Mahalo Coffee Roasters

What Mahalo Coffee Roasters does

Mahalo Coffee Roasters is a specialty third-wave coffee roaster headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, founded in 2019 by NASCAR driver Trevor Bayne. The company sources green coffee through direct trade partnerships with producers in Costa Rica (Coffee Nace S.A. Micromill, Navarro Ceciliano family), Ethiopia (Bette Buna), Peru (Lima Coffees, Women Coffee Project, 110 women-led families), and Guatemala (ADINTHEC Cooperative, 400+ farmers), and roasts in a light-to-medium style intended to preserve origin characteristics. Its retail footprint comprises two Knoxville cafes (Powell/Halls at 1317 East Emory Rd and Downtown Union Ave at 513 Union Ave). Ownership transitioned in 2023 to Dale Harold, owner of Ham 'N Goodys.

The product portfolio spans single origin coffees across multiple processing methods (Natural, Washed, Honey) and origins, signature blends led by the Dawn Patrol espresso blend (Paubrasil Natural Brazil + Kayon Mountain Natural Ethiopia), home and office coffee subscriptions, zero-waste instant brew pods, branded merchandise, and authorized resale of La Marzocco and Simonelli espresso machines with certified installation and maintenance services. Pricing is unit-based for retail ($16-$25 per 12oz/2lb bag) and subscription-based for recurring home and office delivery ($18-$36/month). Free shipping is offered on orders over $50.

Revenue is generated through five streams: retail coffee sales (one-time), home and office subscriptions (recurring), wholesale coffee supply (transaction-based), espresso equipment resale (hardware), and installation/maintenance services (professional services), plus merchandise. The go-to-market is hybrid: product-led D2C via the e-commerce site and cafes, plus channel/field-based wholesale and office outreach in the greater Knoxville region. Marketing relies on organic social (Facebook, Instagram), email newsletter capture, and origin storytelling on the company website.

Name

Mahalo Coffee Roasters

Legal name

Mahalo Coffee Roasters

Website

https://mahalocoffeeroasters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mahalo Coffee Roasters is a Knoxville, Tennessee-based specialty third-wave coffee roaster operating two retail cafes, a D2C e-commerce and subscription platform, a wholesale program, and authorized La Marzocco/Simonelli equipment sales and service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roastery

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Espresso Bars & Coffee Bars (THAFADAD), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Coffee & Tea Service Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAH), Coffee, Espresso & Tea Appliances Retail (CRACADAC)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Direct trade coffee
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Espresso equipment sales
• Coffee subscription service

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee Sales: Direct-to-consumer coffee sales through e-commerce platform and two cafe locations. Products include single origin coffees, signature blends, and seasonal offerings. Sells in 12oz, 2lb, and 5lb sizes.
2. Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from home coffee subscriptions (Roaster's Choice Blend, Single Origin, Dawn Patrol Espresso Blend) and office coffee subscriptions delivered on scheduled basis.
3. Wholesale Coffee: B2B wholesale coffee supply to cafes and businesses, including coffee beans, equipment, and barista training services.
4. Espresso Equipment Sales: Resale of La Marzocco and Simonelli espresso machines to cafes and businesses, including certified installation and maintenance services.
5. Equipment Installation & Maintenance: Certified technicians provide preventative maintenance, installations, de-scaling, and repairs for espresso/filter machines and grinders. Includes free diagnostic checks.
6. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including apparel such as Mahalo Globe Tee.
7. Instant Brew Pods: Zero-waste instant coffee pods sold in 10-count packs, featuring Night Surf coffee for home instant brewers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mahalo Coffee Roasters roasts and sells specialty third-wave coffee (single origins and signature blends) via two retail cafes in Knoxville, TN, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform, and a B2B wholesale program. The company also resells La Marzocco and Simonelli espresso machines with certified installation and maintenance services, offers home and office coffee subscriptions, and provides barista training for cafe partners.

