CARRBORO COFFEE COMPANY

What CARRBORO COFFEE COMPANY does

Carrboro Coffee Roasters (DBA Carrboro Coffee Company) is a privately held, founder-owned small-batch artisan coffee roaster founded in 1995 by Scott Conary in Carrboro, North Carolina. The company operates a vertically integrated specialty coffee business anchored by a Farmer Direct Relationship sourcing program, small-batch roasting with individually tailored roast profiles, and a hybrid wholesale and retail distribution model. It serves more than 100 wholesale accounts across North Carolina, including cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, and retailers such as Weaver Street Market, Durham Co-op Market, and Carolina Inn, and operates two flagship cafes (Open Eye Café in Carrboro and Caffè Driade in Chapel Hill, both opened 1999) plus a third acquired cafe, Perennial in Chapel Hill (2021). Revenue is generated through wholesale coffee distribution, cafe retail, e-commerce via shopcarrborocoffee.com, paid coffee workshops priced at $700 per program, and limited-quantity specialty micro-lots sourced through the Alliance for Coffee Excellence Cup of Excellence auctions.

The product portfolio spans over 30 distinct coffees organized into Direct Relationship Coffees, Cup of Excellence competition lots, Harvest Selections (single-origin), signature blends (Red Sunset, Blue Ridge, Midnight Oil, Midnight Sun, Equinox, Piedmont Espresso), seasonal blends (Winter Solstice), decaf options, NITRObrew nitrogen-infused cold brew, and specialty instant coffee. Operations are based at the Carrboro headquarters at 101 South Greensboro St. and an expanded roasting facility at 1215 East Franklin Street in Chapel Hill opened in 2019. The company also offers SCA/BGA accredited barista training at its in-house training room and public coffee workshops covering espresso preparation, milk steaming, pour over methods, and coffee origins.

Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales for wholesale accounts with direct-to-consumer e-commerce, flagship cafe retail, and community education events such as the Triangle Latte Art Throwdown and Barista Bash. Brand partnerships include Steel String Brewery (co-branded coffee stout), Lo & Behold (espresso lip balm), GoTriangle (GoPerks commuter rewards), and The Chain Collaborative (AsoSeykún indigenous community project in Colombia). President Scott Conary maintains a globally recognized profile as Head Judge for the World Barista Championship and the Alliance for Coffee Excellence Cup of Excellence program, a positioning the company leverages across sourcing, certification, and education. The company is privately held with no disclosed venture capital or private equity backing, and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

CARRBORO COFFEE COMPANY

Legal name

Carrboro Coffee Roasters

Website

https://carrborocoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

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

SIC

Beverages (2080), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Coffee, Tea & Cacao Experiences (Roastery Tours, Tastings) (THAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Small batch coffee roasting
• Specialty coffee wholesale
• Direct trade coffee sourcing
• Coffee education workshops
• Specialty coffee retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Carrboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Coffee Sales: B2B wholesale distribution of roasted coffee to over 100 cafes, restaurants, grocery stores, and retailers. Includes signature/custom blends, house blends, and direct relationship coffees. Hand-delivered within 1-2 days of roasting.
2. Direct Retail - Cafes: Revenue from flagship cafes Open Eye Café in Carrboro and Caffè Driade in Chapel Hill. Offers full coffee menu, wine, beer, teas, and baked goods.
3. E-commerce / Online Sales: Direct consumer sales through shopcarrborocoffee.com including retail coffee bags, specialty micro-lots, Cup of Excellence Micro Drops, and merchandise.
4. Coffee Workshops & Training: Public educational workshops on coffee tasting, espresso preparation, milk steaming, pour over methods, and coffee origins. Fees typically $700 per program.
5. Cup of Excellence Micro Drops: Limited-quantity specialty coffees from Cup of Excellence competitions. Six new coffees dropped monthly for pre-order. Each coffee is very limited and exclusive.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Carrboro Coffee Roasters is a premier small batch artisan coffee roaster that sources green coffee directly from farmers at origin, roasts in small batches with individually tailored profiles, and distributes through three channels: wholesale B2B to over 100 cafes, restaurants, grocery, and retail accounts across North Carolina; direct-to-consumer via two flagship cafes and an e-commerce store; and paid coffee education workshops including the first-ever U.S. World Coffee Championships Judge Skills Program.

