La Colombe Coffee Roasters

La Colombe Coffee Roasters is an American specialty coffee company that combines coffee roasting, cafés, packaged beverages, and retail coffee products. Founded in 1994 by Todd Carmichael and JP Iberti in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square neighborhood, the company was originally known as La Colombe Torrefaction. It developed within the third-wave coffee movement, emphasizing the quality and provenance of beans, carefully developed roasting profiles, café preparation, and a more craft-oriented relationship between consumers and coffee. The company began as a Philadelphia roaster and café business before expanding into other major American cities. Its early retail footprint included the original Rittenhouse Square site, followed by cafés in New York City, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. New York locations opened in Tribeca in 2007 and SoHo in 2009, while the first Chicago café opened in 2011. La Colombe also operated a second Philadelphia site at Dilworth Park and, for a period, locations in Seoul, South Korea. In 2015, its headquarters moved to a new facility in Philadelphia's Fishtown neighborhood, which also became associated with product experimentation and small-scale production. La Colombe expanded beyond brewed coffee and espresso drinks into packaged products. Its portfolio has included single-origin and blended roasted coffees, cold brew in larger bottles, Nitro cold brew, and the Draft Latte. Draft Latte began as a draft-served espresso and frothed-milk drink in La Colombe cafés and was later adapted into cans. The canned product uses nitrous oxide to create a creamy texture and was introduced in several flavors. The brand has also produced Different Drum, a coffee-infused rum made at a micro-distillery connected with its Fishtown operations, and explored instant coffee using self-heating packaging technology. Ownership and financing changed materially during the company's growth. In 2015, Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya acquired a stake after buying out private-equity investor Goode Partners and helped La Colombe raise $28.5 million for expansion. Keurig Dr Pepper invested $300 million in July 2023 for a 33 percent interest. In December 2023, Chobani acquired La Colombe in a transaction valued at $900 million. Keurig Dr Pepper's equity was converted into a minority interest in Chobani as part of the transaction. La Colombe therefore became part of Chobani while retaining its identity as a coffee brand. The brand has also pursued community and industry collaborations. In 2013, it worked with the Clinton Foundation to establish the Haiti Coffee Academy, intended to support Haitian coffee farmers through training, demonstration farming, nursery development, and supply-chain improvements. It collaborated with Philadelphia-area brewer Yards Brewing Company and Icelandic brewer Einstök on coffee-related beers, and worked with Whole Foods Market on café openings in New York City and Austin. By 2025, La Colombe reported approximately 30 United States locations across Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Austin, Los Angeles, and San Diego, although its footprint has changed over time and both Boston locations closed during 2025.

La Colombe Coffee Roasters was established in 1994 by Todd Carmichael and JP Iberti in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. Initially operating under the name La Colombe Torrefaction, it built its identity around small-scale specialty roasting and café service. The company emerged as part of the third-wave coffee movement, which placed greater emphasis on bean origin, roasting technique, preparation quality, and direct relationships within the coffee supply chain than conventional mass-market coffee businesses. Philadelphia remained the company's home base, but La Colombe gradually created a broader urban café network. It opened New York locations in Tribeca in 2007 and SoHo in 2009, followed by its first Chicago café in 2011. The company also opened a second Philadelphia site at Dilworth Park near City Hall and operated locations in Washington, D.C. During the 2010s, it had three locations in Seoul, South Korea, although the brand's later operating footprint centered primarily on the United States. In 2015, La Colombe moved its headquarters to a newly constructed building in Fishtown, Philadelphia. The company announced ambitious expansion plans that year and began expanding into Boston. Product development became increasingly important alongside the café business. La Colombe sold roasted single-origin coffees and blends through its stores and website, while also developing cold-brew and ready-to-drink formats. Around the middle of the 2010s, the company worked on Nitro cold brew and introduced its Draft Latte in cans in 2016. Draft Latte had originated as a draft-served drink combining cold-pressed espresso and frothed milk. The canned format used a valve and nitrous oxide system to reproduce a creamy texture after packaging. It was initially offered in multiple flavors, and manufacturing later moved from Pennsylvania to a facility in Norton Shores, Michigan. La Colombe also produced larger-format bottled cold brew and developed Different Drum, a coffee-infused rum associated with its Fishtown micro-distillery. In 2020, it announced an instant coffee product using self-heating technology. La Colombe's development included social-impact and beverage collaborations. In 2013, it partnered with the Clinton Foundation to establish the Haiti Coffee Academy. The program was designed to improve the position of Haitian smallholder farmers through education, a demonstration farm and nursery, and measures intended to strengthen supply chains serving both local and export markets. In 2016, La Colombe worked with Yards Brewing Company on a coffee stout distributed through Philadelphia-area Shake Shack restaurants, and collaborated with Yards and Icelandic brewer Einstök on Snorri's Awakening, a coffee pale ale. In 2021, it worked with Whole Foods Market on new store locations in New York City and Austin; the Austin site represented La Colombe's first Texas location. Capital investment and ownership reshaped the company. In 2015, Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder of Chobani, purchased a stake in La Colombe after buying out Goode Partners. He also helped the company raise $28.5 million for expansion. Keurig Dr Pepper invested $300 million in July 2023 in exchange for 33 percent of La Colombe. In December of the same year, Chobani completed a full acquisition for $900 million. Under the transaction structure, Keurig Dr Pepper's La Colombe equity became a minority interest in Chobani, while Chobani took on a $550 million loan to help fund the purchase. La Colombe continued operating under its own brand after joining Chobani. Its cafés have been associated with Philadelphia, New York City, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Austin, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The company received a BevNet Rising Star award in 2017, reflecting recognition within the beverage industry. By 2025, its website advertised approximately 30 United States locations. The company also experienced selective contraction: both Boston cafés closed in 2025, with financial performance and other factors cited in explanations of the closures. Its current identity combines a specialty-roaster heritage with packaged coffee and ready-to-drink innovation within the Chobani portfolio.