Product overview

Mahalo Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee company operating as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform supplemented by two physical cafe locations in Knoxville, Tennessee. The core product portfolio consists of single origin coffees sourced primarily from Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Peru, offered in various processing methods (Natural, Washed, Honey) and roast profiles. The company also produces signature blended coffees including the flagship Dawn Patrol espresso blend, plus seasonal and single origin offerings. The business model extends beyond simple coffee sales to include subscription services (home and office), merchandise (apparel), equipment sales (espresso machines via La Marzocco and Simonelli partnerships), and technical services (installation, maintenance, barista training). Founded in 2019 by NASCAR driver Trevor Bayne and transitioned to new ownership under Dale Harold in 2023, the company positions itself as a third-wave coffee shop emphasizing light to medium roasting, direct trade relationships with farmers, and community education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Supporting over 500+ farmers through direct trade relationships across Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Peru (110 women farmers), and Guatemala (400+ member cooperative)

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• La MarzoccocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMahalo is a proud authorized reseller of La Marzocco espresso machines. Their technicians are certified and trained to perform installations in cafes. La Marzocco machines are positioned as high-quality equipment matching Mahalo's specialty-level positioning.
• SimonellicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMahalo is a proud authorized reseller of Simonelli espresso machines. Their technicians are certified and trained to perform installations in cafes. Simonelli equipment complements the La Marzocco offerings for cafe equipment needs.
• Coffee Nace S.A. Micromill (Navarro Ceciliano Family)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect partnership with Costa Rican coffee producer operated by the Navarro Ceciliano family. The micromill brings over 100 years of history in coffee production. Mahalo sources multiple Costa Rica coffees including Honey, Washed, and Natural process varieties from Tarrazú region.
• Bette BunasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-run Ethiopian coffee company founded in 2020 by Dawit and Hester. Bette Buna operates farms across Guji, Yirgacheffe, Sidama, and Bench Maji regions. Mahalo sources single-origin Ethiopia Natural from their 220-hectare farm in Megadu, Guji.
• Lima Coffees (Women Coffee Project)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lima Coffees' Women Coffee project bringing together 110 coffee-growing families led by women. Mahalo sources Peru Washed coffee from Cajamarca region, with premium prices paid directly to women farmers to empower and motivate coffee-growing communities.
• ADINTHEC CooperativesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuatemalan cooperative with over 400 farmers focused on sustainable coffee production. The co-op reinvests profits into farm renovations in the Huehuetenango region to increase coffee quality and production capacity.
• Cafe ImportssecondaryTechnology or IntegrationCoffee importer providing green coffee sourcing. Cafe Imports supplies multiple origin coffees including Colombia Regional Select program and Guatemala Waykan offerings with regional traceability.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Clive Coffee: Specialty coffee equipment retailer (espresso machines, grinders) with strong D2C presence — directly comparable to Mahalo's equipment resale vertical and complementary to its roasting business.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Third-wave specialty coffee roaster with direct trade sourcing, D2C e-commerce, wholesale program, and barista training/education focus. Most analogous business model to Mahalo at a larger scale.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster combining cafes, D2C e-commerce, and wholesale with strong brand identity and direct trade farmer relationships — closely mirrors Mahalo's hybrid retail/wholesale model.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Pioneer in direct trade specialty coffee with cafes, wholesale accounts, and barista education programs. Comparable third-wave philosophy and B2B wholesale distribution strategy.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Direct trade specialty roaster operating cafes, D2C subscriptions, and wholesale programs with similar farmer storytelling and third-wave positioning, though at significantly larger scale.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Specialty roaster with national cafe footprint, D2C subscriptions, and wholesale; comparable product-led growth motion and third-wave positioning, but at much greater scale and capital base.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with national cafe footprint, D2C subscriptions, wholesale distribution, and draft latte RTD beverages — comparable diversification across multiple revenue streams.
• Heart Coffee Roasters: Small specialty roaster with cafes, D2C, and direct trade sourcing. Most comparable in scale to Mahalo with similar light-roast, origin-focused philosophy and limited geographic footprint.
• Onyx Coffee Lab: Award-winning specialty roaster with competition-calibrated quality, D2C, wholesale, and limited cafe presence. Similar positioning around origin transparency and premium pricing.

Others

• Café Imports: Green coffee importer that supplies Mahalo. Functions as an upstream partner/enabler rather than competitor; included because it represents the wholesale supply ecosystem Mahalo operates within and could expand into.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mahaloforcoffee
• Instagraminstagram.com/mahalocoffeeroasters
• Xx.com/Mahalo4Coffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mahalo-coffee-roasters-llc

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 Mahalo Coffee Roasters