PASSION HOUSE COFFEE ROASTERS INC.

What PASSION HOUSE COFFEE ROASTERS INC. does

Passion House Coffee Roasters Inc. is a privately held, Chicago-based specialty coffee roaster founded by Joshua Millman. The company roasts and sells single-origin and blended coffees organized through a proprietary three-genre classification system — Ambient (dependable darker blends), Mainstream (seasonal bright single-origins), and Experimental (innovative processing methods). Its product catalog of approximately 17 active SKUs includes flagship blends such as Chicago House Blend, Bassline Espresso, Night Moves, LSD Blend, and Darkest Side of the Moon, alongside single-origins sourced globally from Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Guatemala, Peru, Papua New Guinea, and Ecuador through direct-trade partnerships with importers Cofinet and cooperatives including APROCCURMA.

The business operates a hybrid distribution model. A Shopify-powered DTC e-commerce store at passionhousecoffee.com drives direct consumer sales with global shipping and a Roaster's Choice Single-Origin Subscription at $20 per delivery on weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cadence. Two company-owned cafes in Chicago — Goose Island (1200 North Branch) and the East Garfield Park Roastery & Cafe (328 N Albany) — handle on-premise consumption and bag retail. A separate wholesale program serves B2B retail partners. Standard 12oz bags price between $15-$26, with 5lb formats available for select products.

Passion House differentiates through music-inspired branding and product naming, a Chicago-rooted cultural identity, and cause-driven collaborations including the Backline Blend (supporting music industry mental health) and the Dragonolia line (donating $1 per bag to The Herren Project for addiction recovery). The company is privately owned by its founder with no evidence of external institutional investment, and operates with a micro team of 1-10 employees.

Name

PASSION HOUSE COFFEE ROASTERS INC.

Legal name

Passion House Coffee Roasters Inc.

Website

https://passionhousecoffee.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Passion House Coffee Roasters Inc. is a privately held, Chicago-based specialty coffee roaster founded by Joshua Millman, selling single-origin and blended coffees organized by genre through DTC e-commerce, a subscription service, two company-owned cafes, and a wholesale program to specialty coffee consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

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), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Single-origin coffee
• Coffee subscriptions
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Specialty cafe beverages

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Online retail sales of whole bean and ground coffee products to consumers via passionhousecoffee.com. Products sold include single-origin coffees, blended coffees, and merchandise. One-time purchase and subscription options available.
2. Cafe Sales: Revenue from two Chicago cafe locations (Goose Island and East Garfield Park) where customers can purchase and consume coffee beverages on-premise.
3. Subscription Services: Recurring subscription model delivering freshly roasted single-origin coffees on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. Roasters Choice Single-Origin Subscription at $20 per delivery, with 5% savings for subscribers.
4. Wholesale: Wholesale program for retail partners to carry Passion House coffee products. Dedicated wholesale page exists on the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Passion House Coffee Roasters roasts and sells specialty-grade single-origin and blended coffees organized into a three-genre system (Ambient, Mainstream, Experimental). It distributes through a direct-to-consumer Shopify online store with subscriptions, two company-owned Chicago cafes, and a wholesale program for retail partners.