1. 2025Boston cafés close

   La Colombe closes its two Boston locations while maintaining a broader multi-city United States presence.

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2. 2023Keurig Dr Pepper investment

   Keurig Dr Pepper invests $300 million for a 33 percent stake in La Colombe.

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3. 2023Chobani completes acquisition

   Chobani acquires La Colombe for $900 million, with Keurig Dr Pepper receiving a minority interest in Chobani.

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4. 2021Whole Foods Market collaboration expands to Austin

   La Colombe works with Whole Foods Market on store openings in New York City and Austin, including its first Texas location.

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5. 2020Self-heating instant coffee announced

   La Colombe announces a canned instant coffee concept using self-heating technology.

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6. 2017BevNet Rising Star recognition

   La Colombe receives BevNet's Rising Star recognition.

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7. 2016Canned Draft Latte launches

   The company introduces a canned version of its Draft Latte, using a nitrous oxide system to create a creamy texture.

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8. 2015New headquarters and major investment

   La Colombe moves its headquarters to Fishtown in Philadelphia, while Hamdi Ulukaya acquires a stake and supports a $28.5 million fundraising round.

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9. 2013Haiti Coffee Academy is established

   La Colombe and the Clinton Foundation establish an initiative focused on training Haitian coffee farmers and strengthening the country's coffee supply chain.

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10. 2011Chicago and Dilworth Park expansion

    La Colombe opens its first Chicago café and a second Philadelphia location at Dilworth Park.

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11. 2009SoHo location opens

    The company expands its New York presence with a café in SoHo.

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12. 2007First reported New York café opens

    La Colombe opens a location in New York City's Tribeca neighborhood.

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13. 1994La Colombe is founded in Philadelphia

    Todd Carmichael and JP Iberti establish the company in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood under the original La Colombe Torrefaction name.

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Specialty and third-wave coffee with a craft-roasting heritage, combining café hospitality with packaged ready-to-drink innovation.

• Roasted coffeeSpecialty coffee1994

  La Colombe's core product line includes single-origin coffees and blended roasted coffees sold through its cafés, retail channels, and website. The range reflects the company's specialty-roaster positioning, with products intended for brewed coffee and espresso preparation at home or in commercial settings.

• Draft LatteReady-to-drink coffee2016

  Draft Latte is an espresso-and-milk beverage first served on tap in La Colombe cafés and later adapted for packaged retail sale. The canned version uses a nitrous oxide system to create a smooth, frothed texture. It became one of the brand's most distinctive ready-to-drink offerings and was initially sold in several flavors.

• Nitro cold brewCold coffee

  Nitro cold brew is a nitrogenated cold-coffee format associated with La Colombe's expansion into chilled and ready-to-drink beverages. The product builds on the company's café expertise while targeting consumers seeking a smooth, cold coffee drink outside traditional espresso service.

