Cakeable
Cakeable is a Charlotte, NC nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 2019 that runs vocational training internships for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through its Uptown Charlotte cafe, with job placement support to 80+ area employers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersCharlotte, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cakeable does
Cakeable Charlotte, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) workforce development organization founded in 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina by John and Renee Ratcliffe. It provides vocational training internships for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through a working cafe, Cakeable Cafe, located at 401 North Tryon Street in Uptown Charlotte (open Monday–Friday 7AM–2:30PM). Interns complete 3–6 months of on-the-job training in food service and coffee preparation while receiving job coaching; the Placement Director team then matches graduates with employer partners, providing IDD training to employer teams and ongoing consultation for the life of each placement. As of May 2026, Cakeable merged with ZABS Place to operate a unified workforce development organization with two training sites, the Charlotte cafe and the Matthews boutique, under a single SAM Ebersman Training Program application. The cafe became Kosher-certified under Chabad of Charlotte supervision in June 2026.
The organization's commercial product surface is built around three whole-bean coffee blends (Cakeable Blend, Breakfast Blend, Decaf) roasted in partnership with Haerfest Coffee. These blends are sold at the cafe, through the online store, and via a subscription service with weekly-to-monthly delivery frequency and a 10% subscription discount (12 oz. bags at $16.50 one-time / $14.50 subscription; 5 lb. bags at $92.50 one-time / $83.25 subscription). Additional revenue comes from cafe merchandise, walk-in beverage and baked-good sales, and tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporate sponsors including Truist, Ally Foundation, Compass Foundation, and Canteen Cares. Go-to-market is community-led, leveraging PR coverage (WBTV, PBS Charlotte, Queen City News, Charlotte Observer), the @wearecakeable Instagram account, a newsletter, group tours for schools and organizations, and sponsor amplification through nonprofit networks SHARE Charlotte and the NC Center for Nonprofits. Cakeable earned the 2024 Guidestar Platinum Seal of Transparency and has placed graduates with 80+ area businesses.
Cakeable firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cakeable
- Legal name
- Cakeable Charlotte, Inc.
- Website
- https://wearecakeable.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cakeable is a Charlotte, NC nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded in 2019 that runs vocational training internships for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through its Uptown Charlotte cafe, with job placement support to 80+ area employers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cakeable industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Employment & Vocational Training Services
- NAICS
- Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Retail Bakeries (311811)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Bakery Products (2050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Independent Neighborhood Cafes (THAFADAC), Dessert Cafes (Coffee + Desserts) (THAFADAH)
Keywords
Where Cakeable is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charlotte
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Cakeable business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Cafe Retail Sales: On-site sales of coffee, drinks, and merchandise at Cakeable Cafe in Uptown Charlotte. Cafe operates Monday-Friday 7AM-2:30PM.
- E-commerce Coffee Sales: Online sales of whole bean coffee with one-time purchase or subscription options. Coffee shipped directly to customers. Three blends available: Cakeable Blend, Breakfast Blend, and Decaf.
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Nonprofit relies on donations from community to fund workforce development program. Tax-deductible donations support vocational training operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | One-time coffee purchase |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription coffee service |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cakeable product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cakeable Charlotte, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs the Cakeable Cafe in Uptown Charlotte as a real-world vocational training venue for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The organization sells three specialty whole-bean coffee blends (Cakeable Blend, Breakfast Blend, Decaf) roasted by partner Haerfest Coffee, both at the cafe and through its online store with one-time and subscription purchasing. It also delivers a 3-6 month internship program plus graduate job placement services that match trained interns with 80+ area employer partners.
Product overview
Cakeable is a nonprofit workforce development organization offering vocational training for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The primary offerings include the Cakeable Cafe physical location (401 North Tryon Street, Uptown Charlotte) and an online coffee store. Coffee products consist of three whole bean blends (Cakeable Blend, Breakfast Blend, and Decaf) sourced from Haerfest Coffee, available for one-time purchase or subscription delivery. The vocational training program provides 3-6 months of on-the-job training, and as of May 2026, merged with ZABS Place to create a unified training platform with shared application process.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cakeable Blend coffee Whole bean specialty coffee roasted for Cakeable by Haerfest Coffee, featuring notes of brown sugar, dark chocolate, cinnamon, and molasses with a nutty, earthy, full-bodied taste. Sourced from Indonesia and Central America; medium roast; available in 12 oz. and 5 lb. bags as one-time purchase ($16.50-$92.50) or recurring subscription with flexible delivery cadence.
- Breakfast Blend coffee Whole bean coffee roasted by Haerfest Coffee for Cakeable. Crisp and clean with a hint of sweetness and smooth mouthfeel; well-balanced cup with notes of citrus and vanilla. Sourced from Central and South America; blend of light and medium roasts; available in 12 oz. and 5 lb. bags as one-time purchase ($16.50-$92.50) or subscription.
- Decaf coffee Whole bean decaf coffee roasted by Haerfest Coffee. Two different styles roasted separately and blended for a balanced cup with deep finish; notes of dried fruit and dark chocolate. Sourced from South America; blend of light and medium roasts; available in 12 oz. and 5 lb. bags as one-time purchase ($16.50-$92.50) or subscription.
