Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co

What Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co does

Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co is a privately held specialty coffee roaster and tea retailer founded in 1895 and headquartered in Frederick, Maryland. The company sells freshly roasted whole-bean and ground coffee, single-serve K-Cup-compatible cups, loose and bagged teas, gourmet food pairings, brewing accessories, and gift collections. It operates three retail locations in Maryland (Timonium — its roasting plant, Odenton, and Frederick) and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce site that ships nationwide in the lower 48 states with same-day fulfillment for orders received by 10 AM EST and free shipping over $75. The catalog lists roughly 260 coffee SKUs (single origins, blends, flavored, Fair Trade/Organic, Swiss Water Process decaf, K-Cups, and green/unroasted) and 700+ tea SKUs spanning house brands and licensed labels.

The company's production is differentiated by French-made Samiac coffee roasters paired with a proprietary roasting algorithm and an air-cooling (versus water-quench) finish, packaged in heat-sealed valve bags with the roast date and customer's name printed on each bag. Decaffeinated SKUs are produced via the Swiss Water Process, a 100% chemical-free method. The company licenses Johns Hopkins University Patent 6,521,818 (TrueBroc/glucoraphanin) through Brassica Protection Products to produce antioxidant-functional Brassica-branded K-Cups and teas, and licenses the Jack Reacher Coffee line from author Lee Child. Other certifications and standards cited include Fair Trade, USDA Organic, shade-grown, gluten-free, and Star-K Kosher.

The revenue model combines one-time unit sales across coffee, tea, gourmet food, accessories, and gift sets with a subscription coffee program offering flexible delivery cadences. Distribution is direct to consumer via the owned e-commerce site and the three Maryland retail stores; there is no wholesale or foodservice channel disclosed in the data. Marketing relies on email newsletter, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, supported by heritage positioning (129-year brand) and the licensed sub-brands.

Name

Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co

Legal name

Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co

Website

https://baltcoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co is a privately held, heritage specialty coffee roaster and tea retailer founded in 1895. It sells freshly roasted coffee, teas, K-Cups, gourmet foods, and accessories direct-to-consumer via its website and three Maryland retail stores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting and Tea Retailing

NAICS

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

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAFADAJ

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing

Agriculture & Food Production/Beverage Production/Coffee & Tea Processing (Roasting, Blending, RTD)

SECONDARYCRAHAGAI

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories)

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Specialty Food Stores (Deli, Cheese, Gourmet, Bakery)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Tea retailing
• Single-serve K-cups
• Gourmet coffee accessories
• Coffee subscription services

Headquarters

HQ city

Annapolis Junction

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee Product Sales: Primary revenue stream from freshly roasted whole bean and ground coffees, including single origin, blends, flavored, Swiss Water decaf, and specialty coffees sold in 1-pound heat-sealed valve bags
2. K-Cup Sales: Single-serve K-Cup compatible products including BCT-Cups and Brassica K-Cups sold in boxes of 12, with subscription options available
3. Tea Sales: Wide range of teas including Baltimore Fine Tea, Eastern Shore Tea Co., Twinings, Ahmad of London, and other branded teas in loose leaf, tea bags, and specialty formats
4. Gourmet Food & Accessories: Gourmet foods including biscotti, hot chocolate, candy, honey, caramels, granola, popcorn, peanuts, preserves, and brewing accessories like Chemex and Melitta products
5. Coffee Subscription: Monthly subscription service offering regular deliveries of selected coffee products with flexible frequency options
6. Gift Cards & Gift Sets: Gift cards and curated gift collections including flavored coffee collections, signature blends, and single origin collections

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co is a heritage specialty coffee roaster and tea retailer that roasts coffee to order using proprietary algorithms and French-made Samiac roasters. The company sells freshly roasted whole bean and ground coffees, K-Cup compatible single-serve cups, loose and bagged teas, gourmet foods, brewing accessories, and gift collections directly to consumers through its e-commerce website and three Maryland retail stores.

