What Blanchard's Coffee does

Blanchard's Coffee Roasting Company is a specialty coffee roaster founded in 2005 and headquartered at 1903 Westwood Avenue in Richmond, Virginia, where it operates its roasting facility. The company sources single-origin and blend coffees through long-standing direct trade relationships with named farms — including Hacienda La Papaya in Ecuador (Geisha and Typica), Finca San Jose in Nicaragua (decade-long partnership, Maragogype anaerobic natural), and Finca El Obraje in Colombia (2021 Cup of Excellence winner) — and processes small batches using techniques such as Sugar Cane (Ethyl Acetate) decaffeination performed at origin. Its product portfolio spans blends (Dark As Dark, Blanchard's Blend, Handshake, Richmond Blend, Midnight Oil, Basecamp, Black Dog, Beartrap Espresso, Rosedale, Decaf), eight named single-origin releases, Decent Instant Coffee, brew equipment (Mahlkönig grinders, Hario pour-over, AeroPress), and a 20th Anniversary commemorative book.

The business operates an omnichannel model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (Shopify storefront with free shipping over $100), two weekly subscription products (Original Blends at $16, Single Origin at $23, with a 10% subscription discount), three company-owned cafes in Richmond (Broad Street, Forest Hill, Morris Street) used as brand showcases and education venues, and a B2B wholesale program serving cafes, restaurants, and retailers via a dedicated wholesale portal. Distribution is exclusively domestic (United States), with no evidence of international operations or third-party delivery platform reliance.

The company is privately held with no disclosed external institutional investment, no funding rounds on record, and no parent company. Headcount is reported at 11–50 employees. Marketing is content-driven through the Handshake Quarterly publication (eight documented volumes), the "50 States 50 Cups" journey, social media, and in-cafe education events (slow bars, cuppings, brew classes). No AI/ML capabilities, patents, regulatory actions, or M&A activity are evidenced in the source data.

Name

Blanchard's Coffee

Legal name

Blanchard's Coffee Roasting Company

Website

https://blanchardscoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Blanchard's Coffee Roasting Company is a Richmond, Virginia-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 2005, serving DTC consumers via e-commerce and subscriptions, operating three company-owned cafes, and supplying B2B wholesale accounts with direct-trade single-origin and blend coffees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC)

Keywords

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of whole bean and ground coffee through e-commerce website. Products include blends, single origins, and instant coffee sold in various sizes (12oz, 2.5lb, 5lb).
2. Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from Original Blends Subscription ($16.00, rotating classics) and Single Origin Subscription ($23.00, rotating single origins). Weekly delivery cadence.
3. Brew Equipment Sales: Sale of third-party brewing equipment including grinders (Mahlkönig X54), kettles, drippers, scales, and accessories. Ships directly from manufacturer.
4. Wholesale: B2B wholesale program supplying cafes, restaurants, and retailers with Blanchard's coffee products. Private label and bulk options available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Blanchard's Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster that produces small-batch roasted coffee blends, single-origin coffees, decaffeinated coffee, and instant coffee, and operates three retail cafes in Richmond, Virginia. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through a Shopify e-commerce site and recurring subscriptions, and supplied wholesale to cafes, restaurants, and retailers. The company also resells third-party brew equipment and accessories, and sells branded merchandise including a 20th Anniversary book.

