{"id":14592,"date":"2025-12-10T18:39:29","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T01:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/?p=14592"},"modified":"2025-12-10T18:45:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T01:45:22","slug":"stumptown-coffee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getcraver.com\/blog\/stumptown-coffee\/","title":{"rendered":"Stumptown Coffee Roasters\u2019 Secrets to Success"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 1999<\/a>, Duane Sorenson opened the very first Stumptown Coffee Roasters on Southeast Division Street in Portland, Oregon.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With only one other employee and a single coffee roaster, Sorenson grew Stumptown Coffee from the ground up\u2026 and he grew it fast<\/em>. By 2003, the brand had two other locations open in Portland. By 2016, they had opened a third location in Portland and two in New York. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, in 2025, they have 11 locations globally \u2014 including one in Kyoto, Japan<\/a>!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, Stumptown Coffee has become a household name, recognized (and loved) for everything from pioneering the third-wave coffee movement and sourcing transparency<\/a> to unbeatable branding<\/a> and innovative coffee endeavors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this blog, we\u2019re breaking down Stumptown Coffee\u2019s secrets to success, including three tips for replicating their wins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s get started! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stumptown Coffee Roaster\u2019s business strategy\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So, there\u2019s no arguing that Stumptown Coffee is an example of a highly successful coffee shop\u2026 but what exactly<\/em> is behind their success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the five main aspects of Stumptown Coffee\u2019s business strategy that have helped them grow and flourish in the coffee shop industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 \u2014 Commitment to quality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the main drivers of Stumptown Coffee\u2019s success is their commitment to quality coffee, primarily through Direct Trade<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2003, Stumptown Coffee has been pioneering the Direct Trade model, buying coffee directly from producers based on three guiding principles: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. \u201cPay strong prices tied to quality,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Work with producers we know [for mutual transparency], and<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Maintain those relationships [and strive] to build truly collaborative partnerships.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The Stumptown team maintains their commitment to quality coffee (and their guiding principles) by regularly visiting producers\u2019 farms, mills, and lots for quality assurance (QA), and only building relationships with, and investing in, suppliers who produce the best coffees around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stumptown Coffee\u2019s Direct Trade model and relationship-focused QA principles ensure they\u2019re only making high-quality coffee from high-quality beans sourced from high-quality producers \u2014 and that\u2019s what keeps customers coming back time and time again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \u201cThe effort is worth it. We\u2019re not doing it the easy way by buying bulk, mid-quality beans anonymously from a trading house. Instead, we go right to the source of the best coffee. We hike through fields, stand among coffee drying decks, and sit down to share a meal and talk about the crop with producers we\u2019ve met many times.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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    Deliver an experience as good as Stumptown Coffee with a Craver mobile app.\u00a0<\/div>\n\t\t\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tBook A Demo\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    2 \u2014 Innovation and creativity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Another factor behind Stumptown Coffee\u2019s success is their dedication to innovation \u2014 like their ready-to-drink cold brew. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In March 2011<\/a>, Stumptown Coffee created one of the first ready-to-drink cold brew beverages the industry had ever seen. Sold in their signature, stubby brown glass bottles<\/a>, Stumptown\u2019s cold brew was an instant hit, with customers snatching up the brand-new cold brew faster than the team could make it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stumptown\u2019s cold brew line<\/a> has only expanded since then.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Customers can still get the classic, stubby cold brew, alongside new offerings like cold brew concentrate and OATLY cold brew in a box. Or, for those looking to cross \u201ccold brew\u201d off their grocery lists, it\u2019s also sold at retailers across North America<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    No matter how you drink your cold brew, one thing is for certain: creativity goes a long way in keeping customers wanting more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \u201cMy love for the stubby comes from growing up on Olympia Beer. It\u2019s what I saw my grandfather holding more than he held his wife,\u201d Duane says.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    3 \u2014 Wholesale growth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The creation and growth of Stumptown Coffee\u2019s wholesale program is another major driver of their success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stumptown Coffee\u2019s wholesale program has been around since the beginning, with Portland\u2019s The Fresh Pot becoming Stumptown\u2019s \u201cfirst ever wholesale partner<\/a>\u201d in 2001. Then, in 2005, the program expanded state lines, supplying San Francisco\u2019s Ritual Coffee<\/a> next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    While the longevity of Stumptown Coffee\u2019s wholesale program has definitely helped its success \u2014 especially in establishing them as a wishlist roasting partner<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s not just<\/em> about the beans.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The goal of Stumptown Coffee\u2019s wholesale program is to share their decades of expertise, help brands create an \u201cunrivaled coffee and cold brew program<\/a>,\u201d and deliver the highest-quality coffee to customers everywhere it\u2019s served.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stumptown\u2019s wholesale program isn\u2019t about selling coffee or making money. It\u2019s about building a community through <\/em>their coffee\u2026 and that\u2019s <\/em>why it\u2019s so successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    4 \u2014 Strong digital experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Stumptown Coffee\u2019s strong digital experience has also helped drive the brand\u2019s success, particularly online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stumptown Coffee has a website that offers customers all the bells and whistles, including online shopping capabilities<\/a>, a coffee subscription program<\/a>, and an interactive coffee quiz<\/a> to help you find the perfect Stumptown blend for your preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    They\u2019ve also got a high-end mobile app<\/a> powered by Craver.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    With Stumptown Coffee\u2019s app, customers can order ahead at any cafe<\/a>, customize their drinks<\/a> (and save their favorite creations for next time), and save their credit cards or Apple Pay for easy, contactless payment. And, because Stumptown Coffee\u2019s entire digital presence is consistently branded, it\u2019s easy for customers to find them and shop with them, no matter where they\u2019re looking.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Combine Stumptown\u2019s strong website, easy-to-use app, and instant recognizability online, and you\u2019ve got a recipe for success \u2014 digital or otherwise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Want a mobile app as good as Stumptown Coffee\u2019s? Craver can help.\u00a0<\/div>\n\t\t\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tBook A Demo\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    5 \u2014 Industry engagement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Community engagement is another big driver of Stumptown Coffee\u2019s success, especially within the larger coffee and beverage community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stumptown Coffee does a great job of aligning themselves with like-minded brands and community partners, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n