Tala Coffee Roasters

What Tala Coffee Roasters does

Tala Coffee Roasters is a privately held specialty coffee roaster founded in 2017 and headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois. The company roasts single-origin and blended coffees with a focus on sweetness-driven roast profiles, sourcing green coffee through long-standing partnerships with Cafe Imports, Crop to Cup, and Unblended. It sells roasted coffee direct-to-consumer via its own e-commerce storefront, a Coffee Club subscription service, and a Neighborly local delivery operation.

The company operates three retail cafes in Chicago's North Shore suburbs — Highwood (opened 2018 in a renovated firehouse), Libertyville (the roastery-cafe at headquarters, opened 2023), and Winnetka (opened November 30, 2023 in a renovated former gas station) — all open daily 7am-6pm. Beyond coffee, Tala offers branded merchandise and third-party brewing gear (Kalita, Timemore, AeroPress, Hario, Opus), paid coffee classes led by Co-Owner and Head Roaster Keith Lilja, private event room rental, and a B2B wholesale partner program for offices, restaurants, churches, and cafes ordering 20+ pounds monthly, including an on-premise kegerator program at $90/month. Customer segments are distributed across individual consumers (primary), wholesale B2B accounts, and event hosts, with no institutional funding or external investors disclosed.

Name

Tala Coffee Roasters

Legal name

Tala Coffee Roasters

Website

https://talacoffeeroasters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tala Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster based in Libertyville, Illinois, operating three cafes in Chicago's North Shore suburbs, an e-commerce store, the Coffee Club subscription, and a B2B wholesale and kegerator program serving offices, restaurants, and cafes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Coffee, Tea & Cacao Experiences (Roastery Tours, Tastings) (THAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Coffee subscription service
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Coffee brewing education
• Cafe and roastery

Headquarters

HQ city

Libertyville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail cafe sales: Three company-owned cafes in Highwood, Libertyville, and Winnetka serving specialty coffee drinks, cold brew, and seasonal menu items. Walk-in customers purchase beverages directly.
2. E-commerce coffee sales: Online store selling specialty coffee beans (blends and single origins) directly to consumers. Offers multiple grind options and bag sizes (12oz, 2lb, 5lb).
3. Coffee Club subscription: Recurring subscription service allowing customers to choose frequency, size, and type of coffee. Delivered to customers with free local delivery available.
4. Wholesale B2B coffee: Wholesale partner program supplying offices, restaurants, churches, and cafes a minimum of 20+ pounds per month. Includes kegerator program for on-demand cold brew at $90/month with one free keg.
5. Merchandise and brewing gear: Sale of branded merchandise (mugs, hats, hoodies, thermoses) and third-party brewing equipment (Kalita, Timemore scales, AeroPress, Hario grinders, Opus grinder).
6. Coffee classes and events: Paid coffee education classes (Roastery Tour & Cupping, Brewing Basics, Class Pass at $50-$75) and room rental for private events generate additional revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tala Coffee Roasters roasts specialty coffee beans in-house and sells them through multiple channels: three retail cafes in Highwood, Libertyville, and Winnetka (IL); a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store with a recurring Coffee Club subscription; and a B2B wholesale partner program supplying offices, restaurants, churches, and cafes requiring 20+ pounds per month. The company also offers paid coffee classes (Roastery Tour & Cupping, Brewing Basics), branded merchandise and third-party brewing gear, a kegerator program for on-demand cold brew, and private event/catering services.

Product overview

Tala Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee company operating as a multi-location cafe and roastery with three Illinois locations (Highwood, Libertyville, and Winnetka). The core product offering consists of premium coffee beans available as named blends and single origins, complemented by a subscription service (Coffee Club). Additional revenue streams include merchandise, brewing gear, private events/catering, and wholesale programs. The company sources from global coffee-growing regions and roasts in-house, offering educational coffee classes and operating a kegerator program for cold brew on tap.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Coffee Club: Coffee subscription service allowing customers to choose frequency, size, and type of coffee with home delivery.
• Neighborly

Products and services

• Roasted Specialty Coffee Beans In-house roasted specialty coffee beans offered as named blends (e.g., Ruca House Blend, Amoret Espresso, Danger Zone), seasonal blends (e.g., Big Juice Summer Blend), single-origin microlots (e.g., Gitwe Rwanda, Gatuya AA Kenya, Carlos Cadena Mexico, Andres Cardona Colombia), and a chemical-free decaf, sold in 12oz, 2lb, and 5lb sizes with multiple grind options for home brewers, cafes, and wholesale partners.
• Canned Cold Brew Retail canned/bottled cold brew coffee sold at Tala's cafe locations and through the Neighborly local delivery service, intended for individual consumers seeking ready-to-drink specialty cold brew.
• Coffee Club Subscription

