Ready Set!
Ready Set! is a Cleveland-based artisanal coffee roaster and cafe founded in 2019, operating a single Gordon Square roastery and cafe with nationwide DTC e-commerce, subscription, wholesale, and custom corporate coffee programs serving consumers, B2B partners, and the local neighborhood community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ready Set! does
Ready Set! is a Cleveland, Ohio-based independent coffee roaster and cafe founded in 2019 by siblings Molly and Chris. The founders trained at the Espresso Academy in Florence, Italy, and began roasting coffee beans out of a garage before opening the Gordon Square Cafe and roastery at 7306 Detroit Ave Suite 101 on October 11, 2021. The cafe operates seven days a week with beans roasted on-site and serves as the operational hub for the company. As of 2025, the company is bootstrapped, privately held, and operates with a team of 1-10 employees.
The core product line consists of 7 single-origin coffees (Ethiopia GERA Estate, Colombia Hulia, Guatemala Antigua Los Volcanes, Mexico Chiapas, Honduras Manos de Mujer, Brazil Cerrado, and Positively Placebo Decaf) priced at $19-$23 per 12oz bag, plus 4 proprietary Roaster's Blends (Garage Blend Deep Track, Roaster's Blend Bonus Track, Hi-Fi Espresso Blend, and Amplifire Roaster's Blend). Underlying operations revolve around small-batch, in-house roasting using specialty-grade beans, with a transparent storefront model where customers can see roasting happening on-site. The company maintains a content engine through Brew Guides and the News and Brews blog, and offers a "Perfect Product Finder" quiz for recommendation.
Ready Set! runs a multi-channel revenue model. Direct-to-consumer e-commerce ships nationwide via Shopify, with a subscription service offering 1-3 bag ($22-$49/month) and 5lb ($90/month) plans on bi-weekly, 3-week, or monthly delivery with free shipping. Wholesale serves B2B cafes, restaurants, offices, and catering (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame cafe is a named account), and a custom corporate coffee program enables branded packaging for gifting at a 20-bag minimum. The Gordon Square cafe provides additional retail revenue through espresso drinks, cold brew, pastries, and merchandise (mugs, beanies, AeroPress equipment). Customer segments span individual coffee enthusiasts, B2B wholesale buyers, corporate gifting clients, and the Gordon Square neighborhood community.
Ready Set! firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ready Set!
- Legal name
- Ready Set!
- Website
- https://readysetcoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ready Set! is a Cleveland-based artisanal coffee roaster and cafe founded in 2019, operating a single Gordon Square roastery and cafe with nationwide DTC e-commerce, subscription, wholesale, and custom corporate coffee programs serving consumers, B2B partners, and the local neighborhood community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ready Set! industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Roastery
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG)
Keywords
Where Ready Set! is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ready Set! business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail coffee sales: One-time purchase of whole bean or ground coffee in 12oz and 5lb sizes. Includes single-origin and blended roasts.
- Coffee subscription service: Monthly recurring subscription delivering freshly roasted coffee. Options include 1, 2, 3 bags or 5lb, with frequency options (bi-weekly, 3-week, monthly). Free shipping included.
- Wholesale/B2B: Wholesale coffee for cafes, restaurants, offices, and catering businesses. Includes both brewed coffee and retail bags for resale.
- Custom corporate orders: Custom branded coffee blends for corporate gifts, with personalized packaging, logos, and special messages. Minimum 20 bags.
- Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including mugs, beanies, and brewing equipment (AeroPress).
- Cafe retail: On-site cafe sales including espresso drinks, cold brew, pastries, and bagels at Gordon Square location.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single origin and blended coffees |
| Subscription | Monthly | Coffee subscription options |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Merchandise items |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Custom corporate coffee orders |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ready Set! product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ready Set! roasts specialty-grade coffee beans in small batches at its Gordon Square cafe and roastery in Cleveland, Ohio, selling whole bean and ground coffees (single-origin and proprietary blends) through its Shopify e-commerce store, a recurring subscription service, B2B wholesale partnerships, and custom-branded corporate gifting blends. The cafe also serves espresso, cold brew, specialty drinks, pastries, and bagels on-site, supplemented by branded merchandise and brewing equipment such as the AeroPress.
Product overview
Ready Set! is an artisanal coffee roastery and cafe operating as a single-location specialty coffee business in Cleveland, Ohio. The company offers a portfolio of 7 single-origin coffees (Ethiopia GERA Estate, Colombia Hulia, Guatemala Antigua Los Volcanes, Mexico Chiapas, Honduras Manos de Mujer, Brazil Cerrado, and Positively Placebo Decaf) and 4 proprietary roaster's blends (Garage Blend Deep Track, Roaster's Blend Bonus Track, Hi-Fi Espresso Blend, and Amplifire Roaster's Blend). The core product line centers on whole bean coffee sales via e-commerce and subscription service, complemented by the Gordon Square Cafe serving espresso-based and specialty drinks, food items including bagels and pastries, and merchandise such as AeroPress brewers, mugs, and beanies. Additional offerings include custom corporate coffee blends, a wholesale partnership program, and educational brew guides. The company roasts all coffee in-house and operates a physical cafe opened in October 2021.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Single Origin Coffees Specialty-grade single-origin coffee beans sourced from specific regions (Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil), available in 12oz and 5lb sizes with various grind options. Priced at $20–$23 per 12oz bag. Sold to home consumers and wholesale buyers.
- Roaster's Blends House-blended coffees combining beans from multiple origins, including Garage Blend Deep Track, Roaster's Blend Bonus Track, Hi-Fi Espresso Blend, and Amplifire Roaster's Blend. Sold in 12oz bags at $19 each. Available direct-to-consumer, via subscription, and through wholesale.
