Cuvee Coffee
Cuvée Coffee is an Austin, Texas-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1998 that sources 100% Arabica beans through direct trade and sells roasted coffee, subscriptions, and brewing equipment via DTC e-commerce, wholesale, and a retail coffee bar.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cuvee Coffee does
Cuvée Coffee is an Austin, Texas-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1998 by Mike McKim, operating a vertically integrated model that sources 100% Arabica beans through a direct trade network built with coffee farmers over 25+ years. The company operates a world-class roasting lab in Spicewood, Texas, roasting six days a week using a combination of "old world techniques with newest technology" and sensory equipment for quality control, with every roast profile custom-dialed per bean. Its product portfolio centers on signature blends (Emporium house blend, Karmadillo espresso, Stella Cometa, West Pole) and single-origin selections (Colombia, Brazil, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Jackalope Decaf), supported by a dedicated cold brewery that pioneered Nitro Cold Brew in widget-activated cans in 2012, a curated coffee gear catalog (Breville, Baratza, LELIT), single-serve pods, and gift cards.
The business operates across five horizontal customer segments — individual home brewers, restaurants/cafes, corporate offices, hospitality venues, and grocery retail — through a multi-channel go-to-market. Distribution includes a Shopify-powered DTC e-commerce store with nationwide shipping and a subscription program (up to 15% member savings), a B2B wholesale program (15lb minimum orders with flexible scheduling), a downtown Austin retail coffee bar at 48 East Ave, a new South Austin location announced, grocery distribution of the signature blue bag, and coffee catering/events service. Cuvée is a privately held, founder- and family-owned bootstrapped company (Mike McKim as Founder, Rashelle McKim as CFO/Co-Owner) with 11-50 employees and no disclosed external institutional funding.
Cuvee Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cuvee Coffee
- Legal name
- Cuvée Coffee
- Website
- https://cuveecoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cuvée Coffee is an Austin, Texas-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1998 that sources 100% Arabica beans through direct trade and sells roasted coffee, subscriptions, and brewing equipment via DTC e-commerce, wholesale, and a retail coffee bar.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cuvee Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Roasting
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Cuvee Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Cuvee 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
- Coffee Product Sales: One-time purchases of whole bean coffee, ground coffee, and single-serve pods. Products sold in various sizes from 12oz to 5lb bags with prices ranging from $19.80 to $145.00.
- Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring monthly deliveries of fresh roasted specialty-grade coffee with member savings up to 15%, flexible delivery scheduling, and exclusive access to limited releases.
- Coffee Gear Sales: Sales of espresso machines ($199.95-$2,999.95), coffee grinders ($199.95-$599.95), and accessories. Includes complimentary coffee with every equipment purchase.
- Wholesale B2B: Bulk coffee sales to restaurants, cafes, offices, hospitality venues, and grocery retailers. 15lb minimum per delivery with flexible volume and frequency.
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards redeemable online in denominations of $10, $25, $50, and $100.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Coffee Bags (12oz) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bulk Coffee (2lb-5lb) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription Model |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Espresso Machines |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee Grinders |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
Cuvee Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cuvée Coffee is an Austin, TX-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1998 that sources super-premium 100% Arabica beans through a direct trade farmer network and roasts them in its precision roasting lab. It sells signature blends and single-origin whole bean coffees, single-serve pods, espresso machines and grinders via direct-to-consumer e-commerce, a recurring subscription service, and a wholesale B2B program for cafes, offices, hospitality, and grocery. The company also operates a downtown Austin coffee bar and a cold brewery producing Nitro Cold Brew in widget-activated cans.
Product overview
Cuvée Coffee is an Austin, Texas-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1998, operating a direct trade model to source super-premium beans from farmers globally. The product portfolio centers on whole bean roasted coffees available through retail (online store) and wholesale channels, supported by a subscription delivery service. Core coffee offerings include signature blends (Emporium, Karmadillo, Stella Cometa, West Pole) and single origin selections (Colombia, Brazil, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Jackalope Decaf), categorized by roast level (light, medium, dark) and use case (espresso blends, everyday drinking). The company also offers complementary products including coffee gear (espresso machines and grinders from Breville, Baratza, and LELIT brands), gift cards, and single serve pods. Physical retail is served through a downtown Austin coffee bar and a cold brewery operation producing Nitro Cold Brew. All products are roasted with precision six days a week at the Austin roastery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Karmadillo: Dark espresso blend with rich and chocolatey tasting notes, featuring Central and South American coffees with exotic flavors. Inspired by founder's Pacific Northwest trip in 2001.
- Stella Cometa
- Emporium
- West Pole
- Colombia
- Jackalope Decaf
Products and services
- Emporium Medium roast house blend of Latin American coffees balanced for consistency, sweetness, and everyday excellence. Contains single origin selections that vary with seasonality. For home brewers and espresso preparation.
- Karmadillo Medium-dark roast espresso blend of Central and South American coffees with rich, chocolatey, and exotic flavor notes. Inspired by founder Mike McKim's 2001 Pacific Northwest trip. For home brewers and espresso preparation.
- Stella Cometa Medium roast espresso blend named 'North Star' in Italian, featuring notes of caramel, hazelnut, and a touch of acidity. For espresso preparation.
- West Pole Dark roast blend from El Salvador and Honduras with cocoa nibs, smoke, and lingering body characteristics. For drip and espresso preparation.
- Colombia Single Origin Single origin medium roast from Huila, Colombia at 1900 MASL altitude. Features nutty, cocoa, and savory acidity notes from Caturra and Colombia varietals. For home brewing.
