Firedancer Coffee Consultants
Firedancer Coffee Consultants is a founder-led specialty coffee consulting firm serving roasters, producers, retailers, and start-ups with strategy, quality control, regulatory, and operational advisory, alongside SCA-authorized training and equipment supplier representation across the U.S. coffee supply chain.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSchaumburg, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Firedancer Coffee Consultants does
Firedancer Coffee Consultants is a privately held, bootstrapped specialty coffee consulting firm headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois. Founded in 2013 by Mike Ebert and Renée Espinoza, the firm operates with 1-10 employees and directly delivers consulting services to specialty coffee companies across the supply chain, including roasters, producers, retailers, and start-ups. Its service portfolio spans business strategy, production facility construction, quality control system development, regulatory compliance (FDA/OSHA/EPA, HACCP, FSVP), green coffee purchasing and risk management, and operational optimization — delivered through consultative engagements initiated by a free 30-minute consultation.
The firm's core technology is its domain expertise in the specialty coffee supply chain, codified through SCA Authorized Trainer credentials held by both founders at the professional level across Green Coffee, Sensory Skills, Roasting, Brewing, and Barista Skills. Mike Ebert additionally holds a PCQI food-safety certification as a lead trainer and serves on the SCA Education Advisory Council. The firm operates three sub-brands: Firedancer Educators (SCA-authorized training and education), Firedancer Partners (representation of equipment suppliers across green coffee handling, roasting, grinding, packaging, brewing, and QC), and an Inclusive Brewing initiative under development focused on neurodivergent inclusion in coffee.
Revenue is generated entirely through professional services — consulting engagements, education and training programs, and equipment supplier representation — with no disclosed enterprise contracts or named reference customers. Marketing and demand generation are anchored in content (specialty coffee blog, webinars), SCA credentialing, and partnership-based community engagement (notably the IWCA Program Partner relationship and the US Women in Coffee Association founded by Renée Espinoza). Geographic scope is United States only, and the firm has raised no outside capital.
Firedancer Coffee Consultants firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Firedancer Coffee Consultants
- Legal name
- Firedancer Coffee Consultants
- Website
- https://firedancercoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Firedancer Coffee Consultants is a founder-led specialty coffee consulting firm serving roasters, producers, retailers, and start-ups with strategy, quality control, regulatory, and operational advisory, alongside SCA-authorized training and equipment supplier representation across the U.S. coffee supply chain.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Firedancer Coffee Consultants is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Schaumburg
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Firedancer Coffee Consultants business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Consulting Services: Business consulting for specialty coffee companies including process design, improvements, and implementation. Services cover business plan development, production facility construction, regulatory compliance, and operational optimization.
- Education and Training Programs: SCA-authorized training programs through Firedancer Educators covering barista skills, brewing, roasting, and green coffee. Also includes cafe management training and adult learning development programs.
- Equipment Partner Representation: Representing equipment suppliers for the coffee supply chain including green coffee handling, roasting, grinding, packaging, brewing, and QC equipment. Provides equipment selection expertise and pricing negotiation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free initial consultation |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Firedancer Coffee Consultants product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Firedancer Coffee Consultants provides specialty coffee consulting services covering business process design, quality control system development, regulatory compliance (HACCP, FSVP, OSHA, EPA), and operational optimization for roasters, producers, retailers, and coffee start-ups. The firm operates three sub-brands: Firedancer Educators (SCA-authorized certification training), Firedancer Partners (equipment supplier representation), and complements these with market data and start-up support services. Engagements begin with a complimentary 30-minute consultation and are delivered directly by the two founders.
Product overview
Firedancer Coffee Consultants operates as a specialty coffee consulting firm offering a unified service portfolio centered on consulting expertise. The core offering is Consulting Services, supplemented by three sub-brands: Firedancer Educators (education and training), Firedancer Partners (equipment supply chain representation), and an Inclusive Brewing initiative in development. Service modules include Market Data, Start-Up Services, Quality Control, Regulatory Compliance, and Reinvention services. The company also maintains a Coffee Blog as an educational content resource. The portfolio is delivered through consulting engagements, training programs, and equipment partnerships rather than a software platform architecture.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Firedancer Educators: Education and training programs for the specialty coffee industry, including multidisciplinary approach combining technical and hands-on learning. Website: www.firedancereducators.com
- Firedancer Partners
Products and services
- Consulting Services Core specialty coffee consulting services for specialty coffee companies including business process design, improvements, and implementation. Assists with strategy development for long-term success across the specialty beverage supply chain.
- Firedancer Educators Education and training division offering multidisciplinary learning that combines technical and hands-on instruction for individuals pursuing careers in the specialty coffee industry.
- Firedancer Partners Equipment partnership program representing suppliers for the entire coffee supply chain including Green Coffee Handling, Roasting, Grinding, Packaging, Brewing, and QC equipment, providing equipment selection expertise, pricing negotiation, and operator training.
- SCA-Authorized Training Programs SCA-authorized certification training programs covering barista skills, brewing, roasting, and green coffee. Programs are delivered by founders holding SCA Authorized Trainer certifications at professional level across all core coffee disciplines.
