Ellianos Coffee
Ellianos Coffee is a privately held, family-owned drive-thru specialty coffee franchisor founded in 2002 in Lake City, Florida, operating 75 locations with 200-plus stores signed across 10 states via independently owned franchisees. The company sells espresso drinks, iced coffee, smoothies, energy drinks, and food through a drive-thru-only format supported by a mobile app and tiered loyalty program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersLake City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ellianos Coffee does
Ellianos Coffee is a privately held, family-owned drive-thru specialty coffee franchise founded in 2002 in Lake City, Florida by Scott and Pam Stewart (with their son Rob and his wife Ellie, whose name inspired the brand). The company operates a drive-thru-only format delivering espresso-based beverages, iced coffee, freezers, smoothies, shakes, refreshers, teas, breakfast items, and limited-time Red Bull Rush and Lotus Edge energy drinks. The corporate entity (Ellianos, LLC) functions as franchisor, with 75 open locations and over 200 stores signed or in development across Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Ohio, and additional states in the Southeast; revenue is generated primarily through franchise fees and royalties, supplemented by company-operated e-commerce merchandise (tumblers, mugs, apparel, accessories) at $5-$64 per item, and digital and physical gift cards.
The underlying technology platform centers on a proprietary mobile application (iOS/Android) that integrates online ordering, scheduled pickup, store locator, scan-to-pay, and the Ellianos Rewards tiered loyalty program (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) running on Toast's loyalty infrastructure. Payments are processed through Apple Pay and Google Pay at point-of-sale and within the app. Order intake is handled via the company's own web/app ordering platform (order.ellianos.com), with DoorDash providing third-party delivery — though DoorDash orders explicitly do not earn rewards points. The Shopify-based merchandise storefront operates as a separate revenue line from store-level sales.
Go-to-market is channel-partner-led: Ellianos expands through independently owned and operated franchisees across the Southeast, supported by a formalized financing relationship with First Federal Bank (expanded March 2026) that streamlines lending for prospective franchisees. Customer segmentation is horizontal: end consumers seeking drive-thru convenience (primary revenue at the unit level) and small-business owner/operators seeking franchise opportunities (primary revenue at the franchisor level). The company maintains a multi-channel marketing presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, plus a content blog, and emphasizes community philanthropy (breast cancer care, veterans, education) as part of brand identity.
Ellianos Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ellianos Coffee
- Legal name
- Ellianos, LLC
- Website
- https://ellianos.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ellianos Coffee is a privately held, family-owned drive-thru specialty coffee franchisor founded in 2002 in Lake City, Florida, operating 75 locations with 200-plus stores signed across 10 states via independently owned franchisees. The company sells espresso drinks, iced coffee, smoothies, energy drinks, and food through a drive-thru-only format supported by a mobile app and tiered loyalty program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ellianos Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Drive-Thru Specialty Coffee Services
- NAICS
- Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Mobile Food Services (722330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Drive-Thru Coffee Stands & Coffee Kiosks (THAFADAK)
Keywords
Where Ellianos Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lake City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ellianos Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Franchise Fees and Royalties: Ellianos generates revenue through franchise partnerships, with independently owned and operated locations paying franchise fees and ongoing royalties for brand access, operational support, and standardized systems.
- In-Store Beverage and Food Sales: Company-operated or franchisee-operated locations generate revenue from drive-thru sales of specialty coffee drinks, energy drinks, smoothies, teas, and food items including breakfast bowls.
- Merchandise Sales: E-commerce sales of branded merchandise including tumblers, mugs, apparel, hats, bags, stickers, and accessories through the company's online store.
- Gift Card Program: Digital and physical gift cards sold through stores and online, generating float revenue and encouraging repeat customer visits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | A Cup Worth Filling Tumbler - $39.99 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee Break Club Colored Mug - $10.65 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee Break Club T-Shirt - $24.61 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee Break Club Embroidered Crewneck - $49.34 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee Break Club Corduroy Cap - $27.25 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Ellianos Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ellianos Coffee is a family-owned drive-thru coffee franchise serving specialty espresso drinks, iced and frozen beverages, energy drinks, smoothies, shakes, teas, refreshers, and breakfast food items through independently owned and operated franchise locations across the Southeastern United States. The company supports its drive-thru service with a proprietary mobile app for online ordering, a tiered loyalty rewards program, gift cards, and an e-commerce merchandise storefront. Its franchise program enables small-business owners to open and operate drive-thru coffee stores under the Ellianos brand with standardized operations and financing support.
Product overview
Ellianos Coffee is a family-owned drive-thru coffee franchise founded in Lake City, Florida in 2002. The company operates a drive-thru focused specialty coffee concept serving the Southeastern United States through independently owned franchise locations. The product portfolio centers on the drive-thru coffee experience with hot drinks (espresso, specialty coffees), iced drinks, frozen freezers, smoothies, shakes, teas, refreshers, and food items. Supporting the core coffee business, Ellianos offers a mobile app with online ordering, a tiered rewards program (Ellianos Rewards), and gift cards. The company also sells branded merchandise including tumblers, mugs, apparel, and accessories through its online shop. Recent product launches include Red Bull Rush energy drinks with limited-time flavors. Ellianos operates over 200 stores signed or in development across eight U.S. states with expansion into a tenth state underway.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Drive-Thru Coffee and Beverage Service Drive-thru specialty coffee chain serving espresso-based hot drinks, iced and frozen beverages, energy drinks (including Red Bull Rush and Lotus Edge offerings), smoothies, shakes, teas, refreshers, and breakfast food items such as the Sausage Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bowl. Serves individual consumers across the Southeastern United States.
