Kahwa Coffee

What Kahwa Coffee does

Kahwa Coffee is a St. Petersburg, Florida-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 2006 by Sarah and Raphael Perrier. The company controls production end-to-end at a 20,000 sq ft in-house roasting facility, where it small-batch roasts 100% Arabica beans into proprietary signature blends (Sirocco, Mistral, Cubano, Boreas, Zonda), engineered single origins, and a proprietary three-bean Calima cold brew blend roasted and packaged on demand for guaranteed freshness.

The company operates a multi-channel distribution model spanning company-owned retail cafés, wholesale accounts, direct-to-consumer e-commerce, and franchising. It runs 15+ café locations across Florida (Tampa Bay, Gulf Coast) and Texas (Fort Worth, Justin) in formats including drive-thru, sit-down, hospital, university, hotel, and dealership settings. Wholesale distribution reaches 800–1,000+ accounts including Publix, Disney's Epcot Chefs de France (since 2008), Tampa International Airport, the Tampa Bay Rays, and Mercedes-Benz of Tampa.

Revenue is generated through in-café beverage and food sales, wholesale coffee supply contracts, Shopify-powered DTC e-commerce with a subscription program (30/45/60-day cycles, 4% discount, free shipping over $45), merchandise and gift set sales, and a franchise program carrying a $40,000 initial fee and 5% royalty on gross sales. The company is founder-owned, privately held, and a member of the National Coffee Association.

Name

Kahwa Coffee

Legal name

Kahwa Coffee

Website

https://kahwacoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kahwa Coffee is a Florida-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 2006, operating 15+ retail cafés across Florida and Texas, serving 800–1,000+ wholesale accounts including Publix and Disney, and selling direct-to-consumer via e-commerce subscriptions and a franchising program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Drive-Thru Coffee Stands & Coffee Kiosks (THAFADAK)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Coffee subscription service
• Wholesale coffee distribution
• Retail coffee cafes
• Coffee franchise operations

Headquarters

HQ city

St. Petersburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Café Sales: Coffee and beverage sales through 15+ company-owned café locations across Florida and Texas. Multiple café formats including drive-thru, sit-down café.
2. E-commerce Direct Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales through Shopify platform. Products shipped to customers with free shipping on orders over $35. Coffee subscriptions with delivery every 30, 45, or 60 days.
3. Wholesale Coffee Distribution: Supplying coffee to 800-1000+ wholesale customers including restaurants, offices, hotels, and retailers. Major accounts include Publix, Disney's Epcot, Tampa International Airport, Tampa Bay Rays, Mercedes-Benz.
4. Franchise Revenue: Franchise fee of $40,000 plus royalty fee of 5% of Gross Sales from franchise partners. Turnkey solution with in-depth training across all fields.
5. Merchandise and Gifts: Sale of Kahwa merchandise including tumblers, mugs, tote bags, coffee canisters, and gift sets. Holiday and seasonal product offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kahwa Coffee is a Florida-based specialty coffee roaster that small-batch roasts 100% Arabica beans and sells them through 15+ company-owned cafés in Florida and Texas, a Shopify-powered e-commerce platform with subscription delivery, and 1,000+ wholesale accounts including Publix, Disney's Epcot, and Tampa Bay Rays. The company also operates a franchise program with a $40,000 franchise fee and a 5% royalty on gross sales.

