What Veteran Roasters does

Veteran Roasters is a privately held, veteran-owned coffee company headquartered at 2032 W Iowa St, Chicago, IL, founded in 2017 with a stated mission of providing job opportunities to at-risk and homeless veterans. The company operates a single coffee roasting facility in Chicago where U.S. military veterans roast Arabica beans daily, sourced from family farms and fair-trade importers. Its product lineup consists of four signature roasts — Enlisted (light), Cup O' Joe (medium, with decaf variant), Night Ops (dark), and Admirals Blend (darkest) — available in whole bean, ground, and K-Cup formats across 12oz, 1lb, and 5lb sizes. The company also sells a branded merchandise line (apparel, hats, beanies, ceramic mugs) and digital gift cards denominated $10–$400.

The business is exclusively direct-to-consumer, transacted through an owned Shopify storefront with no retail or wholesale distribution disclosed, and ships only to U.S. addresses. Revenue mechanics blend one-time product purchases (coffee, merchandise, gift cards) with a recurring Subscribe & Save subscription program managed by Recharge Payments at a 10–15% discount and flexible delivery cadence of 2–8 weeks; new subscribers receive a free welcome hat. Pricing on core coffee SKUs spans roughly $13.99 (K-Cups) to $77 (5lb decaf ground). Marketing channels are limited to organic Facebook and Instagram, an email newsletter offering 25% off first order, and SEO-optimized product pages on the Shopify site. Headcount is reported as 1–10 employees, no outside capital has been raised, and no leadership, M&A, or partnership beyond standard SaaS vendors is publicly disclosed.

Name

Veteran Roasters

Legal name

Veteran Roasters

Website

https://veteranroasters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Veteran Roasters is a Chicago-based, veteran-owned coffee roaster founded in 2017 that sells premium small-batch Arabica coffee — including a K-Cup line, merchandise, and subscriptions — direct-to-consumer in the United States, with a mission to employ at-risk and homeless veterans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

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

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Small-batch coffee roasting
• Specialty Arabica coffee
• Coffee subscription service
• Veteran-owned coffee
• Direct-to-consumer coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Coffee Product Sales: One-time purchases of roasted coffee beans in various roasts (light, medium, dark, decaf) and formats (whole bean, ground, k-cup). Products available in 12oz, 1lb, and 5lb sizes.
2. Subscription Revenue: Recurring monthly deliveries with 10-15% discount. Customers can set delivery frequency from every 2 weeks to every 8 weeks. Subscribers receive free welcome hat as onboarding incentive.
3. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations of $10, $25, $50, $100, and $400, delivered via email.
4. Merchandise Sales: Branded gear including t-shirts, hats, beanies, and mugs sold as one-time purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Veteran Roasters roasts and sells premium small-batch 100% Arabica coffee beans, offering four signature roasts (Enlisted light, Cup O' Joe medium, Night Ops dark, Admirals Blend darkest) in whole bean, ground, and K-Cup formats at 12oz, 1lb, and 5lb sizes. All coffee is roasted daily by trained U.S. military veterans at the company's Chicago facility, with products sold directly to consumers through an owned Shopify storefront that supports both one-time purchases and a recurring Subscribe & Save subscription program.

