Crema Coffee Roasters

What Crema Coffee Roasters does

Crema Coffee Roasters is a privately held, bootstrapped specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator headquartered at 15 Hermitage Ave in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 2007 by co-founders Rachel and Ben, the company began roasting after three years of operations and now runs three owned cafés across the Nashville metro — a Downtown flagship that doubles as an education and events lab, an East Nashville takeaway café co-located with the production roastery, and a 2024 Brentwood opening that introduced a broader savory food menu. Its core technology is a profile roasting methodology in which each coffee receives a unique roast profile tailored to bean density, size, moisture, and real-time roast behavior, supported by a Q Grader-certified Lead Roaster and Sugar Cane (Ethyl Acetate) decaffeination know-how.

The product portfolio centers on specialty coffee — single origins (Shimmer Ethiopia, Las Nubes El Salvador, Staycation Decaf) and the flagship Tres Banderas blend — supplemented by a 2024-launch freeze-dried instant line produced via partner Swift Cup. Commercial revenue is generated through a multi-channel model: in-cafe sales across three locations, a nationwide e-commerce storefront with a free-shipping threshold of $50, a flexible subscription program (Roaster's Choice, Single Origin, Tres Banderas, Staycation Decaf) that customers can pause, skip, or cancel, B2B wholesale to roughly fifty restaurant, café, bakery, and retail partners across at least ten U.S. states (logos include Husk Nashville, Henrietta Red, Bastion, 5th & Taylor, and Butcher and Bee), branded merchandise, brewing equipment retail, paid in-person coffee classes, and gift cards.

Operating geographies remain Nashville-centric for retail with national reach via e-commerce and wholesale; sustainability is a differentiating operational theme, with the company claiming zero-waste status (>90% landfill diversion) and carbon offsets through Cool Effect. Crema has received repeated recognition from Food & Wine (Best Coffee Roaster in Tennessee 2019 and 2022; 100 Best Coffee Shops in America 2022) and posted consecutive top-two finishes at the SCA Roasting Competition between 2012 and 2014.

Name

Crema Coffee Roasters

Legal name

Crema, Coffee Roasters, LLC

Website

https://crema-coffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Crema Coffee Roasters is a privately held, bootstrapped Nashville specialty coffee roaster and three-cafe operator serving direct consumers via e-commerce and subscriptions, wholesale restaurants and cafes across 10+ U.S. states, and in-person cafe customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), RTD Coffee Production (Non-Dairy/Non-Alcoholic) (AFAFABAE), Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Coffee subscription delivery
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Coffee cafe operations
• Coffee brewing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee Retail Sales: One-time purchases of whole bean and ground coffee in various sizes (12oz to 20lbs) with free shipping on orders $50+. Includes single origin coffees, blends, and seasonal offerings.
2. Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring subscription model with free shipping. Options include Roaster's Choice (rotating selection), Single Origin, Tres Banderas, and Staycation Decaf. Customers can pause, skip, or cancel anytime. Delivery frequencies: weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
3. Cafe Sales: In-person cafe sales at 3 Nashville-area locations serving coffee, espresso drinks, and full food menu at Brentwood location.
4. Instant Coffee: Freeze-dried instant coffee in single-serve packets (6 per box), including Tres Banderas, Staycation Decaf, and La Victoria varieties.
5. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including mugs, tumblers, apparel, candles, journals, and books.
6. Wholesale/B2B: B2B wholesale partnerships with restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and retail shops supplying coffee products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Crema Coffee Roasters is a zero-waste specialty coffee roaster that profile-roasts single-origin and blended coffees and sells them through its own cafe locations (Downtown Nashville, East Nashville, Brentwood), a nationwide e-commerce site with subscription delivery, and a B2B wholesale partner program for restaurants, cafes, and bakeries. The company also offers freeze-dried instant coffee (via Swift Cup partnership), branded merchandise, curated brewing equipment, and coffee education classes.