Product overview

Kahwa Coffee is a wholesale and retail coffee company offering a diversified portfolio of products centered around small-batch roasted coffee. The core offering consists of signature blend coffees (Sirocco, Mistral, Cubano, Boreas, Zonda) and single origin coffees (Organic Colombian, Bali Blue Moon, Horse Soldier Whiskey Barrel-Aged), available in multiple formats: standard bags (12 oz to 5 lb), single serve K-Cups, and cold brew products. The product line extends to cold brew-specific offerings (Calima Cold Brew Blend, filters, pitchers, starter kits), bundled gift sets, branded merchandise (tote bags, tumblers, mugs, canisters), and a coffee subscription service with flexible delivery scheduling. The company operates 15+ retail café locations in Florida and Texas while also serving 1,000+ wholesale accounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Signature Blend – Sirocco Most popular signature blend brewed in all Kahwa cafés. Medium Dark Roast with full body, combining beans from four countries with notes of dark cherry and honey and an extremely smooth finish with minimal acidity. Available in 12oz, 2lb, and 5lb sizes for home and office consumers.
• Signature Blend – Mistral Medium Roast espresso blend with strong body, sweet creamy finish, and pleasant aftertaste, blended especially for espresso brewing. Inspired by classic Italian espresso blends and also suitable for French press. Available in 12oz, 2lb, and 5lb sizes.
• Cubano Blend Signature Cuban-style espresso blend with a bold flavor profile, available in whole bean, ground, and single-serve cup formats. Targeted at espresso and traditional Cuban coffee drinkers.
• Signature Blend – Boreas Light roast blend with bright, fruity characteristics, suitable for everyday drip or pour-over drinking. Available in 12oz and 5lb sizes.
• Signature Blend – Zonda (Decaffeinated) Decaffeinated signature blend for customers seeking coffee without caffeine while maintaining full Kahwa flavor. Available in 12oz, 2lb, and 5lb sizes.
• Organic Colombian Single Origin Certified organic single-origin coffee from Colombia with a balanced flavor profile for customers seeking organic certified beans.
• Bali Blue Moon Single Origin Single-origin coffee from Bali, Indonesia. Lighter side of medium roast with rich cedar notes, sweet finish, and smooth chocolate aftertaste. Wet-hulled in traditional Indonesian style with earthy character.
• Hope Roast Specialty blend with a charitable component supporting community causes, sold across Kahwa cafés and online channels.
• No. 3, Evan Longoria Blend Collaborative blend named after MLB player Evan Longoria with a bold flavor profile, marketed to baseball fans and Tampa Bay regional customers.
• Horse Soldier Whiskey Barrel-Aged Coffee Limited-release barrel-aged coffee collaboration with Horse Soldier Bourbon, featuring coffee aged in whiskey barrels for distinctive bourbon-infused flavor notes.
• Calima Cold Brew Blend Proprietary cold brew blend engineered specifically for cold extraction. A three-bean formula from Brazil, Guatemala, and Costa Rica delivering smoother flavor, natural sweetness, and zero bitterness. Available in 12oz and 2lb sizes, whole bean or cold brew grind.
• Kahwa Single Serve K-Cup Pods Single-serve K-Cup pods compatible with Keurig brewing systems, available in Sirocco, Cubano, and Zonda (decaf) blends in cases of 72 pods and 12- or 24-count packs.
• Best Seller 3-Pack Bundle Gift bundle containing 12 oz each of Sirocco, Cubano, and Organic Colombian coffees packaged in a Kahwa gift box. Available as subscription or one-time purchase.
• Best Seller 2-Pack Bundle Bundle combining 12 oz bags of Sirocco and Cubano blends, targeted at gifting and trial of Kahwa's best-selling coffees.
• Gift Set with Coffee Canister Holiday gift set combining a Kahwa coffee bag with an Airscape-branded coffee storage canister for keeping coffee fresh, targeted at gifting customers.
• Hope Roast Gift Set Holiday gift set featuring the Hope Roast charitable coffee blend, packaged for seasonal gifting.
• Kahwa Branded Merchandise Branded Kahwa merchandise including tote bags, hot drink tumblers, iced drink tumblers, ceramic mugs, and artist-designed coffee canisters, sold primarily through the holiday/gift collection.
• Coffee Subscription Service Recurring coffee delivery subscription offering flexible scheduling (30, 45, or 60 day cycles), free shipping on orders over $45, and the ability to change or cancel anytime. Covers beans, single serve cups, cold brew, and gift options for individual consumers.
• Kahwa Café Locations 15+ retail café locations across Florida (St. Petersburg, Tampa, Gulf Coast) and Texas (Fort Worth, Justin), offering dine-in, drive-thru, and order-ahead options. Locations include campus cafés (USF), hospital cafés (Bayfront, St. Anthony's), hotel cafés (Tampa Airport Marriott), and dealership cafés (Mercedes-Benz of Tampa), with WiFi at most sites.
