What Chocolate Fish Coffee does

Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters is a Sacramento-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer founded in 2008 by Andy and Edie Baker, who relocated from New Zealand. The company operates four retail coffeehouses across Sacramento and Folsom, California, plus two kiosk locations at Sacramento International Airport Terminal B. It roasts its own coffee in-house at the East Sac Cafe & Roastery, sourcing beans through direct-trade relationships with farmers in Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Colombia, supported by annual origin trips. The product portfolio includes whole bean coffee, loose-leaf tea, brewing equipment, apparel, gift cards, and custom gift boxes, distributed via retail, e-commerce (shipping to Continental USA, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada), and wholesale B2B channels.

The company's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer retail and e-commerce, a wholesale B2B program supplying other cafes and restaurants (with barista training and equipment consultation), event-driven education classes (coffee tasting, home barista, latte art, and SCA-certified courses), and a community-led rewards program integrated with Toasttab. Pricing ranges from $16-$22.50 per 12oz bag of standard coffee to $62.50 for specialty micro-lots, with education classes priced at $35-$165 per person and subscription options for recurring coffee delivery. The company has no app, no public API, and operates on standard BigCommerce e-commerce infrastructure with PCI-DSS compliant payment processing.

The business is privately held and founder-owned, with no disclosed institutional investors, parent companies, or funding rounds. The founder team retains direct involvement in operations, and the company has built brand recognition through industry awards including RO Magazine 2023 Roaster of the Year Finalist, Golden Bean North America 2nd Overall 2017, and Zagat Top 11 Restaurants in Sacramento.

Name

Chocolate Fish Coffee

Legal name

Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters

Website

https://chocolatefishcoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters is a Sacramento-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer operating four retail coffeehouses and two airport kiosks, serving consumers directly while supplying wholesale coffee and SCA-certified education to cafes and learners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting & Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Coffee, Tea & Cacao Experiences (Roastery Tours, Tastings) (THAJAGAH)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Coffee retail
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Coffee education
• Home brewing equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffeehouse Sales: In-store sales at 3 Sacramento/Folsom coffeehouse locations plus 2 airport kiosk locations. Includes espresso drinks, food, and beverages served daily 6am-5pm.
2. E-commerce Online Sales: Online sales of whole beans, tea, brewing equipment, apparel, and merchandise shipped to customers. Offers subscription/recurring delivery options for coffee and tea products.
3. Wholesale B2B Coffee Supply: Wholesale coffee supply to other cafes and businesses including direct beans, barista training, equipment consultation, and business solutions support.
4. Education Classes: Revenue from coffee tasting classes, home barista classes, latte art classes, home brewing classes, and SCA certification programs.
5. Gift Cards and Certificates: In-store gift cards and online gift certificates for gifting purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Chocolate Fish Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster and retailer that operates four retail coffeehouses plus two airport kiosks in the Sacramento/Folsom area, an e-commerce store selling whole bean coffee, loose-leaf tea, home brewing equipment, apparel, and gift products with subscription options, a wholesale B2B program supplying direct-trade coffee plus barista training and equipment consultation to other cafes and restaurants, and an in-house coffee education program offering SCA-certified Barista Skills, Coffee Tasting, Home Barista, and Latte Art classes led by an SCA Approved Trainer.

