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Durham, North Carolina · Specialty Coffee Brand Deep Dive

Counter Culture Coffee

Counter Culture Coffee brand artwork
IndependentRoasts its own coffeeSourcing: Farm level
TagsCounter Culture CoffeeNorth Carolina coffee roastersBoliviaBurundiColombiaDR CongoCosta RicaEcuadorEl SalvadorEthiopiaGuatemalaHondurasIndiaKenya
Visit Counter Culture Coffee's site

Counter Culture Coffee is a prominent American specialty coffee roaster that has been a leader in the industry since its founding in 1995 by Brett Smith and Fred Houk. The company distinguishes itself through a rigorous commitment to quality, extensive coffee education, and a deep-rooted focus on transparency across its entire value chain. Operating as a B Corp, the roaster maintains two roasting facilities and a network of 12 regional Training Centers across the United States to foster community engagement and professional development. By prioritizing long-term, equitable partnerships with producers and publishing annual transparency reports, Counter Culture has established a reputation for both technical excellence and ethical sourcing practices in the specialty coffee market.

Ownership
Counter Culture Coffee describes itself as an independently owned company.
Founded
1995
Roasting
Reported to roast in-house.
What it's known for
Quality, coffee education and building long-term, transparent relationships with coffee producers.
Sourcing countries
Bolivia · Burundi · Colombia · DRC · Costa Rica · Ecuador · El Salvador · Ethiopia · Guatemala · Honduras · India · Kenya
Farm-level sourcing
The company utilizes a 'value chain' approach, prioritizing long-term relationships with 85% of coffee sourced from producers with whom they have worked for five or more years. They consistently pay premiums above market prices and utilize forward contracting to provide stability for their partners.
Notable coffees
  • — Forty-Six (Year-Round Blend)
  • — Even Keel (Year-Round Blend)
  • — Decaf Urcunina (Single-Origin)
  • — Pascual Marcos Cardona (Single-Origin)
  • — Sipacapa (Single-Origin)
  • — ASUVIM (Single-Origin)
Documented coffees linked to this brand

These published coffee profiles are linked to this brand. Each profile distinguishes verified origins, roasters, farms and producers from information that remains undisclosed. A catalog entry is not automatically an independent tasting review.

Documented coffee offerings

Coffees researched from Counter Culture Coffee

These are examples recorded during editorial research. They are not a live product feed. The coffee, lot, price, and availability may have changed. We have not necessarily brewed these coffees ourselves.

External customer, cafe, marketplace, and class ratings are not comparable measures of the quality of an individual coffee. We do not convert them into original tasting scores or brand-wide star ratings. Our independent reviews are published separately after a coffee has actually been brewed and evaluated.

Verify original product sources

Retailer information: Counter Culture Coffee

Documented physical retailers
Whole Foods Market
Historical source note (not live inventory): Carries Counter Culture Coffee products in various locations as listed on their store locator.
Physical
Sprouts Farmers Market
Historical source note (not live inventory): Stocks Counter Culture Coffee products at select retail locations.
Physical
Documented online sources
Counter Culture Coffee's online shop
Historical source note (not live inventory): The brand's official website offers their full range of coffee beans and subscription services.
Website

I was able to verify the brand's own online store and two major grocery chains through their official store locator, but could not confirm specific product availability at other individual retailers without further localized search data.

These references come from public store locators, retailer listings and brand materials. Last checked Nov 2, 2026. They are research links, not proof of current stock or a buying recommendation. Verify availability, price and location directly with the source.
In the news

Recent news and media coverage about Counter Culture Coffee, as documented by outside outlets. We link to the original reporting and do not rewrite or endorse it.

Sources used in this deep dive
Research disclosure — this profile was compiled from public online sources on 2026-09-30. This company overview is not a tasting review. Original tasting reviews are labeled separately when they exist. Ownership, roasting and sourcing details are attributed to documented sources. While the brand mentions funding 16 sustainability projects annually, specific details regarding the names or financial structures of these charitable programs are not explicitly documented in their public reports.

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