Product overview

Blanchard's Coffee Roasting Company is a specialty coffee roaster and retailer based in Richmond, Virginia, established in 2005 and roasted in Richmond since. The company offers a portfolio of coffee products centered around blends (Dark As Dark, Blanchard's Blend, Handshake, Richmond Blend, Midnight Oil, Basecamp, Black Dog, Beartrap Espresso, Rosedale, and Decaf), single origin coffees (La Papaya Geisha Natural, San Jose Maragogype, Ruarai AA, Obraje Geisha Washed, Remera #8, La Papaya Typica Washed, Gotiti, Aromas del Valle), instant coffee (Decent), subscriptions (Single Origin Subscription, Original Blends Subscription), brew equipment, merchandise (20th Anniversary Book), and operates three cafe locations in Richmond. The products are sold through their e-commerce platform with free shipping over $100.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dark As Dark Dark roast coffee blend sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground for individual coffee drinkers.
• Blanchard's Blend Medium roast coffee blend sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground for daily home or office brewing.
• Handshake Seasonal direct trade coffee blend sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Richmond Blend Community-themed coffee blend sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground, honoring ties to Richmond, Virginia.
• Midnight Oil Evening-oriented coffee blend sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Basecamp Certified organic Central American coffee blend sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Black Dog African-origin coffee blend sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Beartrap Espresso Signature espresso blend of Central and South American coffees, sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground for home espresso preparation.
• Rosedale Versatile house blend named for the Rosedale neighborhood, sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Decaf Decaffeinated coffee blend processed via Sugar Cane (Ethyl Acetate) method at origin, sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• La Papaya Geisha Natural Single-origin Geisha natural-process coffee from Hacienda La Papaya in Ecuador, sold in 6oz bags to specialty coffee enthusiasts.
• San Jose Maragogype Anaerobic Natural Single-origin Maragogype anaerobic natural coffee from Finca San Jose in Nicaragua, sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Ruarai AA Single-origin washed AA-grade Kenyan coffee from the Nyeri foothills, sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Obraje Geisha Washed Single-origin washed Geisha from Finca El Obraje in Colombia, sold in 10oz boxes to specialty coffee enthusiasts.
• Remera #8 Single-origin Red Bourbon coffee from Burundi processed via double fermentation, sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• La Papaya Typica Washed Single-origin washed Typica from Hacienda La Papaya in Ecuador, sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Gotiti Single-origin Ethiopia Landrace coffee from the Gotiti washing station in Yirgacheffe, sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Aromas del Valle Single-origin Caturra coffee from Peru via the Progreso Foundation producer network, sold in 12oz, 2.5lb, and 5lb sizes as whole bean or ground.
• Decent Instant Coffee Premium specialty instant coffee packaged in 10-sachet packs for travel and convenience use.
• Single Origin Subscription Recurring weekly subscription delivering rotating single origin coffees to subscribers; priced at $23 per delivery.
• Original Blends Subscription Recurring weekly subscription rotating through Blanchard's classic blend lineup; priced at $16 per delivery.
• Brew Equipment Resale of third-party specialty coffee brewing equipment and accessories (grinders, drippers, kettles, scales, filters, AeroPress) shipped directly from manufacturer to home brewers.
• 20th Anniversary Book Commemorative branded book celebrating Blanchard's 20-year history, sold in soft cover and hard cover editions for $60 to coffee enthusiasts and brand fans.
• Cafe Service (Broad Street, Forest Hill, Morris Street) In-person cafe service at three Richmond, VA locations (Broad Street, Forest Hill, Morris Street) offering brewed coffee, espresso drinks, and coffee education including slow bars, brew classes, and cuppings.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hacienda La Papaya (Juan Peña)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership with Ecuadorian producer Juan Peña at Hacienda La Papaya in Loja. Sourcing Geisha and Typica varieties with focus on innovative processing methods including natural and washed preparations. Farm is known for meticulous agronomy and precision technology.
• Finca San Jose (Alvaro Reyes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongest running farm relationship spanning a decade. Direct collaboration with Alvaro Reyes at Finca San Jose in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Specializes in Maragogype variety with anaerobic natural processing using pressure gauges for fermentation monitoring.
• Finca El Obraje (Pablo Guerrero)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with architect-turned-farmer Pablo Guerrero at Finca El Obraje in Nariño, Colombia. Farm won 2021 Colombia Cup of Excellence. Specializes in Geisha and Yellow Bourbon with meticulous attention to fermentation, processing, and varietal selection.
• Onyx Coffee LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisited Onyx Coffee Lab in Bentonville, AR during 50 States 50 Cups journey. Received tour of facility, tasted coffees, and engaged with roastery staff. Industry admiration relationship.
• Aslin Beer Co.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPittsburgh-based partner serving Blanchard\'s Coffee behind the bar. Represents B2B wholesale customer relationship.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heart Coffee Roasters: Portland, OR specialty roaster with a roastery-cafe, direct trade sourcing, and minimalist Scandinavian-inspired branding — closely aligned on small-batch craft positioning, single-origin menu, and cafe-anchored retail.
• Ruby Coffee Roasters: Wisconsin-based specialty roaster with a flagship roastery-cafe, e-commerce, and a small but engaged wholesale footprint — highly comparable in scale, cafe-as-showroom positioning, and single-origin storytelling.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Durham, NC-based specialty roaster with direct trade farmer partnerships, a training/education center, and nationwide wholesale distribution to cafes and restaurants — directly comparable in mission, sourcing model, and wholesale-led growth.
• Equator Coffees: California-based specialty roaster with roastery-cafes, direct trade sourcing, and a strong sustainability/education positioning — comparable in mission, cafe-anchored model, and direct trade farm relationships.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Philadelphia-based specialty roaster operating multiple cafes, DTC e-commerce, draft latte RTD, and wholesale — directly comparable on retail-cafe plus DTC plus wholesale model, though at meaningfully larger scale.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: California-origin specialty roaster operating company-owned cafes, e-commerce, and subscriptions (Verve For Life) with a comparable small-batch direct trade playbook and multi-channel DTC plus retail mix.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Pioneering specialty roaster known for direct trade, single-origin transparency, and barista training — comparable on sourcing philosophy, education-driven marketing, and premium positioning, though larger and more national.
• Onyx Coffee Lab: Arkansas-headquartered specialty roaster with direct trade farmer relationships, competition-grade sourcing, a flagship roastery-cafe, and strong content/brand presence — the most direct peer given Blanchard's similar sourcing, cafe, and content-marketing model.

Broad incumbents

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Pioneer specialty roaster (now part of Peet's) with a broad portfolio of cafes, wholesale, and consumer products — relevant as a large-scale comparable for cafe expansion, wholesale, and brand-building, but operates at a much larger footprint.

Emerging players

• Driftaway Coffee: Subscription-first specialty roaster with a strong direct trade and traceability story — highly relevant for comparing subscription mechanics, customer LTV, and the DTC arm of Blanchard's business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/drinkblanchards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Blanchard's Coffee