Brûlerie Rousseau

What Brûlerie Rousseau does

Brûlerie Rousseau is a Quebec City-based artisanal coffee roastery founded in 1867, recognized as the oldest coffee roasting establishment in Quebec. The company roasts coffee daily in small batches and offers a curated portfolio spanning single-origin coffees (Guatemala, Brazil, Mexico, India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Costa Rica), signature blends (Mélange 1867, Espresso Italien, Espresso Français), micro-lots (Alliance des femmes, Yirgacheffe), decaffeinated options, Discovery Boxes, and pre-configured Bundles. Its product surface extends beyond coffee to include loose-leaf teas, house-made hot chocolate mixes, fruit preserves, and third-party specialty coffee equipment (Jura, LELIT, FELLOW, HARIO, Timemore).

The business operates a hybrid distribution model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce (powered by Shopify, with delivery throughout Quebec and free shipping over $55 CAD) and six physical retail locations across Quebec City (Halles Ste-Foy, Halles Cartier, Grand Marché, Bouvier, Galeries de la Capitale, Place de la Cité). A dedicated B2B commercial sales channel, led by a named representative, supplies restaurants, cafés, and businesses in the region. A subscription service offers 30% off the first order and 10% on subsequent orders with delivery frequencies of 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks.

The company is privately held with six total employees and operates with a related sister company, Monsieur T., which specializes in bulk tea and draws its name from the firm's historical tea-importing identity (formerly Rousseau T! T! T!). The tech stack is entirely commodity (Shopify, Klaviyo, Google Analytics, Shop Pay, Facebook Pixel, TikTok Pixel, Cloudflare, hCaptcha) with no disclosed proprietary technology or AI capabilities. Pricing is positioned in the specialty segment ($12-$16 CAD for 340g bags, $27-$28 for Discovery Boxes) with volume discounts of 10-15% on bulk purchases.

Name

Brûlerie Rousseau

Legal name

Brûlerie Rousseau

Website

https://brulerierousseau.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1867

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Brûlerie Rousseau is Quebec City's oldest artisanal coffee roastery (since 1867), selling daily-roasted single-origin and blended coffees plus accessories through 6 retail locations, a Shopify e-commerce store, subscriptions, and a B2B channel serving Quebec restaurants and cafés.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

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

SIC

Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)

Keywords

• Artisanal coffee roasting
• Specialty coffee retail
• Coffee subscription service
• Single-origin coffee beans
• Coffee wholesale supply

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee Sales: Sale of whole bean and ground coffee products across multiple origins (Guatemala, Brazil, Mexico, India, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, etc.) and blends. One-time purchase model with volume discounts available (10% for 1kg, 15% for 2.5kg).
2. Coffee Subscription: Recurring subscription model offering 30% discount on first order and 10% on subsequent orders. Customers choose frequency (every 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks). Generates predictable recurring revenue.
3. B2B Commercial Sales: Supplying coffee to commercial establishments (restaurants, cafes, businesses) interested in serving Brûlerie Rousseau products.
4. Complementary Products: Sales of teas, hot chocolate, preserves, accessories (coffee makers, grinders, scales, filters), and barista supplies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Brûlerie Rousseau is Quebec's oldest coffee roastery (since 1867), roasting coffee daily in small artisanal batches and selling whole bean and ground coffee through single-origin and signature blends. The company also offers loose-leaf teas, house-made hot chocolate mixes, fruit jams, and curated coffee accessories (espresso machines, grinders, pour-over gear, scales, travel mugs, vacuum canisters), supported by a recurring coffee subscription service, discovery tasting boxes, and pre-configured coffee bundles. Sales are fulfilled via six physical retail locations in Quebec City and a Shopify-powered online store with delivery throughout Quebec.

