Cupper's Coffee & Tea

What Cupper's Coffee & Tea does

Cupper's Coffee & Tea is a 100% Canadian, woman-owned specialty coffee roaster founded in 1994 and headquartered in Lethbridge, Alberta. The company operates a single physical retail store with an on-site coffee roaster and gift shop, alongside a Canada-wide e-commerce storefront (cuppers.ca). Its core offering is small-batch daily roasting across 33 coffee varieties (light, medium, dark, espresso, decaf, and seasonal blends), supported by curated teas from brands such as Rishi, Numi, M21, and Metz, plus brewing equipment, gift baskets, drink mixers including a proprietary cold-brewed coffee concentrate, and an exclusive in-house brand (BAD Coffee).

The technical foundation is a custom-built drum coffee roaster designed in collaboration with a PhD in thermal dynamics and a local fabricator; the roaster features four individually controlled natural gas burners, variable RPM drum rotation, a cooling tray with agitation arm, and a venting system enabling precise temperature and airflow control. This hardware underwrites the company's daily roast-and-ship cadence, with coffee shipped within 4-5 days of roasting and rested at least 24 hours before sale. The company sources fair-trade and certified-organic green beans globally, partners with the Cafe Femenino program supporting women coffee growers, and offers a unique non-profit fundraising channel.

Cupper's revenue mechanics combine direct-to-consumer retail (in-store + online), wholesale office-coffee accounts across Canada, gift basket sales across multiple seasonal occasions, a fundraising program for charities, and ancillary categories (sweet/savory treats, drink mixers, teaware, accessories). Pricing is unit-based with a free-shipping threshold at 10+ lbs, and a multi-channel marketing motion emphasizes content marketing, an email newsletter, and an active social presence across Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

Name

Cupper's Coffee & Tea

Legal name

Cupper's Coffee & Tea

Website

https://cuppers.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cupper's Coffee & Tea is a 100% Canadian, woman-owned specialty coffee roaster founded in 1994 in Lethbridge, Alberta. It sells 33 freshly roasted coffee varieties, curated teas, brewing equipment, gift baskets, and cold-brewed concentrate via a flagship retail store, Canada-wide e-commerce, wholesale/office accounts, and a non-profit fundraising program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting & Retail

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Coffee Manufacturing (AFAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing (AFAFADAD), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Fresh roasted coffee beans
• Curated loose leaf teas
• Office coffee solutions
• Coffee gift baskets

Headquarters

HQ city

Lethbridge

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee and Tea Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of freshly roasted coffee beans (33 varieties), curated teas, coffee brewers, accessories, and drinkware through physical retail store and e-commerce platform. Products include single-origin coffees, blends, espresso blends, decaf options, and specialty teas from brands like Rishi, Numi, and Metz.
2. Wholesale Coffee: Office coffee solutions providing businesses with fresh roasted coffee supply, targeting commercial accounts across Canada with bulk ordering capabilities.
3. Gift Baskets: Curated gift basket program featuring coffee, tea, confections, and specialty items for various occasions including holidays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, and custom occasions.
4. Coffee Fundraising Program: Partnership program where non-profits and charities sell Cupper's coffee products to raise funds, offering customized blends and support for organizational fundraising initiatives.
5. Drink Mixers and Concentrates: Sale of specialty products including Cupper's Coffee Concentrate (cold-brewed), drink syrups, and mixers for cocktails and culinary applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cupper's Coffee & Tea is a specialty coffee roaster and retailer that imports, roasts, and sells 33 varieties of fair-trade, freshly roasted coffee beans in small batches daily, alongside curated premium teas, coffee brewing equipment, gift baskets, and a proprietary cold-brewed coffee concentrate. The company operates a physical retail store and gift shop with on-site roasting in Lethbridge, Alberta, an e-commerce storefront shipping across Canada, a wholesale office coffee program, and a fundraising channel for non-profits.

Product overview

Cupper's Coffee & Tea is a 100% Canadian woman-owned gourmet coffee and tea retailer with an on-site coffee roaster in Lethbridge, Alberta. The company operates as a unified retail and wholesale business offering 33 varieties of freshly roasted coffee beans roasted daily in small batches, alongside a curated selection of premium teas (Rishi, Numi, M21 Luxury, Metz). The product portfolio centers on Fresh Roasted Coffee (spanning Light, Medium, Dark roasts, Espresso Blends, and Decaf options), complemented by Coffee Brewers and accessories, curated teas and teaware, drink mixers including the company's own Coffee Concentrate, gift baskets featuring Alberta/Canadian artisans, sweet treats, and B2B office/wholesale solutions. Key signature products include the exclusive BAD Coffee brand, seasonal offerings (Christmas Blend, JavaZombie, Shark Bite Espresso), and the London Fog base Rishi Earl Grey. The company also runs a unique fundraising coffee program supporting non-profits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BAD Coffee: Exclusive best-selling brand of bold, dark, intense coffee blend featuring Colombian Supremo and Xtreme Bean.

