Sputnik Coffee Company
Sputnik Coffee Company is an employee-owned Chicago coffee roaster and cafe that sells a single medium-roast Arabica blend and complementary teas, merchandise, and brewing equipment via its Shopify storefront, single cafe, Chicagoland wholesale, and farmers markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sputnik Coffee Company does
Sputnik Coffee Company is an employee-owned coffee roaster and cafe founded in Chicago in 2017, operating a single retail and production location at 2618 W. 48th St in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. The company roasts a single medium-roast blend of 100% Arabica beans sourced from cooperatives in Brazil (Cerrado), Colombia (Pereira family farms), and Indonesia (Sumatra, Jagong mill), and sells it in 8oz bags, 5lb bulk bags, and pre-ground vacuum tins in regular, espresso, and decaf variants. Complementing the core coffee line, Sputnik offers loose leaf teas, curated gift boxes, branded merchandise (mugs, tumblers, apparel, totes, hats), and brewing equipment (Yama, Hario, AeroPress, FORLIFE teapot), all powered by a Shopify storefront with ReCharge powering subscriptions and Judge.me handling product reviews.
The business makes money through a mix of one-time purchases and a subscription option (10% recurring discount) on its Shopify e-commerce site, in-cafe beverage and bag sales at its Chicago location, wholesale shelf presence in Chicagoland grocery stores and cafes, and direct sales at the South Loop and McKinley Park farmers markets. Marketing is conducted through a content blog with brewing guides, organic social on Facebook and Instagram, an email newsletter, and community engagement. Distribution includes global DTC shipping plus Midwest reach via a 2019 partnership with Imperfect Produce, and the company has extended into adjacent craft beverage through a 2018 collaborative brew with Motor Row Brewing and Laney Farms. Sputnik was named Best Coffee Shop in Chicago by Timeout in 2022. The company is privately held, has not raised external funding, and operates with 1-10 employees.
Sputnik Coffee Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sputnik Coffee Company
- Legal name
- Sputnik Coffee Company
- Website
- https://sputnikcoffeecompany.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sputnik Coffee Company is an employee-owned Chicago coffee roaster and cafe that sells a single medium-roast Arabica blend and complementary teas, merchandise, and brewing equipment via its Shopify storefront, single cafe, Chicagoland wholesale, and farmers markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sputnik Coffee Company industry classification
Industry- 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 industries
- Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Single-Serve Coffee (Pods, Capsules) (CRADAHAH), Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC)
Keywords
Where Sputnik Coffee Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sputnik Coffee Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Coffee product sales: Direct sales of roasted coffee beans in various sizes (8oz and 5lb bags) in regular, espresso, and decaf varieties. One-time purchases and subscription options available with 10% recurring discount.
- Tea and merchandise sales: Sales of loose leaf teas (Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Jasmine Green, Chamomile, Organic Turmeric Ginger, Organic Matcha), brewing equipment, and branded merchandise including mugs, tumblers, t-shirts, hats, and totes.
- Gift boxes and gift cards: Pre-packaged gift boxes combining coffee with mugs, tumblers, or apparel. Virtual gift cards available in $10-$100 denominations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 8oz Coffee - Regular/Decaf |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 5lb Coffee - Regular/Espresso/Decaf |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Box combinations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Virtual Gift Cards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Loose Leaf Tea (2.5oz) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Organic Matcha (1kg) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | T-Shirts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Branded Merchandise |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sputnik Coffee Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sputnik Coffee Company is an employee-owned Chicago coffee roaster that produces and sells a single medium roast 100% Arabica blend sourced from cooperatives in Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia. The company sells whole bean and pre-ground coffee in 8oz bags, 5lb bulk bags, and vacuum tins through a Shopify e-commerce store, a Chicago cafe/roastery, local Chicagoland grocery stores, and farmers markets. Complementing the coffee, the company offers loose leaf teas, branded merchandise (mugs, cups, tumblers, t-shirts, hats, totes), curated gift boxes, and brewing equipment.
Product overview
Sputnik Coffee Company is an employee-owned coffee roaster and cafe in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood. Their core product is a single medium roast coffee blend made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from cooperatives in Brazil (Cerrado region), Colombia (family farms near Pereira), and Indonesia (Sumatra from small family farms). The product portfolio centers on this signature coffee available in multiple formats: 8oz bags, 5lb bulk bags, and pre-ground vacuum tins in regular, espresso, or decaf variants. Complementing their coffee, they offer loose leaf teas (Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Jasmine Green, Organic Turmeric Ginger, Chamomile, Organic Matcha) and brewing equipment (Yama Glass Dripper, Hario V60, AeroPress, FORLIFE Teapot, Chemex filters). Their merchandise line includes branded mugs, espresso/latte cups and saucers, insulated tumblers, t-shirts, hats, and tote bags. They also sell curated gift boxes combining coffee with merchandise, and virtual gift cards. The company operates on a Shopify e-commerce platform with ReCharge for subscriptions and Judge.me for customer reviews.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 8oz Sputnik Coffee
- 5lb Sputnik Coffee
- 8oz Sputnik Coffee Ground Vacuum Tin
Quantifiable outcome
- 240 reviews for 5lb bag product, 118 reviews for 8oz product - high customer satisfaction
Companies that use Sputnik Coffee Company
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Sputnik Coffee Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Sputnik Coffee Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Imperfect ProduceminorImperfect Produce partnered with Sputnik Coffee Company as their Midwest partner for craft coffee. Imperfect Produce is a food-delivery service based in San Francisco combating food waste by selling imperfect produce and grocery items. The partnership brought Sputnik coffee to Imperfect customers in the Midwest through their delivery platform. Sputnik was introduced due to a minor printing error on their coffee bags that would have prevented normal retail sale.
