Small Cafe Program Comparison
Request a Quote
Tell us what you need. We will send a detailed quote within 48 hours.
Single origin roasts, built for your shop.
50lb minimum. Your roast profile, your label, our roastery. Direct-trade microlots roasted fresh — priced for small cafes to compete with the big chains.
Trusted by 4 brands · 700+ SKUs produced
Why 50 pounds?
It's the sweet spot — enough volume for fresh rotation without locking you into inventory that goes stale.
Fresh, not stockpiled
50lb lasts a small cafe 1–2 weeks. That means every cup is poured from beans roasted within days, not months. No stale bags, no degraded flavor.
Roasted to order
We roast within 48 hours of your order. Not sitting on a shelf waiting — your beans hit your door at peak flavor, typically 3–5 days post-roast.
Real pricing power
50lb unlocks wholesale pricing without the 500lb commitment most roasters demand. You get microlot quality at a margin that actually works for a 2-group espresso bar.
Every batch roasted within 48 hours of your order.
We respond within one business day. Always.
Inspected facility. Full compliance.
Order when you need it. No locked volumes.
Single origins
Direct farm relationships. Transparent sourcing. No commodity blends — ever.
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe
Floral, citrus, tea-like body.
Notes: Bergamot · Jasmine · Lemon
Colombia Huila
Balanced, sweet, chocolate backbone.
Notes: Milk chocolate · Caramel · Red apple
Guatemala Antigua
Full body, cocoa, bright finish.
Notes: Dark cocoa · Toffee · Orange peel
Kenya Nyeri
Bright acidity, berry-forward, syrupy.
Notes: Blackcurrant · Tomato · Brown sugar
Brazil Cerrado
Low acidity, nutty, heavy body.
Notes: Hazelnut · Milk chocolate · Vanilla
Costa Rica Tarrazu
Clean, crisp, honey-sweet.
Notes: Honey · Almond · Stone fruit
Honduras Lempira
Mild, caramel, gentle acidity.
Notes: Caramel · Cocoa · Citrus
Panama Boquete
Smooth, floral, wine-like complexity.
Notes: Floral · Bergamot · Stone fruit
How your roast works
From green bean to your espresso grinder — four steps, one team.
Sample
We send you 4oz samples of 3 origins. You brew them your way — espresso, pour-over, batch brew.
Profile
You pick your origin. We build a custom roast profile around your flavor target and brew method.
Roast
50lb minimum, roasted to order within 48 hours. Cupped and approved before it ships.
Deliver
Shipped fresh. Your label, your bag, or ours. Recurring orders scheduled to your pace.
Four steps — from sample to your grinder in under two weeks.
Request samplesWholesale pricing
Transparent per-pound pricing. No hidden fees. No minimums beyond 50lb per origin.
50–99lb
Single origin, custom roast profile. Your label on our bags.
- 50lb minimum per origin
- Custom roast profile
- Free 4oz samples (3 origins)
- Your label, our bags
- Roasted within 48h of order
100–249lb
Lower per-pound rate. Mix origins within the volume tier.
- Mix up to 3 origins
- Custom roast profiles per origin
- Free 4oz samples (5 origins)
- Custom bag printing available
- Scheduled delivery available
- Barista training session included
250lb+
Best rate. For multi-location or high-volume shops.
- Mix up to 5 origins
- Custom roast profiles per origin
- Custom bag printing included
- Scheduled delivery included
- Barista training (2 sessions)
- Dedicated roast profile support
How we compare
What you get with us vs. what the big roasters typically offer small shops.
Estimate your cost per cup
See how wholesale pricing translates to what you actually serve.
Origin deep dives
The four most popular origins for small coffee shops — with sourcing details.
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe
Konga Cooperative · Gedeo Zone
Washed process, grown 1,900-2,200m. The classic floral cup — bergamot, jasmine, lemon zest. Thin body but explosive aromatics. Best as pour-over; can work as single-origin espresso for adventurous shops.
Colombia Huila
Asobombo Cooperative · Pitalito
Washed, 1,700-1,900m. The workhorse — milk chocolate, caramel, red apple, gentle acidity. Balanced enough for espresso and pour-over. Our most-recommended origin for new shops because it plays well with milk.
