Coffee Review
Coffee Review is a privately held specialty coffee review publication founded in 1997 that publishes blind-tasting evaluations and ratings of coffees submitted by roasters worldwide. It serves both specialty coffee consumers seeking purchasing guidance and trade customers (roasters, farmers, equipment advertisers) seeking third-party validation and access to its 2M+ annual site visitors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersBerkeley, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Coffee Review does
Coffee Review, operated by The Coffee Review, LLC, is a specialty coffee review and rating publication founded in 1997 by Kenneth Davids. The company produces blind-cupping evaluations of roasted and green coffee samples submitted by roasters and farmers, scoring them on a 100-point scale with objective roast measurements taken using the Agtron Gourmet Scale. It has accumulated nearly 10,000 published reviews since inception, complemented by monthly tasting reports organized by region, processing method, and roast style, an annual Top 50 Coffees ranking, the Kenneth Davids Cup trade competition, and educational reference content adapted from Kenneth Davids' books.
The platform's technical core is editorial rather than software-based: blind tasting methodology, the Agtron roast measurement system, and a searchable review archive delivered through CoffeeReview.com. Supporting product lines include equipment reviews, green/unroasted coffee reviews, espresso reviews, best-value selections, single-serve formats, and a dedicated Taiwan/Chinese-language section. All consumer-facing content is free; there is no mobile app and no public API.
Coffee Review generates revenue through two streams: (1) website advertising sold to roasters, equipment manufacturers, and coffee service providers reaching more than two million annual visitors, formalized via a 2026 Media Kit and Campaign Package Deals, and (2) paid commissioned review services for roasters and farmers seeking evaluations outside the free monthly tasting report submissions. The business is privately held with no disclosed external funding, 1–10 employees, and is governed under Oregon law.
Coffee Review firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coffee Review
- Legal name
- The Coffee Review, LLC
- Website
- https://coffeereview.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Coffee Review is a privately held specialty coffee review publication founded in 1997 that publishes blind-tasting evaluations and ratings of coffees submitted by roasters worldwide. It serves both specialty coffee consumers seeking purchasing guidance and trade customers (roasters, farmers, equipment advertisers) seeking third-party validation and access to its 2M+ annual site visitors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Coffee Review is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berkeley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Coffee Review business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Advertising: Coffee Review generates revenue by selling advertising space on their website to coffee roasters, equipment manufacturers, and other coffee-related businesses. The media kit describes advertising opportunities targeting more than two million coffee lovers who visit CoffeeReview.com each year.
- Review Services (Commissioned Reviews): Roasters and farmers can commission reviews for roasted or green coffees at any time, which represents a paid service offering for reviews outside of standard tasting report submissions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Access - Website Content |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Coffee Review product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Coffee Review is an online specialty coffee review publication that blind-cuppings coffees submitted by roasters and farmers and publishes objective ratings using a 100-point scoring system and Agtron Gourmet Scale roast measurements. The site distributes free consumer reviews, monthly tasting reports organized by region and processing method, top-rated coffee curation (94+ points), and the annual Top 50 Coffees ranking, and offers paid commissioned reviews and advertising placements to the trade.
Product overview
Coffee Review is a coffee review and rating platform that operates as a unified content platform rather than a modular software product. The core offering consists of published coffee reviews (nearly 10,000 since 1997), tasting reports organized by region and topic, and the annual Top 50 Coffees ranking. Supporting products include equipment reviews, review services for trade members, the Kenneth Davids Cup competition, advertising services, and educational content (reference materials and interpretation guides). The platform serves both consumers seeking quality coffee recommendations and trade professionals (roasters, farmers) seeking recognition and reviews.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Review Services (Commissioned Reviews) Paid commissioning service that lets coffee roasters and farmers obtain blind-cupping evaluations of specific roasted or green coffees on demand, delivered with the same 100-point scale and Agtron roast measurements used in Coffee Review's editorial reviews.