- Motor Row BrewingminorSputnik Coffee Company collaborated with Motor Row Brewing, a craft brewery located at 2337 South Michigan Avenue in Chicago's historic automotive district, to create a collaborative brew called 'Buzzed Aledrin' - a Belgian ale with coffee and thistle. The collaboration also involved Laney Farms, a local family honey farm in Michigan. The beer debuted at Motor Row headquarters and sold successfully at Chicagoland grocery stores.
- Laney FarmsminorLocal family honey farm in Michigan that partnered with Sputnik Coffee Company and Motor Row Brewing for the 'Buzzed Aledrin' collaborative brew - a Belgian ale with coffee and thistle.
- Dobra (Delightful Pastries)minorSputnik cafe offers pastries from Dobra/Delightful Pastries, described as a talented baker providing some of the best baked goods in Chicago.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Sputnik Coffee Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Verve Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with cafes and DTC e-commerce, emphasizing direct trade sourcing. Comparable scale, similar cafe-plus-DTC omnichannel model, and overlapping customer demographic.
- Dark Matter Coffee: Chicago-based specialty roaster and cafe operator with multiple locations. Competes head-to-head in the Chicago specialty coffee scene with a multi-blend, single-origin portfolio and similar DTC/retail distribution.
- Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty roaster focused on sustainability, education, and DTC/wholesale. Comparable mission-driven positioning and direct-to-consumer subscription model.
- Metric Coffee: Chicago roastery with cafe and DTC/wholesale channels. Comparable local competitor with similar scale, sourcing transparency, and direct-to-consumer focus.
- Intelligentsia Coffee: Chicago-based specialty coffee roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC e-commerce. Direct competitor in the same Chicago specialty market, operating a multi-blend lineup at premium price points.
- Collective Goods Coffee / Colectivo Coffee: Midwest specialty roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC. Closest regional peer in scale and channel mix, with similar employee-friendly culture and Midwest distribution strength.
Broad incumbents
- La Colombe Coffee Roasters: National specialty coffee brand with cafes, DTC e-commerce, and wholesale. Larger incumbent offering similar products across more geographies and formats.
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Established Portland-based specialty roaster with DTC, wholesale, and cafes. Comparable product portfolio but with significantly greater scale and national distribution.
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium specialty roaster with cafes and strong DTC subscription business. Comparable product and channel mix but with national footprint and venture backing.
Emerging players
- Onyx Coffee Lab: Award-winning specialty roaster with strong DTC e-commerce and competition pedigree. Comparable single-roastery origin with high-end specialty positioning and growing subscription base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sputnik Coffee Company social profiles
Digital presenceSputnik Coffee Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sputnik Coffee Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Sputnik Coffee Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sputnik Coffee Company 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 Sputnik Coffee Company
What does Sputnik Coffee Company do?
Sputnik Coffee Company is an employee-owned Chicago coffee roaster that produces and sells a single medium roast 100% Arabica blend sourced from cooperatives in Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia. The company sells whole bean and pre-ground coffee in 8oz bags, 5lb bulk bags, and vacuum tins through a Shopify e-commerce store, a Chicago cafe/roastery, local Chicagoland grocery stores, and farmers markets. Complementing the coffee, the company offers loose leaf teas, branded merchandise (mugs, cups, tumblers, t-shirts, hats, totes), curated gift boxes, and brewing equipment.
Is Sputnik Coffee Company a public or private company?
Sputnik Coffee Company is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Sputnik Coffee Company founded?
Sputnik Coffee Company was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sputnik Coffee Company based?
Sputnik Coffee Company is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sputnik Coffee Company make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Coffee product sales are the primary driver. The others are tea and merchandise sales and gift boxes and gift cards.
Who are Sputnik Coffee Company's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Verve Coffee Roasters, Dark Matter Coffee, Counter Culture Coffee, Metric Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee and Collective Goods Coffee / Colectivo Coffee. Broad incumbents are La Colombe Coffee Roasters, Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Blue Bottle Coffee. Onyx Coffee Lab is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sputnik Coffee Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sputnik Coffee Company.
What industry is Sputnik Coffee Company in?
Sputnik Coffee Company's product category is Specialty Coffee Roasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes), with a secondary code of CRADAHAG, Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.