Product overview

Carrboro Coffee Roasters is a premier small batch artisan coffee roaster that operates as a unified brand with two flagship cafes (Open Eye Café in Carrboro and Caffè Driade in Chapel Hill), a wholesale coffee program serving over 100 business partners, and a direct relationship sourcing initiative. The product portfolio centers on over 30 distinct whole bean coffees organized into product lines: Direct Relationship Coffees (sourced directly from farmer partners through personal visits), Cup of Excellence Coffees (competition-winning lots from ACE auctions), Harvest Selections (single-origin premium coffees), and Seasonal Blends (rotating offerings like Winter Solstice). Complementary products include espresso and drip blends (Red Sunset, Blue Ridge, Midnight Oil, Midnight Sun, Equinox, Piedmont), decaf options, NITRObrew nitrogen-infused cold brew, and specialty instant coffee. Services include wholesale partner programs (access, advice, equipment, training, support), public coffee workshops, and the World Judge Skills Program for barista competition certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Farmer Direct Relationship: Sourcing program focused on building personal, sustainable relationships with coffee farmers at origin
• Cup of Excellence Micro Drops
• NITRObrew Coffee

Products and services

• Direct Relationship Coffees Sourcing program featuring coffees from personal direct relationships with farmers in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico; available for wholesale and retail customers who value transparent farmer-direct sourcing.
• Cup of Excellence Micro Drops Limited-quantity specialty coffees from Cup of Excellence competitions sourced through Alliance for Coffee Excellence auctions and roasted by Carrboro Coffee Roasters; released monthly for pre-order to specialty coffee enthusiasts.
• Harvest Selections Carefully sourced single-origin coffees from premier growing regions including Ethiopia Yergz, Bolivia Finca Golondrina, Ethiopia Ardi, and Sumatra Royal Badger; sold to wholesale and retail customers.
• Winter Solstice Blend Annual seasonal blend featuring rotating direct relationship coffees that change yearly to highlight different producer partnerships, available to retail and wholesale customers.
• Red Sunset Espresso Blend Signature espresso blend combining Zero Defect Ethiopia Yirgacheffe and Sumatra Royal Badger, featuring cherry acidity and molasses sweetness; sold to wholesale and retail customers.
• Blue Ridge Blend Medium to full body blend combining Indonesian and Central/South American coffees with chocolate, spice, and floral acidity notes; sold to wholesale and retail customers.
• Midnight Oil Blend Bold dark roast blend featuring dark chocolate, toasted nut, and spice notes from Central and South America; sold to wholesale and retail customers.
• Midnight Sun Blend Lighter take on Midnight Oil with medium round body and lively acidity from Central and South America coffees; sold to wholesale and retail customers.
• Equinox Blend Afternoon coffee blend combining full-bodied Indonesian and zesty Central/South American coffees with earthy cocoa and fruity notes; sold to wholesale and retail customers.
• Piedmont Espresso Blend Espresso blend balancing Pacific Rim and Central/South American coffees with dark chocolate, caramel, and citrus notes; sold to wholesale and retail customers.
• Decaf Blends Premium decaffeinated coffee options including Decaf Colombia and Decaf Espresso blends; sold to wholesale and retail customers.
• NITRObrew Coffee Nitrogen-infused cold-brewed coffee served from pressurized kegs with a creamy body, cascading effect, and silky smooth velvety finish; served at flagship cafes and available to wholesale partners.
• Specialty Instant Coffee Specialty instant coffee packets dissolved in 8-10oz water, featuring coffee from producer-partner Nacho Gutierrez at Finca El Barrancon in El Salvador; sold to retail customers seeking convenience.
• Wholesale Coffee Program B2B wholesale partnership program providing cafes, restaurants, grocery, and retail customers with coffee programs including custom blends, equipment distribution, staff training, and ongoing support; serves over 100 wholesale customers across North Carolina.
• Coffee Workshops Public and private coffee education workshops covering tasting, espresso preparation, milk steaming, pour over methods, and coffee origins; priced at $700 per program for Barista and Brewers courses.
• World Judge Skills Program First-ever U.S. World Coffee Championships Judge Skills Program hosted at the Carrboro roastery, providing Barista and Brewers certification courses for coffee professionals led by official WCC representatives.
• Open Eye Café Flagship café in Carrboro, NC, operating since 1999, offering full selection of wine, beer, teas, baked goods, and award-winning espresso beverages; a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Carrboro Coffee Roasters.
• Caffè Driade European-style café nestled in the woods near the Chapel Hill greenway, providing cappuccino, whole leaf tea, wine, beer, and baked goods in an outdoor setting with multiple patios and gardens; a wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Carrboro Coffee Roasters.
• Perennial Café Flagship café in Chapel Hill serving craft coffee and food using Carrboro Coffee Roasters beans; wholly-owned operating subsidiary of the company.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 wholesale customers served across North Carolina