- Ready Set Subscription! Recurring monthly coffee subscription delivering freshly roasted coffee to customers' doors with free shipping. Options include 1 bag (12oz) at $22/month, 2 bags (24oz) at $36/month, 3 bags (36oz) at $49/month, or 5lb at $90/month. Delivery cadence options are bi-weekly, every 3 weeks, or monthly.
- Custom Coffee Blend Wholesale and corporate gifting service allowing businesses to create personalized coffee blends with custom packaging featuring company logos and messages. Minimum 20 bags with options for 50+ and 100+. 10-day turnaround.
- Wholesale Partnership Program B2B wholesale program for cafes, restaurants, offices, and retailers to purchase Ready Set coffee for resale or brewing. Offers both wholesale brewed coffee and retail bag resale options; partnership initiated via inquiry form with pricing not publicly disclosed.
- Merchandise and Brewing Gear Branded merchandise and brewing equipment including RS Diner Mug ($15), RS Beanie ($24), AeroPress Brewer ($59.95), AeroPress Flow Control Cap ($29.95), and Gift Box ($3). Sold via e-commerce storefront.
- Gordon Square Cafe Physical cafe at 7306 Detroit Ave Suite 101, Cleveland, OH 44102 offering drip, espresso, cold brew, and specialty drinks, alongside pastries from local bakers Philomena (vegan/gluten-free) and Roaming Biscuit on weekends. Open Mon-Fri 7am-2pm, Sat 8am-3pm, Sun 8am-2pm. On-site roasting on premises.
Companies that use Ready Set!
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ready Set! technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Ready Set! partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BantercoreBefore opening, Ready Set partnered with Banter to provide free coffee and meals during COVID to neighbors near Dudley Triangle. This community partnership helped establish goodwill before the cafe opened.
- Philomena BakeshopminorLocal Cleveland bakery providing vegan and gluten-free pastry options for the Gordon Square Cafe.
- Roaming BiscuitminorWeekend biscuit vendor that serves at the Gordon Square Cafe on weekends.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Ready Set! competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-origin third-wave specialty roaster with cafe, wholesale, DTC, and subscription. Comparable product portfolio (single origins, blends, espresso) and distribution model, though operating at substantially larger national scale.
- Colectivo Coffee: Midwest specialty roaster (Milwaukee) with a multi-location cafe model, wholesale program, and subscription/DTC business. Most relevant Midwest peer at a similar stage of specialty distribution and cafe retail.
- Crimson Cup Coffee: Ohio-based specialty coffee roaster with cafe and wholesale operations, also serving the Midwest. Comparable as a regional specialty roaster competing for the same wholesale and DTC customer base in Ohio.
- Phoenix Coffee: Cleveland-based specialty coffee roaster and multi-location cafe operator founded in the early 1990s. Most directly comparable local peer: same city, same roastery-plus-cafe model, similar third-wave positioning serving the Northeast Ohio market.
- Counter Culture Coffee: Durham-based specialty roaster known for single-origin transparency, training programs, and wholesale to cafes across the U.S. Closely comparable on sourcing philosophy, education-driven content, and wholesale-first distribution.
- Verve Coffee Roasters: Santa Cruz-origin specialty roaster with cafes, DTC, and subscription. Comparable on lifestyle/creative brand positioning, single-origin portfolio, and omnichannel (cafe + online) model.
- Intelligentsia Coffee: Chicago-origin third-wave specialty roaster with direct trade sourcing, cafes, and wholesale. Comparable on third-wave positioning, single-origin storytelling, and Midwest operating geography.
Broad incumbents
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Oakland-origin third-wave roaster now operating nationally with a deep cafe, wholesale, and DTC footprint under Nestlé ownership. Comparable on third-wave philosophy and omnichannel model, but with vastly greater capital and brand reach.
- La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Philadelphia-origin specialty roaster that scaled into a national cafe chain plus wholesale and DTC. Comparable product mix (draft lattes, single origins, blends) but operates at significantly larger scale as a broader incumbent in the third-wave category.
Emerging players
- Heart Coffee Roasters: Portland-based small-batch specialty roaster focused on light-roast single-origins, DTC, and a small cafe footprint. Comparable on small-batch craft positioning and minimal marketing-driven brand voice, though operating with a tighter geographic focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ready Set! social profiles
Digital presenceReady Set! financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ready Set! leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ready Set! funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ready Set! 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 Ready Set!
What does Ready Set! do?
Ready Set! roasts specialty-grade coffee beans in small batches at its Gordon Square cafe and roastery in Cleveland, Ohio, selling whole bean and ground coffees (single-origin and proprietary blends) through its Shopify e-commerce store, a recurring subscription service, B2B wholesale partnerships, and custom-branded corporate gifting blends. The cafe also serves espresso, cold brew, specialty drinks, pastries, and bagels on-site, supplemented by branded merchandise and brewing equipment such as the AeroPress.
Is Ready Set! a public or private company?
Ready Set! is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Ready Set! founded?
Ready Set! was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ready Set! based?
Ready Set! is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ready Set! make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Retail coffee sales are the primary driver. The others are coffee subscription service, wholesale/B2B, custom corporate orders, merchandise and cafe retail.
Who are Ready Set!'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Stumptown Coffee Roasters, Colectivo Coffee, Crimson Cup Coffee, Phoenix Coffee, Counter Culture Coffee, Verve Coffee Roasters and Intelligentsia Coffee. Broad incumbents are Blue Bottle Coffee and La Colombe Coffee Roasters. Heart Coffee Roasters is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ready Set! have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ready Set!.
What industry is Ready Set! in?
Ready Set!'s product category is Specialty Coffee Roastery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes), with a secondary code of THAFADAA, Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.