8 Coffee Brand Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 19th, 2023
Start A Coffee Brand

Here are some real life success stories of starting a coffee brand:

1. Golden Made Kafé ($24K/year)

Laure Lemboumba, the founder of Golden Made Kafe, came up with the idea for her business after working at a coffee manufacturing plant and realizing the impact that a single cup of coffee could have on someone's day. With a background in technology and logistics, Laure spent two years researching the coffee industry and collaborating with coffee roasters and packaging designers to bring her vision to life. Since launching, Golden Made Kafe has generated monthly revenue of $2,000 and is focused on expanding their customer base through word-of-mouth, paid advertising, and partnerships.

How much they make: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $7K
Current team size: 1

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How I Started A $2K/Month Coffee Brand

This case study follows the journey of Laure Lemboumba, Founder of Golden Made Kafe INTL, LCC, an online coffee supplier generating monthly revenue of $2,000 and planning to open 1-2 Coffeeshops in Houston and Gabon, while donating 10% of its profits to providing educational opportunities, safe water, and better sanitation around the world.

About
Laure started Golden Made Kafé about 5 years ago
Revenue
Laure grew the business to $2K/month
Costs
It cost Laure $7000 to start the business
Read by 19,245 founders

2. Camper Cafe ($180K/year)

Beth Baxter co-founded Camper Cafe, a mobile coffee van business, when her partner decided to convert his vintage VW campervan into a trailer for his motorcycles. Baxter suggested putting a coffee machine in the trailer instead, and the idea took off. Now, 11 years later, Camper Cafe is on its sixth mobile coffee unit and supplies major sporting events and works with international brands, generating around £150k in revenue from only 70 days of work per year.

How much they make: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 2

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We Built A Coffee Shop In A Van That Makes $180K/Year

This case study follows the co-founder of Camper Cafe, a mobile coffee van business which started as a hobby and now has 6 units that supply the UK's biggest sporting events, commercial and film shoots, generating around £150k from working only 70 days of the year.

About
Beth started Camper Cafe almost 13 years ago
Revenue
Beth grew the business to $15K/month
Costs
It cost Beth $5000 to start the business
Read by 5,701 founders

So... can you actually make money with a coffee brand?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

3. Onit Coffee ($630K/year)

How much they make: $630K/year
How much did it cost to start: $120K
Current team size:

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From $50 to $1,750 a Day with a Food Truck Business

Onit Coffee is a Sacramento-based coffee food truck that offers vegan and planet-based drinks while donating a portion of their profits to neighborhood organizations.

About
They started Onit Coffee about 4 years ago
Revenue
They grew the business to $52.5K/month
Costs
It cost $120000 to start the business
Read by 879 founders

4. Kalve Coffee Roasters ($1.8M/year)

Raimonds Zadvornovs and Gatis Zēmanis started Kalve Coffee Roasters in Riga, Latvia after realizing the limited access and high prices of specialty coffee in the market. With a low initial investment of approximately 60,000 EUR, they focused on creating accessible and sustainable products, expanding their customer base through word of mouth and opening a flagship store that now generates around 1,000-1,500 EUR in daily turnover. They credit their steady growth and success to their dedication and willingness to start slow and retain their independence.

How much they make: $1.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $60K
Current team size: 35

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How We Started A $80K/Month Coffee Roasting Company

Latvian coffee roasting company grew from a team of 2 to 13, with a current monthly turnover of €80k, driven by word-of-mouth marketing, sustainable practices and developing accessible products for the specialty coffee market.

About
Raimonds started Kalve Coffee Roasters about 7 years ago
Revenue
Raimonds grew the business to $150K/month
Costs
It cost Raimonds $60000 to start the business
Read by 26,359 founders

So... can you actually make money with a coffee brand?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

5. ChocoSol ($3M/year)

How much they make: $3M/year
Current team size: 11

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The Key To Creating A Regenerative Food Company

ChocoSol, the Toronto-based artisanal chocolate and coffee brand, uses sustainable methods to make and package its products, working with small-scale farmers and supporting forest garden agriculture, and has won several national and international awards.

About
Michael started ChocoSol about 21 years ago
Revenue
Michael grew the business to $250K/month
Read by 438 founders