Cafe Kreyol

What Cafe Kreyol does

Cafe Kreyol is a specialty coffee roaster and direct trade importer operating an e-commerce-first business from Manassas, Virginia (legal entity: Cafe Kreyol, LLC). Founded in 2012 by Joseph Stazzone, who serves as President and Chief Coffee Hunter, the company sources green coffee directly from farming cooperatives and estates across 15+ countries — including Haiti, Colombia, Mexico, Honduras, Bolivia, Brazil, Ethiopia, Burundi, Uganda, Indonesia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Peru, and Papua New Guinea — and pays producer partners up to 300% above Fair Trade minimum wages. The product portfolio spans three core lines: roasted specialty coffee (12 oz to 5 lb bags, $19.99–$134.99), green/unroasted coffee for home roasters and other roasters ($7.95/lb to $28.28/lb, with 50 lb bulk options), and coffee gear including AeroPress and espresso machines. Sub-brands include the flagship Haitian Blue (organic Blue Mountain Arabica from Haiti), Ethiopian Sweet Lily, 18 Rabbit (Honduran female-owned collective), Vergel Estate (Colombian anaerobic microlots), and the award-winning Competition Series (Cup of Excellence placements from Mexico and Ethiopia).

The company's revenue mechanics combine direct-to-consumer e-commerce at cafekreyol.com, a subscription offering up to 10% recurring savings, a wholesale program for cafes and other roasters, and a charitable Own-A-Tree / Donate A Tree program. Distribution is global on the supply side and global on the demand side, supported by content marketing across Instagram (coffeehunterproject), Facebook, Twitter/X, and a blog emphasizing farmer stories. Cafe Kreyol has accumulated industry recognition including Roast Magazine Roaster of the Year (2022), Golden Bean North America Silver (2022), Coffee Review scores up to 94 points, a 2024 Cup of Excellence Ethiopia Presidential Award (via partner Basha Bekele), and 2025 placements including 2nd place at Cup of Excellence Mexico Experimental and Silver at the Global Coffee Awards for Decaf Espresso.

Operationally the company is small (1–10 employees), privately held with no disclosed institutional funding, and operates without a parent company or subsidiaries. Core technology is concentrated in sourcing methodology, direct trade relationship management, and experimental post-harvest processing methods (anaerobic fermentation, natural, honey) for competition-grade coffees rather than software. The stack is built on WooCommerce with Stripe payments and social login integrations — functional but not differentiated. Certifications held or referenced include USDA Organic, Direct Trade, Shade Grown, Smithsonian Bird Friendly, Biodynamic, and Women-Owned.

Name

Cafe Kreyol

Legal name

Cafe Kreyol, LLC

Website

https://cafekreyol.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cafe Kreyol is a Virginia-based specialty coffee roaster and direct trade importer selling roasted coffee, green coffee, and gear to global consumers, wholesale cafes, and other roasters through e-commerce, subscriptions, and a wholesale program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coffee, Tea & Cacao Experiences (Roastery Tours, Tastings) (THAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Direct trade coffee
• Green coffee beans
• Coffee subscriptions
• Single origin coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Fairfax

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Roasted Coffee Sales: Direct-to-consumer and wholesale sales of roasted specialty coffee to end customers. Includes subscription model offering 10% savings on recurring orders.
2. Green Coffee Sales: B2B and B2C sales of unroasted green coffee to other roasters and home roasters. Bulk pricing available with 50lb bags.
3. Coffee Equipment Sales: Sale of coffee gear including AeroPress, espresso machines, and drip coffee makers.
4. Wholesale Program: Wholesale accounts for cafes and businesses to purchase Cafe Kreyol coffee for resale.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cafe Kreyol is a specialty coffee roaster that sources, roasts, and sells direct-trade single-origin and competition-grade coffee from farming cooperatives across 15+ countries. The company sells freshly roasted whole bean coffee, unroasted green coffee for home roasters, coffee brewing equipment, and operates a recurring subscription service. It also supplies roasted coffee wholesale to cafes and other roasters, and runs the Own-A-Tree charitable program in partnership with Haitian farming families.

