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Forest Park, Illinois, Illinois · Specialty Coffee Brand Deep Dive

Kribi Coffee Air Roasters

Editorial sacred-geometry artwork for Kribi Coffee Air Roasters; not a documentary photograph
IndependentRoasts its own coffeeSourcing: Origin / region level
TagsKribi Coffee Air RoastersIllinois coffee roastersCameroonIndependentOrigin / region levelRoasts in-house
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Kribi Coffee is a Chicago-area roaster that utilizes a unique, patented fluid-bed air-roasting technology to create clean, non-bitter coffee. Founded by Jacques Shalo, the company maintains a strong connection to his roots in Cameroon by working directly with local smallholder farmers. They operate both retail cafes and a production roastery, focusing on freshness and a transparent, farmer-first supply chain.

Ownership
Kribi Coffee is an independent, privately held company founded by Jacques Shalo, with multiple minority stockholders and investors.
Founded
2019
Roasting
Reported to roast in-house.
What it's known for
The brand is known for its patented electric air-roasting process, which removes chaff during the roast to eliminate bitterness and produce a cleaner, smoother cup.
Sourcing countries
Cameroon
Farm-level sourcing
The brand sources its flagship coffees directly from a network of smallholder farmers in Cameroon through its Cameroon Coffee Collective. While they emphasize direct trade and relationships with these farmers, they also supplement their offerings with beans from other global regions sourced through trusted partners.
Notable coffees
  • — Mount Oku
  • — Hyperslap
  • — Calypso
  • — Happy Face
  • — 40 Winks Decaf
Sources used in this deep dive
Research disclosure — this profile was compiled from public online sources on 2026-10-20. 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 emphasizes direct relationships with over 600 farmers in Cameroon, specific farm names or individual producer names are not publicly listed on their website.

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