Coava Coffee Roasters

What Coava Coffee Roasters does

Coava Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roasting company founded in 2008 by Matt Higgins in Portland, Oregon, and operating as a privately held, bootstrapped business. The company roasts single origin specialty coffees sourced through long-term direct relationships with more than 28 producer partners across Latin America, Africa, and Asia, with a portfolio spanning washed, honey, natural, and Swiss Water decaf process methods. Roasting is performed on Probat 12 kilo and 60 kilo drum machines with in-house aftermarket modifications inside a 13,000 square foot facility in inner SE Portland. Coava operates a distinctive on-site density separation table, currently unique among known U.S. roasters, and a custom-fabricated silo system that integrates material handling across the roastery.

The business generates revenue across four primary channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce (roast-to-order shipping nationwide via Shopify), a B2B wholesale program serving independent cafes, restaurants, and offices through the Wholesail portal, five company-owned cafes (four in Portland plus one in San Diego), and grocery retail. Customer segments include specialty coffee enthusiasts and at-home brewers, wholesale operators across dedicated, multi-roaster, and rotating roaster programs, and walk-in cafe guests. Ancillary revenue streams include AutoShip coffee subscriptions (currently paused for refresh), public coffee cuppings, brew workshops, equipment sales, branded merchandise, gift cards, and a rewards loyalty program offering 4 points per dollar spent.

The operational footprint is deliberately compact, with approximately 50 employees across cafes, roastery, and headquarters, and no external institutional capital disclosed. The company emphasizes freshness through a roast-to-order model that ships within 24 to 48 hours, a medium roasting approach focused on development rather than color, and educational content marketing including brew method guides, producer profiles, and event-driven customer engagement. Recent product extensions include Instant Adventure Blend and Adventure Camp Cups marking entry into the instant coffee category alongside the core whole bean offering.

Name

Coava Coffee Roasters

Legal name

Coava Coffee Roasters

Website

https://coavacoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Coava Coffee Roasters is a Portland-based specialty coffee roaster serving wholesale partners, direct-to-consumer subscribers, and cafe guests with single origin coffees sourced through long-term producer relationships and roast-to-order nationwide shipping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Single origin coffee
• Coffee subscriptions
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Direct trade coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Coffee & Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales of freshly roasted whole bean coffee, instant coffee, brew equipment, and merchandise. All coffee is roasted to order and shipped within 24-48 hours. Coffee sold as whole bean only for online orders.
2. Coffee Subscription (AutoShip): Recurring bi-weekly or monthly delivery of freshly roasted whole bean coffee. Subscribers receive a 5% discount on each order. Available for year-round offerings including blends and decaf. Temporarily paused for new enrollments while being refreshed.
3. Wholesale Coffee Partnerships: Supply of roasted coffee to B2B partners including coffee shops, restaurants, and offices. Partners receive training, equipment consultation, and ongoing support. Billed through Wholesail portal.
4. Retail Cafe Operations: Four Portland cafe locations (Flagship on SE Grand Ave, Espresso Bar on SE Hawthorne, Cafe & Roastery on SE Main St, and Downtown Portland location) serving specialty espresso drinks, pour-overs, cold brew, and seasonal offerings. Also one San Diego location and one in San Diego area.
5. Rewards/Loyalty Program: Coava Rewards program offering 4 points per dollar spent (5 points for subscribers), 100 bonus points for sign-up, and redemption for discounts, mugs, chocolate, and free coffee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Coava Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster that sources single origin green coffees through long-term direct-trade partnerships with 28+ producer partners worldwide, roasts them to order on Probat drum machines in its Portland, Oregon facility, and distributes the finished coffee via three channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce (shop.coavacoffee.com), a recurring AutoShip subscription program, and a B2B wholesale program serving independent cafes, restaurants, and offices. The company also operates four retail cafes in Portland and one brew bar in San Diego, and runs paid public cuppings and brew workshops at the Portland roastery.

Product overview

Coava Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee company offering a portfolio of single origin coffees roasted to order. The core products include whole bean coffee (available in drip and espresso roast profiles), coffee subscriptions with bi-weekly or monthly delivery, and instant coffee products. The company also sells coffee equipment (brewers, grinders, accessories) and branded merchandise. Additional offerings include physical cafe locations serving single origin pour-overs and espresso drinks, a wholesale program for cafes and offices, public coffee cuppings and educational classes, a VIP rewards program, and community donation partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Whole Bean Specialty Coffee Single origin specialty whole bean coffee roasted to order on Probat drum machines, shipped fresh within 24-48 hours, offered in drip and espresso roast profiles. Sold to individual consumers nationwide via shop.coavacoffee.com and through wholesale partner cafes.
• AutoShip Coffee Subscription Recurring bi-weekly or monthly delivery of freshly roasted whole bean specialty coffee, available as year-round blends and decaf offerings. Subscribers receive a 5% discount on each order and 5 points per dollar in Coava Rewards.
• Instant Coffee Ready-to-brew instant coffee products, including the Instant Adventure Blend and Adventure Camp Cups, targeted at outdoor and on-the-go coffee drinkers.
• Coffee Equipment & Brew Gear Brew gear including French Press, AeroPress, Chemex, Kalita Wave, V60, Moka Pot, Phin, Cold Brew systems, grinders (Baratza Encore, Fellow Opus, Fellow Ode Gen 2, Mahlkönig X54), scales, and Coava's proprietary stainless steel metal cone filter designed for the Chemex brew method.
• Wholesale Coffee Program B2B partnership program providing cafes, restaurants, and offices with roasted single origin specialty coffee, plus world-class barista training, equipment advice, sourcing consultation, bar flow and target metrics support. Wholesale invoicing is managed through the Wholesail portal.
• Coava Retail Cafes & Brew Bars Physical retail cafes in Portland (Flagship on SE Grand Ave, Espresso Bar on SE Hawthorne, Cafe & Roastery on SE Main St, and Downtown on SW Jefferson) plus one brew bar in San Diego on W Broadway, serving single origin pour-overs, espresso drinks, cold brew, seasonal beverages, and pastries from local partner producers.
• Public Coffee Cuppings & Brew Workshops Paid 60-minute guided coffee cupping sessions ($20 per person, including a free 300g bag of coffee to take home) and educational workshops covering espresso, milk steaming, and pour-over brewing, hosted at the Portland Roastery and ticketed via Eventbrite.