Product overview

Brûlerie Rousseau is a Quebec-based artisanal coffee roastery founded in 1867, operating as a single unified specialty coffee brand rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its product portfolio centers on a curated selection of single-origin and blended whole coffee beans (roasted daily) across three tiers — Classics (Espresso Italien, Espresso Français, Malabar Moussonné), Distingués (Distinguished) coffees (Mélange 1867, Mocha Harrar, Récolte), and Micro-lots (Nicaragua Catuai Rojo, Alliance des femmes, Yirgacheffe) — supplemented by decaffeinated options, coffee subscription services, tasting Discovery Boxes and pre-configured Bundles, loose-leaf teas, house-made hot chocolate mixes and jams, coffee accessories (espresso machines, grinders, pour-over gear, scales, travel mugs, vacuum canisters), and an interactive Coffee Quiz to guide purchase decisions. The brand also operates multiple physical retail locations throughout Quebec.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mélange 1867 The signature house blend celebrating the company's history, combining Guatemala and Brazil origins with notes of milk chocolate and almond; roasted medium and suited for espresso, cappuccino, or latté. Sold as a 340g whole bean or ground bag for individual consumers and home brewing.
• Espresso Italien A top-selling blend from Mexico and India, roasted dark to deliver a short, intense espresso balanced by a golden, velvety crema with cacao and earthy notes. Sold as a 340g bag for home and commercial espresso service.
• Espresso Français A dark-roasted Brazil and India blend using a semi-pulped natural process, producing a round and balanced cup with dark chocolate, nut, and brown sugar notes. Sold as a 340g bag suited to espresso preparation.
• Malabar Moussonné An Indian monsooned coffee stored outdoors to absorb sea moisture, offering a unique saline quality, very low acidity, and notes of cacao, fleur de sel, and roasted nuts; prized for its crema. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Brésil Noir A dark-roasted single-origin Brazilian coffee from the Cerrado region at 1100m altitude (Topaze variety), featuring sweet cocoa and campfire smoke notes with a creamy texture. Sold as a 340g bag.
• P'tit velours A gentle, fruity blend from Guatemala and Mexico with fruit jam and milk chocolate notes; balanced acidity and bitterness, best enjoyed as black filter coffee. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Mocha Harrar A dark-roasted Ethiopian coffee with a rich, unctuous character featuring campfire and earthy notes. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Colombien Décaféiné A decaffeinated Colombian coffee processed with ethyl acetate solvent, offering dark chocolate, caramel, and fruit notes while preserving the depth of traditional coffee. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Nicaragua Catuai Rojo A micro-lot Nicaraguan coffee from Sajonia Estate at 1500m altitude, featuring honey, fruit, and toast notes with an enveloping body and chocolatey finish. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Kenya AA A medium-dark roasted Kenyan coffee from the highest plateaus, delivering a lively, fruity cup with a long, sweet finish featuring berries, candied fruit, and crème brûlée. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Alliance des femmes A micro-lot Costa Rican blend of Catuai and Caturra varieties from four farms in Naranjo, Alajuela, Carrizal, and Tarrazu regions (1000-1900m), processed via white honey method with honey, nut, and caramel notes. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Mexicain décaféiné à l'eau A Swiss Water decaf Mexican coffee with a bitterer, darker profile featuring roasted marshmallow and campfire notes. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Mielleux A rich, enveloping Brazil-Mexico-India blend with campfire, honey, and salted caramel notes designed for espresso lovers seeking a bold yet tender character. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Récolte An assembly of Ethiopian and Guatemalan coffees creating synergy between fruity-chocolatey and sweet-silky profiles with blueberry, floral, and praline almond notes. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Yirgacheffe An Ethiopian single-origin coffee featured in the micro-lots collection. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Douce moitié A 50/50 blend pairing Colombian decaf with the Alliance des femmes Costa Rican coffee, yielding a round, indulgent cup with nut and caramel notes. Sold as a 340g bag.
• Abonnements Café (Coffee Subscriptions) A recurring coffee delivery subscription service offering 30% off the first order and 10% off subsequent orders with flexible delivery frequencies (every 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks) across the full coffee range, delivered throughout Quebec.
• Boîtes Découverte (Discovery Boxes) Curated tasting sets of three different coffees; available in Espresso and Filtre (filter) editions, sold at $27 and $28 respectively.
• Nos ensembles cafés (Coffee Bundles) Pre-configured trio bundles of three coffee bags each; offerings include the Espresso Trio ($35), Aventureux Trio ($43), and Filtre Trio ($36).
• Nos thés (Tea Collection) A selection of loose-leaf and bagged teas including Rooibos Parfait à l'orange ($9), English Breakfast, T. Réveillé, Chaï Épicé, Zeste de camomille, Fleur d'Asie, Menthe Infatigable, Magie Verte, Sencha Fukujyu, and Earl Grey Crème, all sold as 15-bag packages.