• Bottled cold brewReady-to-drink coffee

  La Colombe has offered cold brew in larger 42-ounce bottles, extending its café cold-coffee proposition into take-home retail packaging. The format is intended for household consumption and complements the company's canned and draft beverage products.

• Different DrumSpirits

  Different Drum is a coffee-infused rum produced in connection with La Colombe's micro-distillery operation in its Fishtown café facility. It represents an extension of the brand's coffee expertise into alcoholic beverages and hospitality-oriented product experimentation.

• Instant coffee with self-heating technologyInstant coffee2020

  In 2020, La Colombe announced an instant coffee product incorporating self-heating packaging technology. The announcement reflected the company's interest in convenience formats and alternative ways of delivering prepared coffee outside cafés.

• 2021Whole Foods Market store collaboration

  New York City · Austin

  La Colombe partnered with Whole Foods Market on café locations, including a site in Austin that represented the brand's first Texas location.

  Outcome. Supported expansion into a grocery-linked retail environment and a new state market.

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• 2016Yards Brewing coffee stout collaboration

  Philadelphia region

  La Colombe collaborated with Philadelphia brewer Yards Brewing Company on a coffee stout served at local Shake Shack restaurants.

  Outcome. Extended La Colombe's coffee identity into a limited collaborative beer offering.

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• 2016Snorri's Awakening

  United States

  La Colombe worked with Einstök and Yards Brewing Company on Snorri's Awakening, a coffee pale ale.

  Outcome. Created a cross-border craft-beverage collaboration linking coffee roasting with specialty brewing.

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• 2013Haiti Coffee Academy

  Haiti · United States

  La Colombe partnered with the Clinton Foundation to create the Haiti Coffee Academy, focusing on farmer training, a demonstration farm and nursery, and improvements to coffee supply chains serving domestic and export markets.

  Outcome. Established a long-term coffee-development and farmer-support initiative.

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• 2023Keurig Dr Pepper takes a strategic stakeM&A

  La Colombe pursued additional capital and strategic support as its café and packaged-beverage business developed.

  What changed. Keurig Dr Pepper invested $300 million for a 33 percent interest in La Colombe.

  Aftermath. The investment preceded Chobani's acquisition of the company later in 2023.

  Investment. $300 million (July 2023)

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• 2023Chobani acquires La ColombeM&A

  Chobani sought to expand beyond yogurt and add a specialty coffee platform with cafés and packaged beverages.

  What changed. Chobani acquired La Colombe for $900 million. Keurig Dr Pepper's La Colombe equity was converted into a minority position in Chobani.

  Aftermath. La Colombe became part of Chobani while continuing to operate under its own brand. Chobani used a $550 million loan to help finance the acquisition.

  Acquisition value. $900 million (December 2023)

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• 2016Launch canned Draft LatteProduct launch

  The company wanted to extend its draft-served espresso and frothed-milk beverage into a portable retail format.

  What changed. La Colombe introduced canned Draft Latte products using a valve and nitrous oxide system to create a creamy texture.

  Aftermath. Draft Latte became a prominent packaged beverage associated with La Colombe's retail growth.

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• 2015Fund expansion through outside investmentStrategy

  La Colombe sought capital to accelerate café and product expansion while remaining a specialty coffee company.

  What changed. Hamdi Ulukaya acquired a stake after buying out Goode Partners and helped the company raise $28.5 million.

  Aftermath. The investment supported a more ambitious expansion program and linked La Colombe to the Chobani founder before the later acquisition.

  Capital raised. $28.5 million (2015)

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• 2025La Colombe closes both Boston cafés

  La Colombe closed its Boston locations in the Leather District and Seaport District. The owners cited financial performance and other considerations.

  Other
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• 2023Keurig Dr Pepper invests $300 million in La Colombe

  Keurig Dr Pepper invested $300 million for a 33 percent interest in La Colombe.

  M&A
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• 2023Chobani acquires La Colombe

  Chobani acquired La Colombe for $900 million. Keurig Dr Pepper's stake was converted into a minority position in Chobani, and Chobani used a $550 million loan to help finance the transaction.

  M&A
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• 2016La Colombe expands its café and packaged-coffee operations

  The company continued geographic expansion while introducing canned Draft Latte products and developing additional cold-brew offerings.

  Product launchCampaign
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• 2015La Colombe receives investment from Hamdi Ulukaya

  Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya acquired a stake in La Colombe after buying out Goode Partners and helped the roaster raise $28.5 million to support expansion.

  M&AOther
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1. La Colombe Coffee Roasters