• Kahwa Coffee Franchise Program Franchise opportunity for entrepreneurs to operate a Kahwa-branded retail café. Includes a $40,000 franchise fee, an estimated $180,000 minimum initial investment, a 5% royalty on gross sales, in-depth training across all fields, and a turnkey operating solution for partners.
• Wholesale Coffee Supply Wholesale coffee supply to 800-1,000+ accounts across restaurants, offices, hotels, retailers, hospitals, sports venues, and entertainment venues. Notable accounts include Publix, Disney's Epcot, Tampa International Airport, Tampa Bay Rays, and Mercedes-Benz of Tampa. Includes bulk SKUs designed for high-volume commercial brewing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Each 5lb bag can brew over 240 cups of coffee
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Chefs de France (Epcot)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-renowned French chef Paul Bocuse selected Kahwa coffee for his highly esteemed restaurant at Disney's Epcot in 2008. This endorsement significantly boosted Kahwa's wholesale business and credibility.
• PublixcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor retail grocery chain partner distributing Kahwa coffee products to consumers through their stores across Florida.
• Disney's EpcotcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOn-site coffee service at Disney's Epcot theme park, serving international visitors and theme park guests.
• Tampa International AirportcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOn-site café location at Tampa International Airport serving travelers. Part of the airport's food and beverage program.
• Tampa Bay RayscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale coffee partner for the MLB baseball team at Tropicana Field, serving fans and staff at the stadium.
• Mercedes-Benz of TampaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOn-site café location at the Mercedes-Benz dealership, serving customers and staff with premium coffee service.
• Horse Soldier BourbonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLimited-release barrel-aged coffee collaboration called 'Legendary Coffee' combining Kahwa's roasting expertise with Horse Soldier Bourbon's whiskey barrel finishing process.
• National Coffee AssociationminorOthersVerified member of the National Coffee Association, demonstrating commitment to industry standards and best practices.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Equator Coffees: Specialty roaster with cafés, wholesale accounts, and DTC subscription, similar premium-positioning, small-batch, and signature blend portfolio.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with training centers, wholesale accounts, and DTC — comparable direct-to-consumer small-batch roaster model with sustainability-led positioning.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-born craft coffee roaster with cafés, wholesale accounts, and DTC subscriptions — closely mirrors Kahwa's small-batch roasting, multi-channel distribution, and signature blend portfolio.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: California- and Japan-based craft roaster with cafés, wholesale, and subscription — comparable premium positioning, signature blend storytelling, and multi-format café approach.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster operating company-owned cafés, wholesale distribution, and DTC e-commerce/subscription, with a similar mix of signature blends and draft latte innovation — directly comparable channel strategy.
• Dillanos Coffee Roasters: Pacific Northwest craft roaster with strong wholesale and foodservice focus plus branded cafés — closely comparable to Kahwa's wholesale-led business model with adjacent retail.

Regional players

• Colectivo Coffee: Regional craft roaster based in Wisconsin with multiple cafés, wholesale, and subscription — directly comparable to Kahwa as a regionally dominant independent roaster expanding from a single home market.

Broad incumbents

• Peet's Coffee: Established national specialty roaster with retail cafés, grocery wholesale, and DTC — overlaps with Kahwa's wholesale grocery channel (e.g., Publix) and provides competitive reference pricing.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Craft coffee pioneer now owned by Nestlé, operating a national network of cafés plus DTC and wholesale — broader incumbent version of Kahwa's model, useful for scaling benchmarks.

Emerging players

• Trade Coffee: Subscription-first DTC coffee marketplace aggregating roasters — comparable on the subscription/DTC mechanism and represents both a potential partner channel and emerging competitive threat.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kahwacoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/kahwacoffee
• Instagraminstagram.com/kahwacoffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kahwa-coffee-roasting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Kahwa Coffee