What Black Sheep Coffee Roasters does

Black Sheep Coffee Roasters is a privately held specialty coffee roaster founded in 2004 by Peter Schultz and headquartered in Bishop, California, in the Eastern Sierra region. The company operates as the first roasting company in the Owens Valley and positions itself around direct-trade sourcing, small-batch production, and high-altitude roasting in Bishop. Its product portfolio spans single-origin coffees (El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Ethiopia, Colombia), proprietary blends (Black Sheep Blend, The Naturals Blend, Sierra Oro Espresso Blend, Bishop Creek Blend), four subscription series (Traditional 'Trad', Golden Bean Espresso, Altitude, Adventure), merchandise (travel mugs, ceramic mugs, stickers, apparel), local Baxter honey, and higher-ticket items such as the Breville Bambino espresso machine.

The company runs a hybrid go-to-market model. D2C revenue is generated through its own e-commerce storefront on blacksheepcoffeeroasters.com, with free shipping on orders over $55 and subscriptions priced from roughly $15 to $21+ per bag. A flagship physical coffee bar at 232 North Main Street in Bishop, CA operates daily from 7am-2pm, serving as both a revenue location and a brand experience hub, and is supported by Dripos mobile ordering. Wholesale revenue flows to California-based cafes, boutique hotels, B&Bs, Airbnb hosts, grocery stores, specialty retailers, offices, restaurants, fishing stores, outdoor gear shops, and RV stores, with equipment provision, staff training, and a 4-week unsold-replacement guarantee built into the program.

Customer segments are split between specialty coffee consumers and outdoor/adventure enthusiasts (climbers, hikers, anglers) in the Eastern Sierra and beyond, served via D2C subscriptions and wholesale respectively. The company is bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and a leadership team consisting primarily of founder Peter Schultz as Founder & Head Roaster. Brand-building is concentrated around direct-trade transparency, color-coded flavor navigation (Yellow/Green/Red/Blue label system), and regional identity through a watershed-conservation partnership with Friends of the Inyo tied to the Fat Trout Coffee line.

Name

Black Sheep Coffee Roasters

Legal name

Black Sheep Coffee Roasters

Website

https://blacksheepcoffeeroasters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Sheep Coffee Roasters is a privately held specialty coffee roaster founded in 2004 in Bishop, California, selling direct-trade single-origin and blended coffees, four subscription series, merchandise, and local honey via e-commerce, a flagship coffee bar, and a California wholesale program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Espresso Bars & Coffee Bars (THAFADAD), Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Direct trade coffee
• Single origin coffee beans
• Coffee subscription service
• Wholesale coffee supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Bishop

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee Bean Sales: One-time purchases of single origin and blended coffee beans sold in various sizes (3/4lb, 2lb, 5lb). Includes direct trade, single origin, and specialty coffee offerings.
2. Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring subscription service delivering curated coffee on weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedules. Four series available: Adventure (fruity/expressive), Golden Bean Espresso, Traditional (dark roasts), and Altitude (bright/vibrant).
3. Wholesale: B2B sales of coffee beans and equipment to cafes, hotels, restaurants, offices, and retailers. Includes equipment provision and staff training programs.
4. Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including travel mugs, coffee mugs, t-shirts, stickers, and honey products from local producers.
5. Gift Cards: Digital and physical gift cards redeemable for all products including subscriptions. Available in denominations from $5 to $1,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Black Sheep Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster that sources direct trade single origin and blended green coffees and roasts them in small batches at high altitude in Bishop, California. It sells roasted coffee beans, recurring subscription deliveries across four flavor-themed series, branded merchandise and espresso equipment, gift cards, and a wholesale program to California cafes, hotels, restaurants, and outdoor-focused retailers. The company also operates a flagship coffee bar at its Main Street headquarters serving espresso drinks and pastries.