- Advertising Services Sold advertising placements on CoffeeReview.com, including campaign package deals, that give coffee brands, equipment manufacturers, and service providers access to the site's audience of more than two million specialty coffee visitors per year.
- Kenneth Davids Cup Annual competition and recognition program for coffee roasters and farmers, offering industry recognition through the Coffee Review platform under the co-founder's name. The 2026 edition is published on the Coffee Review trade section.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 10,000 objective coffee reviews published since 1997
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Coffee Review
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Coffee Review technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Coffee Review partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Coffee Review competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Wine Spectator: Established wine review publication using blind tastings and a 100-point rating scale, with advertising and subscription revenue. Closest business model analog to Coffee Review's blind review + advertising approach.
- BeerAdvocate: Beer review community and publication using ratings, reviews, and editorial content. Comparable as a consumer-review media brand with enthusiast audience and advertising-supported revenue.
- Wine Enthusiast: Major wine rating and review publication with a 100-point scoring system, blind tastings, and advertising-supported business model. Highly comparable business model — paid review services, advertising, and authority ratings — applied to wine rather than coffee.
- Kenneth Davids Coffee: Direct-to-consumer coffee company run by Coffee Review's co-founder Kenneth Davids. Adjacent business leveraging the same founder brand authority; demonstrates how Coffee Review's content brand can be commercialized through product sales.
- Whisky Advocate: Whisky review publication with blind tastings, scored reviews, and enthusiast community. Analogous business model to Coffee Review — blind reviews, expert scoring, advertising to producers — in an adjacent premium beverage category.
Direct peers
- Perfect Daily Grind: Coffee industry media outlet publishing daily news, educational content, and buyer guides for coffee professionals and enthusiasts. Comparable as a digital coffee publication monetized through advertising and industry audience reach.
- Sprudge: Specialty coffee media publication covering news, reviews, and features for the global specialty coffee industry. Directly comparable to Coffee Review as a content-first coffee publication serving enthusiasts and trade professionals, though more focused on news and culture versus blind tasting reviews.
- Standart Magazine: Print and digital specialty coffee magazine covering origin stories, roasting, and brewing culture. Comparable as a curated coffee content brand serving enthusiast and trade audiences with subscription and advertising revenue.
- Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine: Trade publication covering the specialty coffee industry with news, roaster profiles, and product coverage. Comparable as a coffee trade media brand monetized through advertising to roasters and equipment makers.
Regional players
- Bean Scene Magazine: Australian specialty coffee publication covering industry news, café openings, and product reviews. Comparable in editorial format and audience, but serves a primarily Australian audience versus Coffee Review's US/global scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Coffee Review social profiles
Digital presenceCoffee Review compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Coffee Review financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coffee Review leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Coffee Review funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coffee Review 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 Coffee Review
What does Coffee Review do?
Coffee Review is an online specialty coffee review publication that blind-cuppings coffees submitted by roasters and farmers and publishes objective ratings using a 100-point scoring system and Agtron Gourmet Scale roast measurements. The site distributes free consumer reviews, monthly tasting reports organized by region and processing method, top-rated coffee curation (94+ points), and the annual Top 50 Coffees ranking, and offers paid commissioned reviews and advertising placements to the trade.
Is Coffee Review a public or private company?
Coffee Review is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Coffee Review founded?
Coffee Review was founded in 1997. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Coffee Review based?
Coffee Review is headquartered in Berkeley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Coffee Review make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Advertising is the primary driver. The others are review Services (Commissioned Reviews).
Who are Coffee Review's main competitors?
Others on record are Wine Spectator, BeerAdvocate, Wine Enthusiast, Kenneth Davids Coffee and Whisky Advocate. Direct peers are Perfect Daily Grind, Sprudge, Standart Magazine and Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. Bean Scene Magazine is listed as a regional player.
Does Coffee Review have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coffee Review.