- Ellianos Mobile App iOS and Android mobile application enabling customers to browse the menu, place orders for drive-thru pickup, schedule pickup times, scan to pay, locate stores, and manage loyalty rewards.
- Ellianos Rewards Loyalty Program Tiered loyalty program (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) where members earn points per dollar spent, with automatic conversion of 850 points to a $5 reward, plus tier-specific perks including free drinks, food items, balance bonuses, and birthday rewards. Managed via the Toast Rewards platform.
- Online Ordering
- Ellianos Gift Cards
- Ellianos Coffee Franchise Franchise opportunity offering entrepreneurs the right to own and operate a drive-thru Ellianos coffee location, with brand standards, training, operational systems, and financing support through First Federal Bank.
- Ellianos Merchandise
- Red Bull Rush and Lotus Edge Energy Drinks
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 200 stores signed or in development across 10 states, demonstrating strong franchise growth trajectory.
Companies that use Ellianos Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ellianos Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature2 records
Ellianos Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ellianos Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dutch Bros Coffee: Publicly traded drive-thru coffee chain with thousands of locations, competing head-to-head with Ellianos for morning commuters and franchisees in the Southeast. Closely comparable on drive-thru format, specialty beverage menu, and franchise growth strategy.
- The Human Bean: Drive-thru coffee franchise serving espresso-based beverages and specialty drinks through franchisee-owned locations. Directly comparable to Ellianos on drive-thru only format, franchise model, and community-driven brand positioning.
- Scooter's Coffee: Drive-thru specialty coffee franchise with similar menu (espresso, smoothies, energy drinks, breakfast) and franchise-led growth model. Comparable to Ellianos on format, customer demographic, and unit economics profile.
- Black Rock Coffee Bar: Drive-thru specialty coffee chain expanding rapidly across the Western and Southern U.S. with comparable espresso-forward menu and franchise/company hybrid growth model targeting similar on-the-go morning customers.
- 7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee: Drive-thru only specialty coffee franchise rapidly expanding across the Southeast and beyond. Most directly comparable to Ellianos on format, beverage menu, franchise model, and geographic focus, and named alongside Ellianos in Technomic's emerging chain coverage.
Broad incumbents
- Dunkin': National drive-thru coffee and breakfast chain and Ellianos' incumbent competitor referenced in Technomic. Comparable on drive-thru format, beverage+breakfast menu, and loyalty program, though significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
- Starbucks: Global coffee chain specifically referenced by Technomic as a chain Ellianos is challenging. Comparable on specialty coffee menu and digital loyalty, but Starbucks operates full-service cafes at much larger scale than Ellianos' drive-thru-only concept.
- Biggby Coffee: Specialty coffee franchise operating company-owned and franchised stores across the Midwest and Southeast. Comparable to Ellianos on franchise model, espresso beverage focus, and community-driven brand positioning.
Regional players
- Foxtail Coffee: Regional Florida-based coffee chain with growing specialty cafe footprint. Comparable to Ellianos on Florida origin and specialty beverage focus, though operates full-service cafes rather than drive-thru only.
- PJ's Coffee of New Orleans: Gulf Coast regional coffee franchise with drive-thru and cafe formats serving the Southeast. Comparable to Ellianos on Southeastern regional concentration, franchise model, and espresso-led beverage menu.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ellianos Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceEllianos Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ellianos Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ellianos Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ellianos Coffee 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 Ellianos Coffee
What does Ellianos Coffee do?
Ellianos Coffee is a family-owned drive-thru coffee franchise serving specialty espresso drinks, iced and frozen beverages, energy drinks, smoothies, shakes, teas, refreshers, and breakfast food items through independently owned and operated franchise locations across the Southeastern United States. The company supports its drive-thru service with a proprietary mobile app for online ordering, a tiered loyalty rewards program, gift cards, and an e-commerce merchandise storefront. Its franchise program enables small-business owners to open and operate drive-thru coffee stores under the Ellianos brand with standardized operations and financing support.
Is Ellianos Coffee a public or private company?
Ellianos Coffee is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Ellianos Coffee founded?
Ellianos Coffee was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ellianos Coffee based?
Ellianos Coffee is headquartered in Lake City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ellianos Coffee make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Franchise Fees and Royalties are the primary driver. The others are in-Store Beverage and Food Sales, merchandise Sales and gift Card Program.
Who are Ellianos Coffee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dutch Bros Coffee, The Human Bean, Scooter's Coffee, Black Rock Coffee Bar and 7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee. Broad incumbents are Dunkin', Starbucks and Biggby Coffee. Regional players are Foxtail Coffee and PJ's Coffee of New Orleans.
Does Ellianos Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ellianos Coffee.
What industry is Ellianos Coffee in?
Ellianos Coffee's product category is Drive-Thru Specialty Coffee Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAB, Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes, with a secondary code of THAFADAK, Drive-Thru Coffee Stands & Coffee Kiosks. Its NAICS code is 722515.