Product overview

Black Sheep Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee company based in Bishop, California, offering a diverse portfolio centered on direct trade coffee beans, coffee subscriptions, and café services. The core product line includes single origin coffees from regions including El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Ethiopia, and Colombia, as well as proprietary blends such as the Golden Bean Medal-winning Sierra Oro Espresso Blend and The Naturals Blend. The company operates four coffee subscription series—Traditional "Trad" Series, Golden Bean Espresso Series, Altitude Series, and Adventure Series—each catering to different taste preferences from traditional dark roasts to fruity and expressive natural process coffees. Retail operations include a physical coffee bar in Bishop serving espresso drinks and pastries, while the wholesale division supplies business partners including cafes, hotels, and outdoor gear retailers. Merchandise offerings include apparel, drinkware, local honey, and espresso equipment. The company emphasizes direct trade relationships, high-altitude roasting in Bishop, and environmental stewardship including watershed conservation partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Malacara B – El Salvador (Single Origin Coffee) Single origin natural process coffee from El Salvador with tasting notes of strawberry, blueberry, and rich fudge; sold in multiple bag sizes.
• Los Primos – Guatemala (Single Origin Coffee) Specialty coffee from Chiapas crafted by Indigenous Tzeltal producers with tasting notes of mixed berries and dark chocolate.
• Bishop Creek Blend (Coffee Beans) Best-selling West Coast style medium dark roast blend with rich chocolate base and full-bodied mouthfeel, smooth and suitable with milk.
• Finca Vista Hermosa – Guatemala (Single Origin Coffee) Single origin coffee from the Huehuetenango highlands with tasting notes of raspberry, dark chocolate, and juicy acidity.
• Yellow Bourbon – Guatemala, El Socorro (Coffee Beans) Award-winning washed Yellow Bourbon coffee from Finca El Socorro with tasting notes of juicy tropical fruit and cashew.
• Decaf Colombia – EA Sugarcane Process (Decaf Coffee Beans) Decaffeinated coffee using the EA sugarcane process with no chemicals, featuring tasting notes of citrus, caramel, dark chocolate, and a sweet clean finish.
• Guji-Shakiso – Ethiopia Natural Process (Coffee Beans) Grade 1 Organic Ethiopian coffee naturally processed at the Gigesa washing station with tasting notes of black tea, stone fruit, jasmine, and honey.
• The Naturals Blend – Golden Bean Medalist (Coffee Beans) Award-winning blend of three coffees from El Salvador and Brazil, naturally processed for 21-30 days, with tasting notes of strawberry, fudge, and pineapple.

Quantifiable outcome

• Coffee typically roasted within 1 day of being shipped
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Friends of the InyominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatershed conservation partnership with local non-profit Friends of the Inyo. A portion of profits from Fat Trout Coffee sales is allocated to support water shed conservation in the Eastern Sierra region.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster operating cafes, wholesale, RTC (ready-to-drink) beverages, and subscriptions. Comparable product portfolio and channel breadth, with significantly more capital and geographic reach.
• Peet's Coffee: Large established specialty coffee company with retail cafes, wholesale, and grocery distribution. Overlap in product and channels but with substantially greater scale and capital.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Large specialty coffee roaster with cafe, subscription, and wholesale operations. Comparable product offering and direct trade positioning, but at materially greater scale and capital backing.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Established specialty roaster with direct trade sourcing, wholesale, DTC subscriptions, and cafe locations. Overlapping product and channel model, with significantly broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Heart Coffee Roasters: Small-batch specialty roaster with direct trade sourcing, subscriptions, and a flagship cafe. Closely comparable in scale, craft positioning, and DTC-plus-cafe operating model.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster known for direct trade sourcing and single origin transparency. Comparable in roasting craft and cafe/wholesale hybrid model, though with a larger national footprint.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster with direct trade sourcing, subscription programs, and a strong wholesale focus across cafes and restaurants. Highly comparable in craft positioning and B2B go-to-market.
• Ritual Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with cafe, wholesale, and subscription channels built on direct trade sourcing. Comparable product mix and brand-led specialty positioning, primarily California-based.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: California-based specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator with direct trade sourcing, single origin offerings, and multiple subscription and retail cafe locations. Closely comparable in product mix, GTM, and regional California footprint.
• Onyx Coffee Lab: Award-winning specialty roaster with a strong competition pedigree and direct trade sourcing. Comparable in craft positioning, single-origin focus, and DTC subscription emphasis.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/blksheepbishop
• Facebookfacebook.com/134865369912136
• Instagraminstagram.com/blacksheepcoffeeroasters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-sheep-coffee-roasters-llc

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 Black Sheep Coffee Roasters