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Hope CollectiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale partner ordering coffee through Tala's partner program. Kim, a representative, provided a testimonial: 'We LOVE the Tala staff and the coffee is always amazing! Thanks for always being willing to work with us!'
• Frunchroom CollectiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA Chicago-area wholesale partner featured in Tala's Partner Program Highlight series. 'Frunchroom' is Chicago-style slang for the front room or formal sitting room.
• REIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with REI to bring a comprehensive guide to brewing coffee outdoors. Tala conducted a coffee demo at the local REI store as part of REI's 81st anniversary celebration in May 2019.
• Cafe ImportscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary green coffee importer with a nine-year partnership. Through this relationship, Tala often accesses exceptional coffees before they are widely released. Sourced coffees include Gatuya AA (Kenya), Carlos Cadena (Mexico), Karimikui AA (Kenya), La Bastilla (Nicaragua), and others.
• Oberweis Dairy & Ice CreamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighboring business in Winnetka. Tala partnered with Oberweis for a Halloween costume party and ice cream social event at the Winnetka cafe, featuring affogato specials with Oberweis ice cream.
• Created Co.minorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerArtisan partner that handcrafts Tala-branded merchandise, including the 8oz Milk Glass Mug. The mug is described as 'Handcrafted by the skilled artisans at Created Co.'
• Crop to CupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen coffee importer partner. Tala sourced Nguisse Nare (Sadama, Ethiopia) through this relationship. Crop to Cup is described as providing exceptional traceability and remarkable scoring on sourced lots.
• Sweet Joy Bake ShopminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal bakery that holds recurring pop-up events at Tala's Libertyville cafe. Owner Katy Boyack sells cupcakes and seasonal sweet treats. Multiple events held in 2025.
• Primavera Petit BakeryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal bakery pop-up partner. Featured at Tala's training lab on May 9, 2026 from 8am-1pm with owner Haley Horvat selling baked goods.
• Prima CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Tala's latte art throwdown competitions. Contributed prizes to the bracket-style competition events.
• TimemoreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrewing equipment brand and event sponsor for Tala's latte art throwdown. Timemore Black Mirror scales are also sold in Tala's merchandise store.
• Third Wave WaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Tala's latte art throwdown competitions.
• OatlyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Tala's latte art throwdown competitions.
• Clive CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Tala's latte art throwdown competitions.
• Holcomb HollowminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBakery supplier providing gluten-free muffins and baked goods for Tala's cafes. Located in Mundelein, Illinois. Features an original gluten-free flour recipe.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dark Matter Coffee: Chicago specialty roaster operating cafes and wholesale programs with an emphasis on direct-trade sourcing. Direct Midwest competitor to Tala across cafe, retail bean, and subscription channels.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Cafe-and-DTC specialty roaster with subscription service and curated single-origin offerings. Operationally similar cafe/roastery/subscription model to Tala.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty roaster with strong training/education programs and wholesale focus. Peer on the subscription and education/content dimensions of Tala's offering.
• Metric Coffee Co. Chicago specialty roaster with a roastery-cafe and strong wholesale presence. Competes with Tala for the same Chicago third-wave consumer and B2B accounts.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Chicago-based specialty roaster with multiple company-owned cafes and DTC e-commerce. Closest geographic and operational peer to Tala, with a comparable third-wave cafe-roastery model.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with cafes, draft latte program, DTC subscriptions, and wholesale distribution. Notably comparable to Tala for its draft/cold-brew kegerator-style offerings.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with cafes, DTC subscriptions (Hair Bender, Holler Mountain), and wholesale accounts. Direct multi-channel peer, though at meaningfully larger scale.
• Colectivo Coffee: Midwest-rooted specialty roaster with multiple cafes, subscription service, and wholesale program. Highly comparable multi-channel third-wave model to Tala.
• Big Shoulders Coffee: Chicago-area specialty roaster selling wholesale and online. Comparable small-scale, craft-focused roaster targeting similar Midwestern cafes and offices.

Broad incumbents

• Peet's Coffee: Established national specialty coffee brand with retail cafes, grocery distribution, and DTC. Operates in the same space but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/talacoffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tala-coffee-roasters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Tala Coffee Roasters