- Cakeable Cafe Physical cafe location at 401 North Tryon Street, Suite 106 in Uptown Charlotte where interns produce coffee, drinks, and baked goods under job coaching as part of their vocational training. Open Mon-Fri 7AM-2:30PM; certified Kosher as of June 2026 under supervision of Rabbi Yossi Groner and Chabad of Charlotte.
- Cafe merchandise Cakeable-branded apparel and accessories available for purchase at the physical cafe location to support the nonprofit's mission.
- Vocational Training Program Personalized vocational training internships at Cakeable Cafe for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The program provides 3-6 months of on-the-job training to develop transferable job skills, build confidence, and prepare for integrated community employment. As of May 2026, the program is unified with ZABS Place Special Talent under a single application process.
- Graduate Placement Services Job placement services that match trained Cakeable graduates with employer partners. Includes IDD training for employer teams, on-site job coaching during the transition period, and ongoing consultation for the lifetime of each placement to support successful long-term employment outcomes.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80+ area businesses have hired Cakeable graduates
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cakeable
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cakeable technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Cakeable partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ZABS PlacecoreMerger completed May 2026. ZABS Place and Cakeable joined forces as one organization with shared mission of inclusive employment. Interns at Cafe and Special Talent at ZABS Place share single application process. Both brands retained as public faces of training programs. Cakeable Cafe stays in Uptown Charlotte, ZABS Place Boutique stays in Matthews.
- Haerfest CoffeecoreHaerfest Coffee supplies specialty roasts for Cakeable Cafe. Founder Toby Foreman was inspired to create inclusive coffee company by his late brother and son who were born with intellectual disabilities. Haerfest Coffee also offers employment to individuals with disabilities. Coffee available for order through Cakeable shop.
- Canteen CaresminorCommunity sponsor supporting Cakeable's mission through Canteen Cares program
- TruistminorCommunity sponsor supporting inclusive employment mission
- Ally FoundationminorCorporate foundation sponsor supporting workforce development for people with disabilities
- Compass FoundationminorFoundation sponsor supporting inclusive employment programs
- CRG (Civic Resource Group)minorProduced video to tell the story of partnership with Cakeable
- SHARE CharlotteminorMember organization - nonprofit network to raise awareness of mission and collaborate with like-minded organizations
- North Carolina Center for NonprofitsminorMembership organization supporting nonprofit capacity and community engagement
- Cabo Fish Taco BallantyneminorSponsor of The Taco Dash event benefiting Special Olympics and Cakeable
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cakeable competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brewability: Nonprofit restaurant/brewery in Colorado that employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities — directly comparable foodservice-as-vocational-training model to Cakeable Cafe.
- Bitty & Beau's Coffee: Specialty coffee chain that employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across multiple U.S. locations — the closest comparable social-enterprise cafe model to Cakeable's mission and operating approach.
- ZABS Place: Inclusive-employment nonprofit that merged with Cakeable in May 2026 to form a unified IDD workforce development organization operating a boutique as a training venue — same mission and complementary training format.
Emerging players
- KultureCity: Nonprofit advancing inclusion and employment opportunities for people with disabilities across hospitality and retail — adjacent mission targeting the same employer and donor ecosystem.
- Rising Tide Car Wash: Car wash social enterprise employing individuals with disabilities — comparable 'business-as-training-ground' model, but in a different retail vertical than Cakeable's cafe.
Broad incumbents
- Special Olympics: Global nonprofit with significant U.S. programming around employment and inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities — competes for similar corporate sponsorship and grant funding.
- Easterseals: Major national disability-services nonprofit providing employment, vocational, and workforce development programs — comparable mission, much broader geographic and programmatic scale.
- Best Buddies International: Large national nonprofit focused on employment and social inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — competes for the same corporate and foundation donor dollars.
- The Arc of the United States: National community-based nonprofit advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including employment programs — comparable mission, broader scope.
Others
- Haerfest Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster that supplies Cakeable's three blends and itself employs individuals with disabilities — included as the company's core operating partner and adjacent specialty-coffee brand.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cakeable social profiles
Digital presenceCakeable compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Cakeable financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cakeable leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Cakeable funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cakeable 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 Cakeable
What does Cakeable do?
Cakeable Charlotte, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs the Cakeable Cafe in Uptown Charlotte as a real-world vocational training venue for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The organization sells three specialty whole-bean coffee blends (Cakeable Blend, Breakfast Blend, Decaf) roasted by partner Haerfest Coffee, both at the cafe and through its online store with one-time and subscription purchasing. It also delivers a 3-6 month internship program plus graduate job placement services that match trained interns with 80+ area employer partners.
Is Cakeable a public or private company?
Cakeable is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cakeable founded?
Cakeable was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cakeable based?
Cakeable is headquartered in Charlotte, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cakeable make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Cafe Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce Coffee Sales and donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are Cakeable's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brewability, Bitty & Beau's Coffee and ZABS Place. Emerging players are KultureCity and Rising Tide Car Wash. Broad incumbents are Special Olympics, Easterseals, Best Buddies International and The Arc of the United States. Haerfest Coffee is listed as an others.
Does Cakeable have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cakeable.
What industry is Cakeable in?
Cakeable's product category is Disability Employment & Vocational Training Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAOAI, Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs, with a secondary code of THAFADAC, Independent Neighborhood Cafes. Its NAICS code is 722515 and its SIC code is 5810.