Quantifiable outcome

• Orders typically ship within 24-48 hours of being roasted
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BakeshopminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Portland bakery supplying pastries to Coava's cafe locations. One of several local food and beverage partners featured at Coava cafes.
• Gluten Free GemminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Portland gluten-free bakery supplying baked goods to Coava's cafe locations.
• The CommissaryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Portland supplier of syrups to Coava's cafe locations.
• Woodblock ChocolateminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Portland artisan chocolate maker supplying chocolate to Coava cafes. Also featured in the Honduras Hurricane Relief Trio bundle.
• Smith TeaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Portland tea company supplying teas to Coava's cafe locations.
• Tanglewood ChaiminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Portland chai supplier featured at Coava's cafe locations.
• Loft & Bear VodkaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAM/PM Care Package collaboration giveaway featuring a 3-month Coava coffee subscription, Loft & Bear small-batch vodka, and Mazama drinkware. Partnership included cocktail recipe development combining Coava coffee with Loft & Bear vodka.
• Mazama (Tanner Goods)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPortland-based drinkware company. Partnered with Coava on the AM/PM Care Package giveaway, providing The Standard Mug and cocktail glass.
• Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffee CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for 100% chemical-free, solvent-free decaf coffee using the Swiss Water process. Preserves subtle and distinct origin and flavor characteristics of the coffee. Seasonal single origin decaf rotations.
• Atlas Coffee ImporterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing import partner through whom Coava works with producers including the Lo Mejor de Monserrate microlot competition in Colombia. Atlas facilitates farm-level relationships and quality competitions.
• Wholesale Partner Cafes & RestaurantscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorB2B wholesale partners including dedicated roaster, multi-roaster, and rotating roaster coffee programs. Partners receive world-class training, equipment advice, sourcing consultation, bar flow metrics, and ongoing support. Invoiced through Wholesail portal.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform hosting Coava's online store (shop.coavacoffee.com). Provides online sales infrastructure, payment processing, and customer data management. Shopify stores credit card data encrypted through PCI-DSS.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-born specialty coffee roaster with cafes, DTC e-commerce, and wholesale, founded around the same era as Coava. Highly analogous direct-trade roastery-cafe-retail model.
• Heart Coffee Roasters: Portland-based third-wave specialty roaster operating roastery cafes and a wholesale program. Direct peer due to shared Portland origin, single-origin focus, cafe-retail format, and similar scale.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Pioneering third-wave specialty roaster with direct-trade sourcing, multiple cafes, robust wholesale program, and DTC e-commerce. Closely comparable business model, sourcing depth, and channel mix.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty third-wave roaster with deep direct-trade producer relationships, strong wholesale channel, training programs, and DTC. Comparable sourcing philosophy and wholesale-led go-to-market.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium specialty roaster with cafe network, DTC e-commerce, and wholesale; very similar product and channel mix though at much larger scale (Nestlé-owned). Useful peer for benchmarking channel strategy and brand-building.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: California-origin specialty roaster with multiple cafes, wholesale partnerships, and DTC subscriptions; comparable as a regional-to-national scaled single-origin roaster-cafe operator.
• Onyx Coffee Lab: Award-winning specialty roaster known for competition-level sourcing/roasting, with cafe, e-commerce, and wholesale channels. Closely comparable craft positioning and quality-led brand identity.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster operating a national cafe network, DTC e-commerce, and broad CPG grocery distribution. Similar multi-channel model at a larger scale, including RTD and draft latte products Coava does not currently offer.

Broad incumbents

• Peet's Coffee: Major US specialty coffee incumbent with cafe chain, broad wholesale, grocery CPG, and DTC. Overlaps with Coava in wholesale and roasted coffee CPG but at vastly greater scale and with broader portfolio.

Regional players

• Réveille Coffee Co. San Francisco-based specialty coffee roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC. Comparable craft-roaster-cafe operator though concentrated in a different West Coast metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coavacoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/coavacoffee
• Instagraminstagram.com/coavacoffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coava-coffee-roasters

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Coava Coffee Roasters