin and blended coffees directly to consumers through an e-commerce platform, with subscription delivery options and a wholesale program for food service businesses.
Is Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters a public or private company?
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters founded?
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters based?
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Whole Bean Coffee Sales are the primary driver. The others are cafe Retail, coffee Subscriptions, gift Cards and wholesale.
Who are Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Blue Bottle Coffee, Ritual Coffee Roasters, Sightglass Coffee, Equator Coffees, Verve Coffee Roasters, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Intelligentsia Coffee and Counter Culture Coffee. La Marzocco (commercial espresso equipment) is listed as an others. Philz Coffee is listed as a regional player.
Does Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters have an API?
No public API is recorded for Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters.
What industry is Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters in?
Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters's product category is Specialty Coffee Roasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFADAB, Coffee Roasting & Grinding, with a secondary code of THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes). Its NAICS code is 31192 and its SIC code is 2000.