• Chocolat Chaud Classique (Classic Hot Chocolate) A 250g hot chocolate mix of cocoa, sugar, and powdered skim milk; prepared with 2 tablespoons per cup of hot milk.
• Chocolat Chaud Noir (Dark Hot Chocolate) A dark variant of the house hot chocolate mix, sold at $13.
• Chocolat Chaud Épicé (Spiced Hot Chocolate) A spiced hot chocolate mix containing cocoa, sugar, powdered skim milk, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and cayenne.
• Confiture Fraises et Framboises (Strawberry-Raspberry Jam) House-made fruit preserve made with strawberries and raspberries, sold at $7.
• Cafetière Jura E4 (Automatic Espresso Machine) A fully automatic residential espresso machine from Jura, priced at $1,304.
• Cafetière Jura E6 (Automatic Espresso Machine) A fully automatic residential espresso machine from Jura, priced at $1,521.
• Cafetière Jura E8 (Automatic Espresso Machine) A fully automatic residential espresso machine from Jura, priced at $2,102.
• Machine espresso LELIT Anna 2 (Manual Espresso Machine) A manual espresso machine by LELIT priced at $781.
• Moulin à café Lelit Fred (Coffee Grinder) A LELIT branded coffee grinder priced at $273.
• Chemex classique 6 tasses (Chemex Classic 6-Cup) A classic 6-cup Chemex pour-over coffee maker priced at $50.
• HARIO V60-02 (céramique) (Ceramic Dripper) A ceramic V60 pour-over dripper priced at $33.
• Filtres HARIO V60-02 (Paper Filters) Paper filter inserts for the HARIO V60-02 dripper.
• Balance Timemore Black Mirror Basic 2 (Coffee Brewing Scale) A precision coffee brewing scale with automatic timer, flow rate monitoring, and switchable gram/ounce units, priced at $59 (currently sold out).
• FELLOW Carter Move (355 ml / 12 oz) A double-wall vacuum insulated travel mug in 304 stainless steel maintaining heat for 12 hours or cold for 24 hours, featuring a ceramic-lined interior, cone-shaped lip, and leak-proof 270° twist-lock lid; priced at $32.
• Récipient sous vide FELLOW Atmos (Vacuum Canister) A 1.2L vacuum storage canister with built-in pump that removes air to prevent oxidation, extending coffee freshness by up to 50%; priced at $43 (currently sold out).
• FELLOW Opus Moulin tout-en-un (All-In-One Grinder) A FELLOW branded all-in-one coffee grinder priced at $204 (currently sold out).
• Pot de 120 tablettes de nettoyant Urnex Rinza (Cleaning Tablets) A 120-tablet pack of Urnex Rinza espresso machine cleaning tablets, priced at $26.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Monsieur T.minorOthersSister company specializing in bulk tea. The Rousseau company originally imported teas and was called Rousseau T! T! T! The name Monsieur T. derives from this tea importing heritage.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Café Saint-Henri: Montreal-based specialty coffee micro-roaster with multiple retail locations, e-commerce, and a subscription model serving Quebec/Canadian consumers with single-origin and blended coffees — closely comparable to Brûlerie Rousseau's specialty, multi-channel Quebec positioning.
• Pilot Coffee Roasters: Toronto-based specialty coffee roaster operating roastery cafes, wholesale distribution, and an e-commerce/subscription model — a directly comparable Canadian specialty roaster with a similar multi-channel DTC + retail + B2B structure.
• 49th Parallel Coffee: Canadian specialty coffee roaster founded in Vancouver with retail cafes, wholesale accounts, and direct-to-consumer online sales — directly comparable in being a Canadian third-wave roaster combining retail, wholesale, and DTC channels.
• Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters: Calgary-based specialty coffee roaster with retail cafes, wholesale supply, and an e-commerce platform serving Canadian specialty consumers — comparable in size, channel mix, and direct-to-consumer specialty focus.
• Detour Coffee: Ontario-based small-batch specialty coffee roaster with direct-to-consumer online sales and wholesale accounts — comparable in scale and artisan, single-origin positioning to Brûlerie Rousseau's specialty roaster model.
• Rosso Coffee Roasters: Calgary-based specialty coffee roaster operating cafes, wholesale supply, and an e-commerce store with subscription options — comparable as a Canadian third-wave roaster with a multi-channel DTC + retail + B2B model.

Regional players

• Le Brûloir: Quebec City specialty coffee roaster and cafe operating in the same local Quebec City market — a regional specialty peer competing directly for the same Quebec consumer base.

Broad incumbents

• Tim Hortons: Canada's largest coffee QSR chain with thousands of locations — represents the broad incumbent competitive set Brûlerie Rousseau faces on convenience and brand awareness, though with an opposing mass-market value proposition.
• Starbucks: Global coffee chain with extensive Canadian retail presence — the broad incumbent against which all Canadian specialty roasters compete for consumer mindshare and wholesale accounts.

Others

• Fellow: Specialty coffee accessories brand (grinders, kettles, mugs) whose products are stocked and retailed by Brûlerie Rousseau — an ecosystem partner/supplier whose category overlaps with Brûlerie Rousseau's accessory retail mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 Brûlerie Rousseau