Product overview

Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co is a heritage coffee roaster and tea merchant operating since 1895, offering a diverse portfolio of over 260 freshly roasted coffee products and 700+ tea varieties. The core offering centers on Single Origin Coffees and proprietary Blends and Dark Roasts, complemented by licensed products like Jack Reacher Coffee (in collaboration with author Lee Child) and Brassica health-focused beverages (patented by Johns Hopkins University). Single-serve convenience is addressed through proprietary BCT-Cups and Brassica K-Cup compatible products. The company differentiates through Swiss Water Process chemical-free decaffeination, Fair Trade/Organic certifications, and a signature roasting process using French-made Samiac roasters. Additional offerings include Baltimore Fine Tea and Eastern Shore Tea Company house brands, gourmet foods, accessories, and gift collections. All products feature recyclable packaging with heat-sealed valve bags preserving freshness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jack Reacher Coffee: A licensed coffee blend inspired by the Jack Reacher character from Lee Child's novels. Bold, dark roasted blend of Central & South American coffees.
• Brassica®
• Baltimore Fine Tea
• Eastern Shore Tea Company®
• Single Brew™ BCT-Cups

Products and services

• Single Origin Coffee Premium single-origin varietal coffees imported from plantations around the world, featuring 17 distinct varieties including Colombian Supremo, Ethiopian Guji, and Jamaican Blue Mountain, each with flavor profiles shaped by regional soil, climate, and altitude. Sold as freshly roasted whole bean or ground coffee in 1 lb heat-sealed valve bags.
• Blends and Dark Roasts Roastmaster-crafted coffee blends combining two or more varietals to balance body, flavor, and acidity, featuring 24 varieties including Espresso Milano, Federal Hill Blend, and Mocha-Java Blend. Sold freshly roasted to order.
• Jack Reacher Coffee Bold, dark roasted blend of Central and South American coffees created in collaboration with author Lee Child, inspired by the Jack Reacher character from the bestselling thriller series and marketed as Reacher's favorite drink.
• Swiss Water Process Decaf Coffee 100% chemical-free decaffeinated coffees using the Swiss Water Process method, 99.9% caffeine-free while maintaining distinct origin characteristics and full-flavored taste. One of the only decaffeination processes with organic and Kosher certifications.
• Flavored Coffee Zero sugar, zero calorie, zero carbohydrate flavored coffees using Low Acid Fancy Brazil Santos as the base, featuring 59 varieties spanning chocolate, fruit, and dessert-inspired flavors.
• Dark Roasted Flavored Coffee Bold, darkly roasted coffees blended with zero-calorie flavor extracts, combining rich dark roast character with flavors such as French Vanilla, Hazelnut Cream, and Rainforest Crunch.
• Fair Trade/Organic Coffee Coffee certified by Fair Trade standards ensuring fair prices for farmers and decent working conditions, combined with 100% organic and shade-grown cultivation practices.
• K-Cup Compatible BCT-Cups Proprietary recyclable Single Brew K-Cup compatible cups freshly roasted, precisely ground, and packaged daily by the company, available in 38 varieties including Baltimore Blend, Espresso Milano, and French Roast.
• Brassica K-Cup Compatible Coffee Cups K-Cup compatible cups containing 15mg of TrueBroc (Glucoraphanin), a natural antioxidant from broccoli that activates the body's antioxidant defense system for immune health support, patented and licensed by Johns Hopkins University under U.S. Patent 6,521,818; Kosher Certified by Star-K.
• Unroasted Green Coffee Raw unroasted green coffee beans for home roasting enthusiasts, available in 23 varieties including Colombian Supremo, Ethiopian Sidamo, and Sumatra Mandheling, with an 18-month shelf life when properly stored.
• Baltimore Fine Tea House brand tea collection featuring 88 varieties of loose leaf teas, tea bags, and decaf options including black, green, white, oolong, herbal, and rooibos teas, imported through the European Union with pesticide-free assurance.
• Eastern Shore Tea Company Established tea brand featuring 409 varieties of tea bags and loose teas including ribbon bags, dispenser boxes, 100-count bags, and bulk loose tea options.
• Brassica Tea Proprietary health-focused tea containing 15mg of TrueBroc (Glucoraphanin) per serving, providing powerful antioxidant protection and immune system support with effects lasting up to 72 hours.
• Gourmet Food Gourmet food items complementing coffee and tea including Sweet Life/BeBop Biscotti, Decadence Hot Chocolate, chocolate and candy, Honey Stix, Mouth Party Caramels, and St. Dalfour Preserves.
• Coffee and Tea Accessories Brewing equipment and accessories including Chemex coffeemakers and filters, Melitta products, tea infusers and tea chests, mugs, and Toddy Cold Press systems.
• Gift Collections Curated gift collections including flavored coffee collections, monthly subscription services, signature blends collections, single origin collections, and Baltimore Coffee and Tea gift cards.
• Monthly Coffee Subscription Subscription service offering regular deliveries of selected coffee products with flexible frequency options of every 2 weeks, 2 months, or 4 months, with same-day shipping for orders received by 10 AM EST.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreTechnology or IntegrationLicensed U.S. Patent 6,521,818 for Brassica antioxidant technology (TrueBroc/glucoraphanin) used in Brassica-branded K-Cups and teas. This is a core differentiating technology partnership for their health-focused Brassica product line.
• Brassica Protection Products, LLCcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensing partner for Brassica brand products incorporating Johns Hopkins patented TrueBroc antioxidant technology. Products include Brassica K-Cups and Brassica teas with health benefits claims.
• Lee ChildminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLicensed Jack Reacher Coffee brand from author Lee Child, creator of the Jack Reacher book series. Coffee is marketed as Reacher's favorite drink based on quotes from the author.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Keurig Dr Pepper: Owns the Keurig single-serve platform that defines the K-Cup category in which BCT's BCT-Cups and Brassica K-Cups compete — a critical platform incumbent shaping category economics.
• Peet's Coffee: Established specialty coffee incumbent with deep retail and grocery distribution; BCT competes in the same premium coffee category but with far narrower footprint and assortment.