Products and services

• Fresh Roasted Coffee Beans (33 varieties) Daily freshly roasted coffee beans including Light Roast, Medium Roast, Dark Roast, Coffee Blends, Espresso Blends, Decaf Coffees, and Seasonal Coffees. Features 33 varieties sourced ethically from worldwide origins, roasted daily and shipped within 4-5 days of roasting.
• BAD Coffee Exclusive bold dark roast blend of Colombian Supremo and Xtreme Bean, featuring notes of cola, molasses, almond/pecan with subtle nougat sweetness. Best-selling coffee with heavy syrupy body.
• Cupper's Curated Teas Curated selection of premium teas including M21 Luxury Tea, Metz Tea, Numi Tea, and Rishi Tea, along with teaware and accessories.
• Coffee Brewers and Equipment Wide selection of coffee brewing equipment including Jura Espresso machines, Breville Machines, Stovetop Brewers (Bialetti), Percolators, French Presses, Aeropresses, Coffee Pourovers, Vietnamese Phins, and Cold Brewers.
• Cupper's Coffee Concentrate Cold-brewed coffee concentrate made slowly in fresh icy water. Bold, low acidity with no bitterness. Versatile for hot, iced, or mixed drinks at 1:2 ratio concentrate to water or milk.
• Gift Baskets Custom curated gift baskets including Ready to Go Gift Baskets, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas, Valentine's, and Mini Gift Baskettes, featuring Alberta and Canadian artisan products.
• Office Coffee Solutions (Wholesale) Wholesale coffee service for offices providing fresh roasted coffee beans and equipment, supporting businesses with coffee supply and custom solutions across Canada.
• Coffee Fundraising Program Partnership program where non-profits and charities sell Cupper's coffee products to raise funds, offering customized blends and support for organizational fundraising initiatives.
• Sweet Treats and Confections Confectionery products including Dipped & Drizzled items, Classic Confections, Freeze Dried treats, Le Chocolatier, Compass Chocolate, Whips Caramels, jams, honey, and preserves.
• Drink Mixers and Syrups Mixers including Vesper Craft Cocktails, Monin Syrups & Sauces, Frappe & Hot Mixes, Alternate Milks, and Smoothie Blends for cocktails and culinary applications.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 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

One partnership is on record.

• Cafe FemeninominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCupper's supports the Cafe Femenino program which helps women in coffee-growing communities. This partnership aligns with their ethical sourcing values and commitment to supporting women-owned farming operations globally.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Counter Culture Coffee: US specialty coffee roaster with strong sustainability/ethical sourcing story, wholesale and DTC distribution. Comparable in its emphasis on transparency, training, and fair-trade sourcing for office and retail accounts.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Pioneering third-wave specialty roaster with DTC and wholesale channels and direct-trade sourcing programs. Comparable as a premium third-wave roaster with strong educational content and B2B/wholesale focus.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Acquired US third-wave specialty coffee roaster with broad e-commerce, wholesale, and cafe presence. Useful benchmark for how Cupper's could scale into a national DTC + wholesale brand, though at much larger scale.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Large specialty roaster with cafes and nationwide e-commerce. Relevant comp for Cupper's potential to scale DTC subscription and gift basket business, though at very different scale.

Others

• Jura Espresso (Jura Elektroapparate): Premium espresso machine brand carried in Cupper's brewer category. Relevant adjacency because Cupper's sells Jura machines and office coffee solutions bundling equipment with beans.
• Rishi Tea & Botanicals: Specialty tea supplier carried by Cupper's online store. Indirectly comparable because Cupper's curates Rishi alongside its own roasted coffee — useful for modeling bundle/marketplace expansion on the tea side.

Direct peers

• Fratello Coffee Roasters: Canadian specialty coffee roaster serving wholesale, retail, and e-commerce in Western Canada. Directly comparable as a Canadian third-wave roaster with retail + wholesale + office coffee distribution and similar product breadth (single-origins, blends, espresso).
• Saltspring Coffee: Canadian specialty coffee roaster selling via e-commerce, retail, and wholesale in Canada. Comparable as a small-batch Canadian roaster with fair-trade sourcing, multi-channel distribution, and curated tea/coffee catalog.
• Forty Ninth Parallel Coffee Roasters: Canadian specialty roaster with retail cafes and nationwide wholesale distribution. Comparable as a Canadian third-wave roaster combining DTC e-commerce, wholesale, and physical retail with curated single-origin and blend offerings.

Emerging players

• Verve Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with retail cafes, e-commerce, and wholesale similar in profile to Cupper's. Comparable as a digitally-active small roaster emphasizing seasonal coffees and storytelling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCvbFsbtSTtmRLRcDsZqJS8g
• Facebookfacebook.com/CuppersCoffeeRoaster.Lethbridge
• Instagraminstagram.com/cupperscoffee/?hl=en
• Pinterestpinterest.ca/cupperscoffeeandtea
• TikToktiktok.com/@cupperscoffee?lang=en
• Xx.com/cupperscoffee

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Cupper's Coffee & Tea