Product overview

Passion House Coffee Roasters Inc. is a Chicago-based specialty coffee roaster offering a curated portfolio organized around three distinct genre categories: Ambient (darker, dependable blends), Mainstream (seasonal single-origin coffees), and Experimental (innovative processing methods). The product lineup includes approximately 17 distinct coffee products spanning blended and single-origin offerings across all three genres, subscription services for recurring deliveries, and gift cards. Core products include the Chicago House Blend (ambient flagship), Bassline Espresso Blend, LSD Blend, Night Moves Blend, Darkest Side of the Moon, and Box of Rain (mainstream), complemented by charitable collabs like Backline Blend and Dragonolia (proceeds to addiction recovery causes). The subscription model provides curated single-origin selections on a recurring basis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Box of Rain Colombian single-origin Mainstream coffee from Granja Paraiso 92 on the Meseta de Popayán plateau, medium roast with grapefruit, citrus, florals, and chocolate tasting notes; for specialty coffee drinkers.
• Take it Slowly Kenyan Experimental single-origin coffee from the Nyeri region, light roast featuring papaya, green grape, cola, and lime zest tasting notes; for adventurous specialty coffee drinkers.
• Milly Grace Peruvian Mainstream single-origin coffee sourced via the women-led APROCCURMA cooperative, light/medium roast with vanilla bean, amber honey, citrus, and chocolate tasting notes.
• Ocelot Guatemalan Mainstream single-origin coffee from the Huehuetenango region via the Waykan cooperative, featuring peach, raspberry, fruit punch, and chocolate tasting notes.
• Chicago House Blend Ambient blend inspired by Chicago house music, medium/dark roast with milk chocolate, almond, and lemon zest tasting notes; flagship everyday blend.
• Decaf Chicago House Blend Decaffeinated version of the Chicago House Blend featuring melon, caramel candy, and dark chocolate tasting notes.
• LSD Blend Ambient blend named after Chicago's Lakeshore Drive, combining 70% washed Guatemala and 30% natural Ethiopia with milk chocolate, blueberry, and candied orange tasting notes.
• Night Moves Blend Ambient dark roast blend inspired by Bob Seger's song with dark chocolate, roasted walnut, toffee, and stone fruit tasting notes.
• Bassline Espresso Blend Espresso blend combining 80% pulp-natural Brazil with 20% washed Ethiopia, featuring peanut butter, cashew, and cocoa tasting notes.
• Decaf Bassline Espresso Blend Decaffeinated version of the Bassline Espresso Blend, medium roast retaining sweetness and complexity.
• Darkest Side of the Moon Darkest roast offering in the lineup, featuring fully washed Latin American coffees with dark chocolate, roasted walnut, toffee, and lemon zest tasting notes.
• Backline Blend Ambient collaboration blend with Backline, a nonprofit serving music industry professionals' mental health; charitable collaboration product.
• Dragonolia - Serenity Granted Light/medium roast coffee honoring a loved one lost to addiction, featuring milk chocolate, honey, and lemon zest tasting notes; $1 from each bag donated to The Herren Project.
• Dragonolia - Grateful-Lee Dark roast Dragonolia variant with rich dark chocolate, roasted walnut, and caramel notes and a smooth finish; supports The Herren Project.
• AME Mix Sampler Introductory three-bag sampler containing one Ambient, one Mainstream, and one Experimental coffee to experience the full range of the genre system.
• Gift Card Digital gift cards available in $10, $25, $50, and $100 denominations, redeemable for any online store items.
• Roaster's Choice Single-Origin Subscription Recurring subscription delivering seasonally rotating single-origin coffees from the Experimental and Mainstream genres on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly cadence at $20 per delivery with a 5% subscriber discount.
• Wholesale Coffee Program Wholesale supply program for cafes, restaurants, and retailers seeking to carry Passion House roasted coffee; requires a separate wholesale account and application.
• Chicago Cafe Service On-premise coffee beverages, espresso drinks, and whole-bean retail sales at two Chicago locations: Goose Island Cafe (1200 North Branch) and East Garfield Park Roastery & Cafe (328 N Albany).

Named customers2 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BacklinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPassion House partners with Backline, a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit connecting music industry professionals with mental health and wellness resources. The Backline Blend coffee product specifically supports this mission, with every purchase helping music industry professionals receive mental health support. Both organizations share aligned missions around music, coffee, and community care.
• The Herren ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Herren Project is a nonprofit dedicated to fighting substance abuse and providing resources for addiction recovery. Passion House's Dragonolia coffee (named in memory of Justin who lost his life to heroin overdose in 2018) donates $1 from each bag sold directly to The Herren Project. The partnership aims to break the stigma around addiction through storytelling.
• CofinetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCofinet is a coffee importer that connects Passion House with approximately 65 dedicated coffee producers across the Meseta de Popayán region in Colombia. This partnership enables long-term relationships with farmers and above-market pricing.
• APROCCURMA (Asociación de Productores Cafetaleros de la Cuenca del Rio Marañón)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's coffee cooperative in Peru's northern highlands working with 124 women producers. Passion House sources the Milly Grace coffee through this partnership, supporting women-owned farms using organic practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster emphasizing sustainability, direct trade, and education with strong wholesale and DTC channels. Comparable commitment to origin storytelling and specialty positioning.
• Colectivo Coffee: Midwest specialty roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC. Geographic and scale peer for Passion House with overlap in third-wave positioning and cafe-led distribution.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: Third-wave specialty roaster with DTC subscriptions, wholesale, and cafes focused on direct-trade single-origins. Highly comparable sourcing and brand narrative.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster combining DTC, wholesale, and a national cafe footprint with branded draft lattes. Closely comparable hybrid retail/wholesale model at larger scale.
• Onyx Coffee Lab: Award-winning specialty roaster with strong DTC and competition pedigree, sourcing from specialty producers globally. Comparable positioning and product curation approach.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Pioneering third-wave specialty roaster with DTC, wholesale, and cafes, and a strong direct-trade sourcing narrative. Highly comparable business model and customer base to Passion House, though at materially larger scale.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Third-wave specialty roaster built on direct-trade sourcing, single-origin focus, and a hybrid DTC-plus-cafe model. Comparable product philosophy and premium positioning, though with substantially greater capital and retail footprint.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Chicago-based third-wave specialty coffee roaster with direct-trade sourcing, wholesale, DTC, and cafes — the most directly comparable operator in the same city. Both target specialty coffee enthusiasts with curated origin-driven offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Peet's Coffee: Established specialty coffee incumbent with DTC subscriptions, wholesale, and retail. Competes at the broader specialty tier rather than at Passion House's third-wave niche.
• Starbucks Reserve: Broad incumbent specialty/premium offering from the largest US coffee chain. Competes for the same specialty-curious consumer wallet through Reserve roasteries and Siren Retail, though at vastly larger scale and broader assortment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Passionhousecoffeeroasters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/passion-house-coffee-roasters-inc.

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 PASSION HOUSE COFFEE ROASTERS INC.