Product overview

Veteran Roasters is a veteran-owned coffee company offering premium small-batch roasted coffee products. The core product lineup consists of four signature coffee roasts: Enlisted Roast (light), Cup O' Joe Roast (medium, including decaf), Night Ops Roast (dark), and Admirals Blend (darkest). Products are available in multiple formats including whole bean, ground, and K-Cups, in sizes ranging from 12oz to 5lb bags. The company also sells merchandise (VR Badge apparel, mugs, hats, beanies) and gift cards. All products are roasted daily by U.S. military veterans in Chicago, IL, with a mission to provide job opportunities to at-risk veterans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Enlisted Roast (Light Roast) A light-roast 100% Arabica coffee with floral hints and nutty notes and a smooth finish, available in whole bean or ground form in 12oz, 1lb, and 5lb sizes. Aimed at U.S. consumers preferring lighter-bodied coffee.
• Cup O' Joe Roast (Medium Roast) A well-balanced medium-roast 100% Arabica coffee with good body and chocolate notes, available in caffeinated and decaf versions in whole bean or ground form in 12oz, 1lb, and 5lb sizes. Aimed at U.S. coffee drinkers seeking an everyday medium-roast profile.
• Cup O' Joe Roast Decaf (Medium Roast Decaf) A decaffeinated version of the Cup O' Joe medium-roast profile, retaining the well-balanced body and chocolate notes, available in whole bean or ground form across 12oz, 1lb, and 5lb sizes. Targeted at decaffeinated coffee consumers.
• Night Ops Roast (Dark Roast) A bold, rich dark roast with full body and rich dark chocolate and caramel flavor notes, available in whole bean or ground form in 12oz, 1lb, and 5lb sizes. Targeted at U.S. consumers preferring darker-roast coffee.
• Admirals Blend (Darkest Roast) A full-bodied, extra-bold roast with low acidity and rich chocolate notes, the strongest roast in the lineup, available in whole bean or ground form in 12oz, 1lb, and 5lb sizes. Targeted at consumers preferring a deeper, more intense coffee.
• The K-Ration: Admiral's Blend (K-Cups) A single-serve K-Cup format of the Admirals Blend, compatible with Keurig machines, available in boxes of 10, 20, or 40 cups. Aimed at Keurig users seeking single-serve specialty coffee.
• Veteran Roasters Starter Pack Full Lineup (4-Pack) A discounted 4-pack bundle containing all four signature roasts (Enlisted, Cup O' Joe, Night Ops, Admirals Blend), available in 12oz, 1lb, and 5lb sizes in whole bean or ground form. Targeted at first-time buyers and gift purchasers seeking the full lineup.
• VR Badge Apparel (T-shirts, Hats, Beanies) Branded merchandise including VR Badge T-shirts, VR Pocket Badge T-shirts, VR Badge Hats, and VR Badge Beanies in multiple colors and patterns. Targeted at mission-driven consumers and gift purchasers.
• Red Ceramic Cork Base Mug A red ceramic mug featuring the Veteran Roasters logo with a natural cork base for added grip, sold as one-time purchase. Targeted at coffee drinkers seeking branded drinkware.
• Veteran Roasters Digital Gift Card Digital gift cards available in $10, $25, $50, $100, and $400 denominations, delivered via email. Targeted at consumers purchasing coffee or merchandise as gifts for other individuals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Every bag purchased provides a job opportunity to a veteran
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform hosting the online store. Provides payment processing, inventory management, and checkout infrastructure for all online sales.
• Recharge PaymentscoreTechnology or IntegrationSubscription management platform enabling recurring billing, delivery scheduling, and subscription modifications. Powers the Subscribe & Save program with automatic deliveries.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Black Rifle Coffee Company: Veteran-founded D2C and omnichannel coffee brand targeting the same patriotic / mission-driven consumer with subscriptions, apparel, and ready-to-drink products. By far the most direct competitor in the veteran-themed specialty coffee niche.

Broad incumbents

• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Iconic specialty coffee brand with D2C subscriptions, retail cafes, and wholesale. Useful as a benchmark for a multi-channel specialty roaster and the kind of distribution mix Veteran Roasters currently lacks.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium D2C and retail specialty roaster with subscription offerings and tightly controlled brand experience — comparable on premium positioning, freshness-led messaging, and SKU curation.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Established specialty coffee roaster with both D2C and wholesale/cafe distribution, providing a benchmark for a larger premium roaster that Veteran Roasters could grow into operationally.

Emerging players

• Higher Ground Roasters: Veteran-owned craft roaster running a D2C and subscription model, comparable in scale, target customer, and mission framing.
• Grounds & Hounds Coffee Co. Mission-driven D2C specialty roaster donating a portion of proceeds to animal welfare rescues — a useful analog for a cause-based D2C coffee brand with subscription and merchandise lines.
• Ranger Ground Coffee: Veteran-owned small-batch coffee roaster selling online with a similar mission-driven positioning around military and first responder communities. Closely comparable in size, channel mix, and narrative.
• Combat Coffee Roasters: Veteran-owned specialty roaster selling online, with a comparable product mix of single-origin and blended coffees aimed at a military-affiliated buyer.
• Tactical Coffee Co. Military-themed subscription coffee company offering curated roasts from veteran-owned roasters, overlapping with Veteran Roasters on audience, brand tone, and subscription mechanics.

Others

• Rags of Honor: Veteran-owned apparel and lifestyle brand sharing a closely related mission, audience, and Chicago-area roots; the listed general contact email ([email protected]) suggests a direct operational link or shared operator, making it ecosystem-adjacent rather than a direct coffee competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/veteranroasters
• Instagraminstagram.com/veteranroasters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/veteran-roasters

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 Veteran Roasters