Kenya Nyeri
Karimikui Factory · Nyeri County
Washed (double-fermented), 1,700-1,900m. Big and bold — blackcurrant, tomato savory, brown sugar sweetness, syrupy body. High acidity that cuts through milk. A statement coffee for shops that want to stand out.
Brazil Cerrado
Cerrado Mineiro · Minas Gerais
Natural process, 1,100-1,300m. Low acidity, heavy body, hazelnut and milk chocolate with vanilla finish. The espresso backbone — thick crema, forgiving on the grinder, plays beautifully with milk drinks. Most shops run this as their house espresso.
Works with your equipment
We profile for the machines your shop actually runs. Here's what we dial in for.
Espresso machines
Two-group and three-group commercial machines.
- La Marzocco Linea / GB5
- Slayer single / multi-group
- Synesso MVP Hydra
- Simonelli T3 / Victoria Arduino
- Kees van der Westen Spirit
- Rancilio RS1 / Classe 20
Grinders
Espresso and brew bar grinders.
- Mahlkonig EK43 / EK43 S
- Mahlkonig K30 / Peak
- Mythos One / Mythos 2
- Victoria Arduino Mythos
- Mazzer Robur / ZM
- Baratza Forte / Vario (brew)
Brew equipment
Pour-over, batch, and cold brew systems.
- Hario V60 / Kalita Wave
- Chemex
- Curtis / Bunn batch brewers
- Marco Bru (pourover system)
- Oxo / Toddy cold brew
- Keg / nitro cold brew systems
A day in our roastery
What happens from the moment your order comes in to the moment it ships.
Order review
We pull your order, confirm origin and roast profile, and stage green coffee from our climate-controlled storage.
Green grading
Hand-sort the green beans. Remove defects, sticks, and quakers. Weigh and load into the hopper.
Roast
Load into the drum roaster. Your profile is loaded into the logging software — we track bean temp, rate of rise, and development time to the second.
Cupping
We cup every batch before it ships. If the profile is off by even a few degrees, we re-roast. No exceptions.
Bagging
Beans cool on the air bed, then go into bags with one-way degas valves. Your label applied. Sealed and labeled with roast date.
Ship
Packed and on the UPS truck by noon. Tracking emailed to you same day.
Packaging options
From plain kraft to full custom print. Your label, your bag, your brand.
Standard kraft
12oz and 5lb kraft bags with one-way degas valve. Compostable. Your label applied by hand.
Custom print
Your full-color design printed directly on the bag. Matte or gloss finish. Minimum 100lb order.
Full custom
Custom bag size, material, finish, and print. Fully branded from bag to label to seal.
Cafe startup checklist
Everything you need to open a small coffee shop. We've been through it — here's the real list.
Legal & licensing
- ✓ Business license (city/county)
- ✓ Food handler permit
- ✓ Health department inspection
- ✓ Food service permit
- ✓ Sign permit (if applicable)
- ✓ Insurance: general liability + product
Equipment essentials
- ✓ Espresso machine (2-group commercial)
- ✓ Espresso grinder (doserless preferred)
- ✓ Brew grinder (for pour-over/batch)
- ✓ Refrigeration (milk, cold brew)
- ✓ Ice maker (if serving cold drinks)
- ✓ Water filtration system
Buildout & space
- ✓ Lease signed (verify venting & plumbing)
- ✓ Plumbing for espresso machine (dedicated line)
- ✓ Electrical: 220V for machine, 110V circuits
- ✓ Ventilation hood (if required by code)
- ✓ Counter space (min 8ft bar, 4ft POS)
- ✓ Seating: 6-12 seats for small shop
Opening week
- ✓ POS system configured & tested
- ✓ First coffee delivery received & cupped
- ✓ Dial-in sheets printed for staff
- ✓ Menu printed and priced
- ✓ Soft opening (friends & family)
- ✓ Grand opening
Equipment buying guide
What to buy new vs used, and what we recommend for a small shop budget.
Total small shop budget: $15K-$30K equipment + buildout + first month inventory. We've seen shops open for as little as $12K with smart used equipment sourcing.
Us vs the alternatives
Three ways to source coffee for your shop. Only one makes sense for small operations.
Self-roasting looks cheaper per pound, but equipment, labor, and learning curve add $3-5/lb in hidden costs. Most shops that self-roast switch to wholesale within 18 months.
Decaf that doesn't suck
Swiss Water Process — chemical-free decaffeination that preserves flavor.