Product overview

Crema Coffee Roasters operates as a zero-waste specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain based in Nashville, TN. The product portfolio centers on specialty coffee products including single-origin coffees (Tres Banderas flagship blend, Shimmer Ethiopia, Staycation Decaf, Las Nubes El Salvador) and seasonal/limited offerings. The company offers subscription services (Roaster's Choice, Single Origin, Tres Banderas, Staycation Decaf) with free shipping and flexible management. A newer instant coffee line (Tres Banderas, Staycation Decaf, La Victoria Instant) launched in 2024 via Swift Cup partnership. The business also retails brewing equipment (Chemex, Hario V60, Aeropress, Kalita Wave, Baratza grinders) and branded merchandise (tumblers, mugs, apparel, journals). Educational services include in-person coffee classes and free brewing guides. Three Nashville-area cafe locations provide retail and foodservice operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tres Banderas Flagship three-origin coffee blend from Mexico, Brazil, and Ethiopia offering a balanced cup with chocolate, caramel, and stone fruit notes; available as whole bean or pre-ground for drip, pour over, and French press. Intended for individual home brewers and wholesale partners.
• Shimmer - Ethiopia Year-round single-origin Ethiopian coffee from the Guji Zone (Jigesa variety) with tasting notes of stone fruit, chocolate, and florals, sold whole bean or pre-ground.
• Staycation Decaf Decaffeinated Colombian coffee processed using the Sugar Cane (Ethyl Acetate) method with citrus, tropical fruit, and caramel tasting notes; available in whole bean and pre-ground options.
• Las Nubes - El Salvador Single-origin El Salvador coffee from the Menendez family farm featuring the heritage Bourbon variety, with tasting notes of tangerine, almond paste, and caramel.
• Roaster's Choice Subscription Recurring subscription delivering a rotating selection of fresh single-origin and seasonal blend coffees with flexible weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cadence, the ability to pause/skip/cancel anytime, and free shipping on all subscriptions.
• Single Origin Subscription Recurring coffee subscription delivering exclusively single-origin coffees on a rotating basis with free shipping and customizable weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly delivery frequency; pause, skip, or cancel anytime.
• Tres Banderas Instant Coffee Freeze-dried instant version of the Tres Banderas blend in 6 single-serve packets per box (priced at $19), produced in partnership with Swift Cup using freeze-dry technology with stone fruit, caramel, and milk chocolate notes, prepared by adding 10oz of liquid.
• Staycation Decaf Instant Coffee Decaffeinated instant coffee produced in partnership with Swift Cup using the Sugar Cane (Ethyl Acetate) decaffeination process, in 6 single-serve packets per box with tropical, citrus, and caramel tasting notes.
• La Victoria Instant Coffee Instant coffee from Huila, Colombia featuring double fermentation, in 6 single-serve packets per box, with tasting notes of white grape, florals, and caramel.
• Chemex Six Cup Glass Handle Series Six-cup classic Chemex pour-over coffee maker made of non-porous borosilicate glass, designed to produce clean, crisp coffee without imparting flavors; sold through the Crema brewing equipment collection.
• Hario V60 Brewer Ceramic Hario V60 pour-over dripper with spiral ribs and a large single hole for even extraction and brewing control, sold through the Crema brewing equipment collection.
• Aeropress Portable Aeropress brewing device that uses pressure and short brew time for single-cup coffee, available in Classic and Go versions via the Crema brewing equipment collection.
• Kalita Wave 185 Stainless Steel Dripper Kalita Wave 185 stainless steel flat-bottomed pour-over dripper with a filter design that reduces contact between the brewing space and dripper for even extraction, sold through the Crema brewing equipment collection.
• Baratza Encore Grinder Entry-level Baratza Encore electric burr grinder for home brewing with 40mm conical burrs, sold through the Crema brewing equipment collection.
• Crema x MiiR Tumbler Stainless steel Crema x MiiR double-wall insulated tumbler available in 6oz and 12oz sizes; each purchase includes a MiiR Give Code funding transparent giving projects worldwide.
• Coffee Classes In-person coffee education classes held at the Downtown Nashville Training Lab covering espresso basics, latte art, and various brewing techniques; taught by licensed Q Grader instructors and offered as both scheduled public classes and private bookings.
• Gift Cards (Cafe and Web Store) Cafe Gift Cards (digital or physical via Square) redeemable for in-cafe purchases at any of the three Nashville-area Crema locations, and Web Store Gift Cards redeemable for online orders shipped to recipients.
• Cafe Coffee and Food Service In-person specialty coffee and food service at three Nashville-area locations: the Downtown Nashville flagship cafe at 15 Hermitage Ave (opened 2008, 40 inside + 25 patio seats, with a light breakfast and lunch menu plus the Coffee Education and Events Lab); the East Nashville takeaway cafe at 226 Duke St (opened October 2019, with 4 inside + 12 patio seats, no public restrooms, also housing the roastery and production facility); and the Brentwood full-service cafe at 330 Franklin Rd, Suite 904D (60 inside + 6 patio seats, full coffee and espresso menu with savory breakfast and lunch options).
• Wholesale Partner Coffee Program B2B wholesale coffee supply program providing Crema coffee products to restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and retail shops, with Crema offering training, equipment recommendations, and ongoing support to partners; active across Tennessee and selected national wholesale accounts including Bastion, Henrietta Red, Husk Nashville, 5th & Taylor, Butcher and Bee, and Dozen Bakery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero-waste company diverting over 90% of waste from landfills