Product overview

Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters is a Sacramento-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer operating 4 retail coffeehouses plus airport locations. The product portfolio centers on whole bean coffees and loose-leaf teas sourced through direct-trade relationships, complemented by home brewing equipment accessories, and a comprehensive education program offering coffee tasting, barista training, latte art, and SCA certification classes. The company also offers wholesale solutions for businesses, custom gift boxes, physical and digital gift cards, and branded merchandise. All products and services are unified under the core mission of making specialty coffee approachable to all consumers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Whole Bean Coffee Single-origin and blended whole bean specialty coffees sourced from direct-trade farmer relationships across Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Colombia. Sold in 12oz bags ($16-$22.50 typical, $34.95 specialty micro-lots) and 5lb bags, with subscription delivery options of 1-8 week intervals. Targeted at specialty coffee enthusiasts and wholesale buyers.
• Loose Leaf Tea Selection of loose-leaf teas including green, black, white, and herbal varieties with multiple flavor profiles and caffeine levels, available for online purchase and in retail locations. Targeted at tea drinkers seeking specialty-quality loose-leaf alongside Chocolate Fish's coffee range.
• Coffee Tasting Class $35 per person educational class teaching participants how processing, environmental conditions, varietals, and roasting techniques affect coffee flavor through guided tastings. Held Saturdays 9am-10am at the East Sac Roastery. Targeted at coffee enthusiasts and aspiring professionals.
• Home Barista Class $165 per person hands-on training covering espresso preparation, milk steaming, and espresso machine operation using La Marzocco Linea PB equipment. Class includes a 12oz bag of Koru Espresso. Targeted at home baristas and aspiring professionals.
• Latte Art Class $115 per person instruction in milk chemistry, steaming techniques, and pouring patterns to create latte art designs including hearts and monk's head patterns. Class limit 2 students; held Saturdays/Sundays 12pm-3:30pm at the East Sac Roastery. Targeted at home baristas seeking advanced milk technique.
• Home Brewing Equipment Catalog of brewing tools and accessories including hand grinders, drippers, filters, milk pitchers, and travel mugs from brands such as Rhinoware, Hario, and Fellow. Sold via the online store and in retail locations; targeted at home brewing enthusiasts.
• In-Store Gift Card Physical gift cards in $10, $25, $50, $75, and $100 denominations redeemable at Chocolate Fish retail locations in Sacramento and Folsom. Targeted at gift purchasers.
• Online Gift Certificate Digital gift certificates emailed to recipients, valid for online use only, ranging from $10 to $500 denominations. Targeted at remote gift purchasers.
• CFCR Custom Gift Box Curated gift boxes priced at $35 each, including options such as 'Cup of Joe' (1 bag of coffee + 1 diner mug) and 'Well Stocked Pantry' (2 bags of different coffees). Targeted at gifting occasions.
• Retail Coffeehouses Four retail café locations in Sacramento and Folsom (East Sac Cafe & Roastery at 4749 Folsom Blvd; Sac Hyatt/Downtown at 1123 12th St; Land Park/Curtis Park at 2940 Freeport Blvd; The Parkway Folsom at 25055 Blue Ravine Rd) plus two Sacramento International Airport Terminal B kiosks, serving espresso drinks, brewed coffee, tea, and food daily 6am-5pm (airport locations 5:45am-8pm). Targeted at daily in-person consumers and travelers.
• Wholesale Coffee Program B2B business solutions for cafes and hospitality operators: direct-trade coffee supply (whole bean and espresso like KORU), on-site barista training, espresso equipment consultation (including La Marzocco), and SCA certification preparation support. Targeted at cafes, restaurants, and hospitality operators (e.g., Empress Tavern).
• SCA Coffee Skills Program Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) certified courses including Barista Foundations, Introduction to Coffee, and Barista Skills Intermediate, delivered by the in-house SCA Approved Trainer (AST). Targeted at aspiring professional baristas and career-changers.
• Chocolate Fish Apparel Branded clothing and accessories featuring Chocolate Fish Coffee Roasters logo and merchandise, sold through the online shop. Targeted at brand fans and gift purchasers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Golden Bean North America 2nd Overall 2017 with 18 medals in 2018
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• DoorDashsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDelivery partnership allowing local customers to order Chocolate Fish Coffee products through the DoorDash platform for home delivery.
• ToasttabsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerRewards program partnership through Toasttab platform. Customers earn 1 point per $1 spent and unlock 1 free drink every 100 points.
• BigCommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform provider powering the online store. BigCommerce is PCI-DSS compliant and based in the US with EU-US Privacy Shield certification.
• Braintree/PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing providers for credit card transactions. Ensures secure payment processing for e-commerce operations.
• USPSsupportingTechnology or IntegrationPrimary shipping carrier for e-commerce orders shipped to customers.
• La MarzoccosupportingTechnology or IntegrationEquipment manufacturer partner for espresso machines. Used in home barista classes and recommended for wholesale customer equipment selection.
• Gold Mountain Coffee GrowerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect-trade coffee producer partner from Jinotega, Nicaragua. Farming group that combines coffee lots from numerous farmers for quality representation.
• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partnership. Their Education Director is an SCA Approved Specialty Coffee Association Trainer (AST) providing SCA-certified classes.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Peet's Coffee:
• La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with national cafe footprint, canned RTD coffees, and broad wholesale — overlaps in product line and customer base but at significantly greater scale and capital intensity.

Direct peers

• Counter Culture Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster focused on direct-trade sourcing, sustainability, and customer education — including barista training and cupping classes. Direct competitor in education and wholesale.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Third-wave specialty roaster and cafe operator with direct-trade sourcing and an emphasis on freshly roasted single-origin coffees. Comparable in product and customer base, but operating at much larger scale and backed by Nestlé.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: California-based specialty roaster with company-owned cafes, direct-trade farmer relationships, and a similar mix of retail, wholesale, and education programs. Closest model-level peer for Chocolate Fish.
• Stumptown Coffee Roasters: Direct-trade specialty roaster with cafes and wholesale distribution; now owned by Peet's Coffee. Competes for the same third-wave consumer and wholesale cafe accounts.
• Ritual Coffee Roasters: Bay Area specialty roaster with cafes and wholesale channels, similarly positioned in the third-wave single-origin segment with award-winning roasts. Comparable California competitor.
• Intelligentsia Coffee: Premium specialty roaster with direct-trade farmer relationships, retail cafes, and a wholesale program targeted at cafes and restaurants — closely overlapping with Chocolate Fish's value proposition and channels.
• Heart Coffee Roasters: Specialty roaster with direct-trade sourcing, roastery-cafe hybrid, and a small wholesale footprint. Operates at similar scale and with similar craft focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/chocolatefishcoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/chocolatefishcoffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chocolate-fish-coffee
• Pinterestpinterest.com/chocolatefishcoffee

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Chocolate Fish Coffee