Colombia Decaf
Swiss Water Process. Chocolate, caramel, gentle acidity.
Notes: Milk chocolate · Caramel · Hazelnut
Mexico Decaf
Swiss Water Process. Clean, nutty, light body.
Notes: Almond · Cocoa · Brown sugar
Same 50lb minimum. Same custom roast profile. Many shops run a regular + decaf pair to cover their full menu.
Building an espresso blend
Single origin is great, but sometimes you want a blend. Here's how we build them.
The Base (60%)
Brazil Cerrado or Colombia Huila. Provides body, sweetness, and crema. The backbone that holds up the shot under milk.
The Accent (30%)
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe or Kenya Nyeri. Adds aromatics, brightness, and complexity. The part customers remember.
The Bridge (10%)
Guatemala Antigua or Costa Rica Tarrazu. Connects base and accent. Smooths the transition and adds mid-palate sweetness.
Want a custom blend? We'll build 3 versions and you taste-test.
Request blend samplesLearn more about our coffee:
Questions
Can I mix origins within a 50lb order?
How fast can I get my first order?
Do you do my label on the bags?
What if I don't like the first roast?
Can you do espresso blends, not just single origin?
Do you offer recurring delivery?
What brew methods do you profile for?
Do you provide dial-in sheets and recipes?
What if my customers want decaf?
Can you do seasonal or rotating origins?
Find your roast level
Four core profiles. We can also custom-dial between any of these.
Light
Bright, floral, fruity. Maximum origin character shines through.
Best: Pour-over · Batch brew
Medium-Light
Balanced sweetness with clarity. Origin notes pop with body.
Best: Pour-over · Espresso
Medium
Chocolate, caramel, full body. Classic cafe crowd-pleaser.
Best: Espresso · Batch brew
Dark
Bold, smoky, low acidity. For milk drinks and traditionalists.
Best: Espresso · Latte · Cold brew
Profiled for your brew method
We adjust grind, dose, and roast development for how you actually serve coffee.
Espresso
Dense, sweet shots with thick crema. Built for your blend or single origin.
18g dose · 36g yield · 25-30s
Pour-Over
Clean, bright, layered. Clarity-first profiles for V60, Kalita, Chemex.
22g · 360g water · 3:00
Batch Brew
Consistent pot coffee that holds for hours without going bitter.
1:16 ratio · 200°F · 4-6 min
Cold Brew
Smooth, low-acid, concentrated. We profile for 16-24hr cold extraction.
1:8 ratio · Room temp · 18hr
The freshness window
Why we roast to order — coffee has a flavor timeline. Here's what happens after roast day.
Sourced the right way
Direct trade means we know the farm, the farmer, and the price paid at origin.
Direct relationships
We buy from the same farms year after year. Not through brokers — we talk to the people growing our coffee.
Fair above fair-trade
Our farm-gate prices average 2–3x the Fair Trade minimum. Quality costs more, and the money goes to origin.
Compostable bags
All our kraft bags are commercially compostable. We recycle chaff into garden beds. Roastery runs on offset power.
Shipping & delivery
Roasted to order, packed same day, shipped within 24 hours.
Standard ground
UPS Ground from our Washington roastery. 1–3 business days to most US addresses.
Scheduled recurring
Weekly, biweekly, or monthly. We roast and ship automatically so you never run out.
Local pickup
Pick up at our Poulsbo roastery. Roasted and ready same-day, no shipping charge.
Barista training
Included at 100lb+. We come to your shop and dial in your espresso with your equipment.
What we cover
- Espresso dial-in: grind, dose, yield, time
- Milk steaming technique and latte art
- Pour-over and batch brew recipes
- Equipment maintenance and cleaning cycles
- Flavor troubleshooting: sour vs bitter
- Building your menu and pricing
What you get
- On-site visit (2-3 hours, your shop)
- Dial-in sheets for every origin and brew method
- Written recipes your whole team can follow
- Follow-up phone support for 30 days
- Second session included at 250lb+ tier
- Remote video support anytime
Let's build your house roast.
Tell us about your shop — we'll send free samples within 2 business days.
Stay in the loop
New origins, harvest updates, and wholesale news
We email once a month. No spam. Just coffee.
Wholesale & White Label Programs
Harvest Market Coffee & Tea · Poulsbo, WA · WSDA Licensed
Our roastery in action