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GoTrianglecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 August 2025Partnership with GoTriangle's GoPerks sustainable commute rewards program. Commuters who use bus, bike, walking, carpool, vanpool or telework can earn freshly roasted bags of Carrboro Coffee exclusive GoPerks Coffee by tracking trips in the Commute Calendar.
• Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCR President Scott Conary serves as Head Judge for Cup of Excellence program. The company has worked with Cup of Excellence since 2009, sourcing award-winning competition coffees through auctions. 85% of auction proceeds go directly to farmers.
• The Chain CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration supporting AsoSeykún, an Arhuaco indigenous community in Colombia. Joint initiative to recover, reforest and protect ancestral land through coffee processing and collective sales. 96 people participate in decision-making meetings.
• Coffee Quality Institute (CQI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCR works closely with CQI for various industry quality programs around the world. Scott Conary completed CQI Coffee Processing Generalist Certification to better help farmer partners and improve quality through the supply chain.
• World Coffee Championships (WCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting first-ever U.S. World Coffee Championships Judge Skills Program at Carrboro roastery. Scott Conary is official WCC Rep and Judge Operation Lead for Barista competition with over 20 years experience.
• Steel String BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual collaboration on No Quarter Coffee Stout - 8.0% coffee and oatmeal stout featuring cold-pressed Guatemala La Providencia coffee. Features intense coffee aroma and flavor with semi-sweet cocoa finish.
• Lo & BeholdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Durham-based handmade body care company on all-natural espresso lip balm. Infused with freshly ground Carrboro Coffee Roasters coffee in coconut oil and natural moisturizers.
• The LAB / Caffeine CrawlminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration with Caffeine Crawl/The LAB's Jason Burton to amplify coffee from longtime CCR producer partner Nancy Hernandez Contreras at Finca El Jazmin in Honduras. Includes special coffee bag and International Women's Day poster design.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Intelligentsia Coffee: Chicago-based specialty roaster with direct-trade farmer relationships, premium wholesale programs, and a strong coffee education component. Operates an analogous high-end specialty coffee platform competing for similar cafe and restaurant accounts.
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Philadelphia-origin specialty roaster operating cafes, wholesale accounts, D2C e-commerce, and draft latte/NITRO-style cold brew products. Direct product overlap with CCR's NITRObrew offering and wholesale model.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: Santa Cruz-origin specialty roaster with farm-to-cup direct relationships, flagship cafes, and a wholesale program. Operates a comparable combination of sourcing-driven roasting and cafe retail that overlaps with CCR's offerings.
• Colectivo Coffee: Milwaukee-origin specialty roaster combining direct-trade sourcing, a strong wholesale program, multiple cafes, and coffee education. Operates a similar vertically integrated cafe-wholesale-education platform to CCR.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Oakland-origin specialty coffee roaster with a strong cafe retail footprint, D2C subscriptions, and direct-trade sourcing. Competes for premium coffee consumers and shares CCR's focus on individually tailored roasting profiles.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Portland-origin specialty coffee roaster with direct-trade sourcing, national wholesale accounts, retail cafes, and D2C e-commerce. Directly competes with CCR for wholesale accounts and the premium specialty coffee consumer.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Durham, NC-based specialty coffee roaster focused on direct-trade sourcing, wholesale to cafes and grocery, and coffee education. Closest geographic and model peer to Carrboro Coffee Roasters, operating a similar B2B wholesale + D2C + workshops platform.
• Equal Exchange: Worker-owned cooperative specializing in fair-trade, small-batch coffee with wholesale distribution to co-ops, cafes, and grocery. Shares CCR's direct-relationship/farmer-focused sourcing philosophy at smaller scale.

Regional players

• Larry's Coffee: Raleigh, NC-based specialty roaster operating a local wholesale program and cafe presence in the same Triangle/NC market. Direct geographic competitor with similar artisan/small-batch positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Green Mountain Coffee Roasters: Vermont-based Keurig Dr Pepper-owned specialty and single-origin coffee brand with national grocery and foodservice distribution. Represents the larger incumbent counterpart to CCR's specialty wholesale business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/carrborocoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/CarrboroCoffee
• Instagraminstagram.com/carrborocoffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carrboro-coffee-roasters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 CARRBORO COFFEE COMPANY