Upstart Food Brands is the definitive leader for branding work in the US coffee market! We’ve worked with more than 30 different coffee brands in the span of about 3 years. From large roasters like Westrock Coffee to old, heritage coffee producers with a 100+ year history like Thomas Coffee to smaller local/regional craft roasters like True Grind and Squirrelly Joe’s to a broad variety of drop-ship startup brands, we intimately understand every aspect of commercializing coffee products.
Other than water, coffee is the most beloved and frequently consumed beverage in the United States. Valued at a whopping $96.10 billion in 2023, and expected to grow to $142.61 billion by 2030, the US coffee market is an incredibly competitive space, with companies of all sorts selling roasted coffee in bags, tins, pods, etc, with coffee beans sourced from all around the world, and sold/served in just about every channel imaginable – online, grocery chains, big box stores, specialty retail, coffee shops, farmers markets, airports, restaurants, hotels, prisons…pretty much anywhere you can get a beverage, you’ll find coffee.
Standing out in such a crowded space takes deliberate strategy and flawless execution to create something different and disruptive that connects emotionally with the right customer and community. For most brands, finding that distinct concept and theme that resonates is the key, but understanding the target is only half the battle. Developing a brand – name, identity, packaging, photography, web presence, social presence, etc. – that connects with that customer at every touchpoint is what gives a brand a chance to cut through the clutter.
This is especially the case for drop shipping brands. While drop shipping is a great, lower risk way to get to market, there are only a handful of quality drop shippers in the US, with literally hundreds, if not thousands, of companies all selling the same exact coffee. Differentiating based on the product just isn’t a viable way to give customers a unique experience. The only realistic path to success is to find a distinct theme and concept, and to create a strategic brand that uses storytelling to resonate with a very specific customer. Good brands in this space don’t even really sell coffee – they sell a lifestyle, support for a meaningful mission, or some sort of shared passion. Owning a distinct, differentiating position in the market means building a tribe and a community, and that’s done through cohesive, consistent branding that connects.This is why you’ll see such diversity of style, personality, and theme in the brands we develop.
And because we’ve had so much experience working directly with coffee founders we also understand the business of coffee. In addition to our core brand development services, we can provide professional guidance on drop shippers/co-packers, packaging, food brokers, pricing, third-party logistics, web platform recommendations, and other business best practices to ensure a cost-conscious, efficient path to market, and a strong foundation to build upon into the future. So, whether this is your first foray into the coffee market, or you’re an established coffee brand looking to evolve, Upstart Food Brands is the go-to resource for any coffee business.