Product overview

Cafe Kreyol is a specialty coffee company operating as an e-commerce platform with three core product lines: Roasted Coffee (freshly roasted whole bean coffees including award-winning Competition Series and signature blends), Green Coffee (unroasted beans for home roasters sold by the pound with detailed profiles), and Coffee Gear (brewing equipment and accessories). The product portfolio features branded sub-lines including Haitian Blue (flagship organic Blue Mountain coffee from Haiti), Ethiopian Sweet Lily (floral and fruit note variations), 18 Rabbit (Honduran female-owned farm coffees), Competition Series (Cup of Excellence winners), and specialty origins from Colombia, El Salvador, Bolivia, Burundi, Peru, Indonesia, Uganda, Mexico, Brazil, and Papua New Guinea. The company also offers the Own-A-Tree charitable tree donation program for sustainability impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Roasted Coffee Freshly roasted whole bean specialty coffee sold in multiple roast levels (light, medium, dark) and sizes (12 oz to 5 lb). Includes award-winning competition-grade coffees, signature blends, and single-origin offerings for individual home brewing and gift purchases.
• Green Coffee Unroasted green coffee beans sold by the pound (1 lb, 5 lb, 50 lb bags) targeting home roasters and other coffee roasting businesses. Includes detailed roast profile guidance and cupping scores.
• Coffee Gear Coffee brewing equipment and accessories including AeroPress coffee makers, espresso machines (e.g., La Specialista Opera), and drip coffee makers for home brewing enthusiasts.
• Donate A Tree (Own-A-Tree Program) Charitable program that lets customers purchase and donate coffee trees to farming families in Haiti as part of the company's sustainability and direct trade impact mission.
• Coffee Subscription Service Monthly recurring subscription delivering freshly roasted specialty coffee to consumers with up to 10% savings versus one-time purchase pricing.
• Wholesale Coffee Program B2B wholesale accounts program supplying roasted specialty coffee to cafes, restaurants, and other roasters for commercial resale, supported by origin storytelling for customer-facing marketing.
• Competition Series Coffee Premium award-winning microlot coffees sourced from competition winners, including Cup of Excellence placements such as El Ocote (2nd place Mexico 2025) and El Rio (2nd place Mexico 2025 Experimental, 89.39 points), sold in 12 oz to 5 lb sizes.
• Haitian Blue Coffee Line Flagship organic Haitian Arabica Blue Mountain coffee line including Caribbean Blue, Zombie Desert, and Haitian Hound roast variations, sourced from the COOPACVOD cooperative of 850+ members in Haiti.
• Papa Joe Blend Italian-style espresso blend combining direct-trade beans from Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras, and Indonesia, released as a medium roast in June 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• Farmers earn 300% higher wages than Fair Trade minimum
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.