Quantifiable outcome
- Specialty coffee companies achieve long-term success through educational consulting approach
Companies that use Firedancer Coffee Consultants
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Firedancer Coffee Consultants technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Firedancer Coffee Consultants partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Wolf & AssociatesminorCollaborated on SOE (Strengthening Organic Enforcement) regulations webinar series. Wolf & Associates founders Peter Kettler and John Foster served as expert speakers while Mike Ebert moderated. The webinars covered new organic certification regulations and their impact on specialty coffee companies.
- IWCA (International Women's Coffee Alliance)coreFiredancer is an IWCA Program Partner. They utilize their cupping labs, coffee quality experts, and IWCA Global staff to advance the professionalization of IWCA's cupping program. The partnership has two key objectives: (1) test all coffee samples to ensure they reach appropriate markets and (2) provide meaningful, expert feedback to IWCA Chapter members about their samples. Renee Espinoza is a past board member of IWCA and current Founder of the US Women in Coffee Association (US chapter for IWCA).
- Coffee Equipment SupplierscoreFiredancer represents equipment suppliers for the entire coffee supply chain including green coffee handling, roasting, grinding, packaging, brewing, and QC equipment. They provide equipment selection expertise, pricing negotiation, and importantly, training on how to use equipment correctly.
- Morse ConsultingminorPartnership mentioned on Inclusive Brewing page indicating collaborative consulting relationship for neurodivergent inclusion initiatives in the coffee industry.
- Neuro Consulting SolutionsminorPartnership mentioned on Inclusive Brewing page for consulting on accessibility and inclusion in coffee businesses.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Firedancer Coffee Consultants competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- World Coffee Research: A nonprofit agricultural research organization serving the specialty coffee supply chain with R&D and producer support programs. Comparable as an emerging player overlapping with Firedancer's producer-facing consulting and quality improvement work.
- Sustainable Harvest: A relationship coffee importer that pairs sourcing with training and supply chain consulting for roasters and producers. Comparable to Firedancer because it blends supply-chain expertise with training/consulting services for specialty coffee operators.
Direct peers
- Coffee Quality Institute (CQI): A nonprofit that trains and certifies coffee quality professionals (Q Grader) and offers consulting support to producers and trade. Comparable to Firedancer because both monetize training/credentialing and consulting services within the specialty coffee ecosystem.
- Bellissimo Coffee Advisors: A long-established specialty coffee consulting firm offering business strategy, cafe development, and roasting consulting. Directly comparable to Firedancer because both serve the same specialty coffee operator customer base with similar consulting and education-led delivery.
- Boot Coffee: A specialty coffee consulting company (founded by Willem Boot) focused on supply chain, roasting, and cafe operations advisory. Comparable to Firedancer in serving specialty coffee professionals with high-touch consulting and training engagements.
- Allegra Strategies: A coffee market research and consulting firm providing strategic insight, market sizing, and consulting to coffee operators and suppliers. Comparable to Firedancer's market data and strategic advisory services for specialty coffee companies.
Others
- Cropster: A technology platform serving coffee roasters with roasting profiles, QC, and production software. Not a direct competitor but an adjacent/ecosystem participant whose data tools overlap with the QC, roasting profile, and production optimization services Firedancer provides as consulting.
Broad incumbents
- Specialty Coffee Association (SCA): The largest industry association for specialty coffee, which itself develops curricula and credentials that Firedancer's founders teach. Comparable as a broad incumbent in coffee education, while also being a partner channel through which Firedancer delivers SCA-authorized training.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Customer concentration
Firedancer Coffee Consultants social profiles
Digital presenceFiredancer Coffee Consultants compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Firedancer Coffee Consultants financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Firedancer Coffee Consultants leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Firedancer Coffee Consultants subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Firedancer Coffee Consultants funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Firedancer Coffee Consultants 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 Firedancer Coffee Consultants
What does Firedancer Coffee Consultants do?
Firedancer Coffee Consultants provides specialty coffee consulting services covering business process design, quality control system development, regulatory compliance (HACCP, FSVP, OSHA, EPA), and operational optimization for roasters, producers, retailers, and coffee start-ups. The firm operates three sub-brands: Firedancer Educators (SCA-authorized certification training), Firedancer Partners (equipment supplier representation), and complements these with market data and start-up support services. Engagements begin with a complimentary 30-minute consultation and are delivered directly by the two founders.
Is Firedancer Coffee Consultants a public or private company?
Firedancer Coffee Consultants is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Firedancer Coffee Consultants founded?
Firedancer Coffee Consultants was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Firedancer Coffee Consultants based?
Firedancer Coffee Consultants is headquartered in Schaumburg, United States, in the North America region.
How does Firedancer Coffee Consultants make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are education and Training Programs and equipment Partner Representation.
Who are Firedancer Coffee Consultants's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are World Coffee Research and Sustainable Harvest. Direct peers are Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), Bellissimo Coffee Advisors, Boot Coffee and Allegra Strategies. Cropster is listed as an others. Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Firedancer Coffee Consultants have an API?
No public API is recorded for Firedancer Coffee Consultants.