- Brazil Single Origin Smooth, balanced single origin coffee from Fazenda Primavera owned by Ricardo Tavares. Built for everyday drinking whether pour over, drip, or espresso.
- Ethiopia Single Origin Single origin coffee from the Guji Zone with floral aroma and notes of berries and wine. Medium to full body with bright acidity. For pour over and drip preparation.
- El Salvador Single Origin Sweet, complex single origin medium roast with notes of plum and tangerine. For pour over, drip, and espresso preparation.
- Jackalope Decaf Medium roast decaf Colombian coffee using a natural decaffeination process. Features citrus fruit, malt, and walnut notes. Sourced from 102 farmers in the Grupo Asociativo Café Andino Especial. For decaf-seeking home brewers.
- Coffee Subscription Service Flexible coffee subscription offering fresh-roasted specialty-grade coffee delivered monthly with member savings up to 15%, exclusive access to limited releases, and free shipping on orders over $30. For individual home brewers and gift buyers.
- Coffee Gear (Espresso Machines and Grinders) Curated line of espresso machines ($199.95-$2,999.95) and coffee grinders ($199.95-$599.95) selected and recommended by Cuvée Coffee. Each equipment purchase includes complimentary coffee to help dial in the new machine. For home brewers.
- Single Serve Pods Single serve coffee pods offering the quality of Cuvée Coffee in convenient pod format, with a club size pack available. For consumers seeking single-serve convenience.
- Gift Cards Digital gift cards redeemable online in denominations of $10, $25, $50, and $100, delivered via email. For gift buyers and brand introduction.
- Downtown Austin Coffee Bar Company-owned café at 48 East Ave, Austin offering coffee, cocktails, food, and work space. Open Mon-Fri 7AM-7PM, Sat-Sun 8AM-7PM. Includes coffee catering services for events.
Companies that use Cuvee Coffee
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Cuvee Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Cuvee Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cuvee Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Counter Culture Coffee: Durham, NC-based specialty roaster founded in 1995 with similar direct trade ethos, DTC subscriptions, wholesale to cafes/offices, and training programs. Closely comparable size, values, and multi-channel B2B/B2C mix to Cuvée.
- Equator Coffees: California-based specialty roaster with direct trade farmer relationships, wholesale to cafes and offices, DTC subscriptions, and multiple retail locations - a closely analogous mid-sized specialty multi-channel operator.
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1999 with direct trade sourcing, DTC subscriptions, wholesale program, cafes, and pioneering cold brew/Nitro offerings - the closest 1:1 comparable in scale, channels, and category innovation (now owned by Peet's).
- Onyx Coffee Lab: Arkansas-based specialty roaster known for precision roasting, competition-grade coffee, DTC e-commerce, and a small cafe footprint - similarly sized operation competing in the same premium/direct trade specialty segment as Cuvée.
- Joe Coffee Company: NYC-based specialty roaster and cafe operator with wholesale to restaurants/offices, DTC subscriptions, and a cafe-retail model - comparable size and channel mix to Cuvée though concentrated in the Northeast.
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Oakland-born specialty coffee pioneer with DTC subscriptions, retail cafes, ready-to-drink Nitro Cold Brew, and direct trade sourcing - directly competes with Cuvée's premium positioning and nitro cold brew pioneering heritage (now owned by Nestle).
- Intelligentsia Coffee: Chicago-based specialty roaster with direct trade sourcing, DTC e-commerce, wholesale to high-end cafes and offices, and a barista training program - structurally aligned with Cuvée's specialty/farm-direct model (now owned by Peet's).
- Verve Coffee Roasters: Santa Cruz-based specialty roaster with direct trade sourcing, DTC e-commerce with subscriptions, multiple retail cafes, and a coffee gear offering - analogous mid-sized specialty coffee brand with cafe-retail-wholesale triangulation similar to Cuvée.
Regional players
- Colectivo Coffee: Milwaukee-based specialty roaster with a regional cafe footprint, wholesale program, and DTC subscriptions - similar mid-sized specialty coffee multi-channel operator focused on a different geography than Cuvée.
Broad incumbents
- La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Philadelphia-based specialty coffee company with a much larger DTC draft latte and RTD canned coffee business, national cafe footprint, and B2B wholesale - relevant for Cuvée's Nitro Cold Brew ambitions as the dominant scale player in canned specialty RTD.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cuvee Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceCuvee Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cuvee Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Cuvee Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cuvee 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 Cuvee Coffee
What does Cuvee Coffee do?
Cuvée Coffee is an Austin, TX-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1998 that sources super-premium 100% Arabica beans through a direct trade farmer network and roasts them in its precision roasting lab. It sells signature blends and single-origin whole bean coffees, single-serve pods, espresso machines and grinders via direct-to-consumer e-commerce, a recurring subscription service, and a wholesale B2B program for cafes, offices, hospitality, and grocery. The company also operates a downtown Austin coffee bar and a cold brewery producing Nitro Cold Brew in widget-activated cans.
Is Cuvee Coffee a public or private company?
Cuvee Coffee is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cuvee Coffee founded?
Cuvee Coffee was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cuvee Coffee based?
Cuvee Coffee is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cuvee Coffee make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Coffee Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are coffee Subscriptions, coffee Gear Sales, wholesale B2B and gift Cards.
Who are Cuvee Coffee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Counter Culture Coffee, Equator Coffees, Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Onyx Coffee Lab, Joe Coffee Company, Blue Bottle Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee and Verve Coffee Roasters. Colectivo Coffee is listed as a regional player. La Colombe Coffee Roasters is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Cuvee Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cuvee Coffee.
What industry is Cuvee Coffee in?
Cuvee 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.