Direct peers

• Kicking Horse Coffee: Canadian specialty roaster known for Fair Trade, Organic, and bold single-origin and blends sold through DTC and retail — highly comparable in certifications, SKUs, and consumer demographic.
• Adagio Teas: Online-first specialty tea retailer with broad catalog of loose-leaf and bagged teas and custom blending — competes head-to-head with BCT for online tea buyers outside the mid-Atlantic.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Heritage third-wave coffee roaster with direct-to-consumer e-commerce, wholesale, and cafe presence; mirrors BCT's roast-to-order positioning and specialty catalog breadth at larger scale.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with strong sustainability and direct-trade positioning, operating training centers and wholesale/DTC channels — directly comparable to BCT's specialty roaster model with proprietary roasting expertise.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium specialty roaster with strong DTC subscription model and cafe footprint; the most direct subscription-and-roast-to-order comparable to BCT's subscription offering.
• Harney & Sons: Specialty tea merchant offering 300+ varieties through DTC and wholesale, with strong catalog breadth and gift-oriented positioning — directly comparable to BCT's tea retail and gifting strategy.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Specialty roaster with strong single-origin focus and direct-trade relationships, selling through DTC, wholesale, and cafes — competes for the same premium, origin-driven coffee enthusiast.

Regional players

• PJ's Coffee of New Orleans: Regional specialty roaster and cafe chain with strong sub-regional brand loyalty and roast-to-order heritage; comparable to BCT as a regional specialty roaster with cafe/retail extension.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BaltimoreCoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/baltimorecoffee
• Instagraminstagram.com/baltimorecoffee?igsh=NDY2eWk4a3dkeWpm

Compliance6 records

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 Baltimore Coffee and Tea Co