• El Río (Gema Magali Posadas Manzano)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Mexican farm won 2nd place Cup of Excellence 2025 Experimental Category (89.39 points). 3rd generation family farm with Marsellesa, Typica, Blue Mountain, and Geisha varieties.
• Finca La MaríakeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Colombian farm in Antioquia producing coffee since 1945. Owned by Adolfo Taborda. 12,000 coffee trees at 1600m ASL. Specializes in Red Castillo & Yellow Castillo with natural and anaerobic fermentation.
• Basha BekelekeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Ethiopian coffee producer who won Presidential Award at 2024 Cup of Excellence Ethiopia with 90.5 score. Owns 4 farms in Bensa woreda, Sidama region. Works with network of 300+ producers.
• Sipi Falls Wash StationkeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Ugandan wash station near Mount Elgon volcano. Managed by Homage Coffee Source. Focuses on highlighting micro-climate and coffee flavor. Altitude 1300-1800m ASL.
• Sumatra OrangUtan CoffeekeyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020350+ smallholder farmers in Gayo Highland, North Sumatra. 50 cents/kg premium for organic and conservation compliance. Supports Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP). Exporter: Diana Dellatore.
• Vergel EstatecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Colombian specialty coffee estate that helped transform the region's coffee industry through innovative processing methods. Works with 25+ surrounding producers, enabling them to access global markets and win awards.
• APCERL (Bolivia)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 201830 farmers bordering Madidi National Park. Agroforestry model with WCS. Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified. Farmers earn 300% higher than Fair Trade minimum.
• Long Miles Coffee ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Founded by Ben and Kristy Carlson. Works with 5,500+ farming families across 11 hills in Burundi. Runs Bukeye, Heza, and Ninga washing stations. Holds Cup of Excellence Private Collection bid.
• Pacas Estate - Finca La EsperanzacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 20175th generation coffee family from El Salvador. 87.5 hectare farm at 1500-1800m ASL. Produces 8 varietals including Pacamara, Red Bourbon, Pacas. Provides jobs for 100+ people.
• Brazil Yellow Catuai (Haroldo Veloso)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Veloso family estate in Minas Gerais, Brazil. 2-generation operation with own mill. Coffee ferments 14 days then sun-dried. Direct trade since 2016.
• 18 RabbitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Female-owned collective of farms in Honduras led by Flhor Zelaya Ontreras. Pioneers of organic and Biodynamic farming. 13 farmers on 3 hectares at 1400m ASL. Won 300% higher than Fair Trade wages.
• COOPACVODcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Oldest known cooperative in Haiti with ~850 members. Produces only organic certified Arabica Blue Mountain coffee in Haiti. Partner in Own-A-Tree Project.
• Vergel Estate (Marta Bayter)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColombia-based estate owned by Marta Bayter, processed by sons Shady and Elias Bayter. Pioneered anaerobic fermentation methods. Vergel Estate coffee won 2025 Silver Global Coffee Awards for Decaf Espresso and 94 points from Coffee Review. Partnership since 2019.
• Ramirez Estate (Dominican Republic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-owned organic estate in Jarabacoa region. Employs 400+ people including Haitian migrant workers. Practices sustainable gas recycling, water filtration. Farmers earn 300% above Fair Trade wages.
• Savane ZombieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmaller Haitian cooperative producing 600 bags. Pays growers 300% above Fair Trade minimum. Led by Mariane who oversees fermentations, pH testing, and drying.
• APCABkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaitian cooperative with 680 growers. Produces Grade I Haitian Blue at 1600m ASL. Recently achieved 90 point score from Coffee Review.
• CABminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubset of UCOCAB (2000+ members). Highest elevation from UCOCAB cooperative. Manages 7 washing stations. Led by Walter as president.
• Homage Coffee SourcekeyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner utilizing Sipi Falls Wash Station processing capabilities for small producer microlots from Uganda.
• Diana Dellatore (Exporter)keyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExporter for Sumatra OrangUtan Coffee working with producers, SOCP conservation, and Smithsonian Institute.
• Kevin/Theta Ridge (Importer)keyChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCoffee importer for Sumatra OrangUtan Coffee partnership.
• WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Bolivia APCERL producers for agroforestry and conservation practices on Madidi National Park border.
• Smithsonian InstitutekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration in Sumatra for orangutan conservation and coffee sourcing program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Direct trade specialty coffee roaster with cafe retail and wholesale, now owned by Peet's Coffee. Directly comparable in Direct Trade sourcing philosophy, premium pricing, and competition-grade microlot offerings.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster focused on Direct Trade relationships, single-origin transparency, and barista training. Strong overlap in farmer storytelling, premium single-origin positioning, and award-recognized quality.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with strong Direct Trade sourcing model, training/education programs, and national wholesale distribution. Closely comparable in their emphasis on farmer relationships, sustainability certifications, and quality-focused competition coffees.
• Heart Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster with light-roast focus, Direct Trade sourcing, and cafe retail. Comparable in quality emphasis, origin transparency, and direct farmer relationships.
• Equator Coffees: Specialty roaster with strong Direct Trade program, women-owned cooperative partnerships, and award-winning microlots. Comparable in social impact focus, Direct Trade premiums to farmers, and competition series offerings.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with cafe retail, Direct Trade sourcing, and farm-level partnerships. Comparable in microlot focus, farmer relationship emphasis, and DTC-plus-cafe business model that Cafe Kreyol could expand toward.
• Onyx Coffee Lab: Award-winning specialty roaster known for competition-grade coffees and modern packaging/branding. Directly comparable in Cup of Excellence focus, competition series offerings, and quality-driven specialty positioning.
• Sightglass Coffee: Specialty roaster with cafe retail, single-origin focus, and transparent sourcing. Comparable in Direct Trade relationships, premium pricing on competition lots, and cafe-roastery hybrid model.
• Ritual Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with cafe retail, Direct Trade sourcing, and quality-focused competition offerings. Comparable in microlot approach, farmer partnership emphasis, and California-based premium positioning.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Scaled specialty coffee roaster with cafe retail, draft latte RTD line, and wholesale distribution. Comparable in Direct Trade sourcing, premium positioning, and farmer partnership emphasis, though at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Cafe_Kreyol
• Facebookfacebook.com/cafekreyol
• Instagraminstagram.com/coffeehunterproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cafe-kreyol

Compliance9 records

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 Cafe Kreyol