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swift CupcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSwift Cup freeze-dries fresh Crema Coffee Roasters coffee and packages it into single-serve packets for the instant coffee product line. Partnership enables Crema to offer premium instant coffee options (Tres Banderas, Staycation Decaf, La Victoria) for travel and convenience.
• Switchyards NashvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkspace partner location where Crema coffee is available, supporting the coworking community with specialty coffee options.
• New Heights BrewingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for beer/coffee crossover offerings.
• Southern Grist Brewing CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner for beer/coffee crossover offerings.
• Cool EffectcoreOthersCarbon offset partner through which Crema Coffee Roasters offsets their carbon footprint as part of their sustainability commitment. Cool Effect is a platform for funding carbon reduction projects worldwide.
• MiiRminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCrema x MiiR branded tumblers sold through Crema's merchandise line. MiiR is a stainless steel drinkware company that includes a Give Code with each purchase to fund transparent giving projects worldwide.
• Created CominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCrema x Created Co branded ceramic mugs sold through Crema's merchandise. Created Co makes high-quality clay mugs fired at high temperatures for durability.
• 33 CoffeesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor33 Coffees is a coffee journal brand that Crema stocks in their merchandise line. Made with 100% recycled papers from Pacific Northwest, printed with soy-based inks in Portland, Oregon.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-origin specialty coffee roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC subscriptions. Directly comparable to Crema in product portfolio (single origins, blends, subscriptions), cafe-and-roastery model, and third-wave positioning, but operates at materially larger scale and is now owned by Peet's Coffee.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster focused on sustainability, direct trade, and coffee education — operating training centers similar to Crema's Training Lab. Closely aligned on values (sustainability, education, transparent sourcing) and product range (single origins, subscriptions, wholesale).
• Verve Coffee Roasters: Santa Cruz/SF-based specialty roaster with cafes, e-commerce, and subscription services. Comparable on profile roasting, cafe-and-roastery model, subscription offerings, and a similar brand-building emphasis on aesthetics and experience.
• Onyx Coffee Lab: Northwest Arkansas specialty roaster with cafes, competition-grade coffee (multiple SCA competition wins), and a growing subscription business. Comparable to Crema in size, third-wave positioning, and award-winning roast credentials.
• Heart Coffee Roasters: Portland-based specialty micro-roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC subscriptions. Comparable to Crema in scale, single-origin focus, profile roasting approach, and cafe-and-roastery hybrid model.
• Panther Coffee: Miami-based specialty roaster operating cafes and wholesale accounts with a direct-trade sourcing model. Comparable to Crema in size, product philosophy, and the cafe-plus-wholesale-plus-DTC channel mix.
• Ruby Coffee Roasters: Wisconsin specialty roaster with award-winning coffees, a cafe/roastery, and growing wholesale and DTC. Comparable to Crema in scale, third-wave positioning, and emphasis on transparency and education.

Broad incumbents

• Intelligentsia Coffee: Chicago-origin pioneering third-wave roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC. Broader and longer-established than Crema, but overlaps directly on single-origin sourcing, barista training/education, and wholesale partner programs. Now owned by Peet's Coffee.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Oakland-origin specialty roaster with a large cafe network, national DTC subscription business, and an institutional owner (Nestlé). Operates in the same third-wave category as Crema but at substantially larger scale and capital base.

Emerging players

• Driftaway Coffee: NYC-based DTC-first specialty coffee subscription company with a strong consumer education and transparency focus. Comparable to Crema's subscription model and content-driven marketing, though Driftaway has no cafe footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cremacrema

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Crema Coffee Roasters