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San Antonio, Texas · Specialty Coffee Brand Deep Dive

Merit Coffee Co.

Editorial sacred-geometry artwork for Merit Coffee Co.; not a documentary photograph
IndependentRoasts its own coffeeSourcing: Origin / region level
TagsMerit Coffee Co.Texas coffee roastersCentral AmericaSouth AmericaAfricaIndependentOrigin / region levelRoasts in-house
Visit Merit Coffee Co.'s site

Merit Coffee is a prominent Texas-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer that operates a growing network of community-focused cafes. The company is vertically integrated, managing its own direct sourcing, in-house roasting on Probat equipment, and retail service. They are recognized for their commitment to coffee education and maintaining a high standard of hospitality across their locations.

Ownership
Merit Coffee is an independent, family-owned company founded by Robby Grubbs and Bill Ellis. It originally operated under the name Local Coffee before rebranding to Merit Coffee in 2017 to align with its roasting operations.
Founded
2009
Roasting
Reported to roast in-house.
What it's known for
Merit is known for its professional-grade coffee education, high-quality sourcing, and its role as a major specialty roaster with a significant retail footprint across Texas cities including San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas.
Sourcing countries
Central America · South America · Africa
Farm-level sourcing
The brand emphasizes direct relationships with farmers and travels to origin to source its coffee. While they highlight specific regions and washing stations for their single-origin offerings, they do not consistently publish the specific farm or farmer names for every coffee in their catalog.
Notable coffees
  • — Burundi Kibingo
  • — Camino de Oro
  • — Bekele Belachew
  • — Saddle Up
Documented coffee offerings

Coffees researched from Merit Coffee Co.

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: Merit Coffee Co.

Documented physical retailers
Merit Coffee Co. Cafés
Historical source note (not live inventory): Sells freshly roasted whole bean coffee and seasonal offerings at 15 locations across San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas.
Physical
H-E-B
Historical source note (not live inventory): Carries Merit Coffee products at select locations throughout Texas.
Physical
Whole Foods Market
Historical source note (not live inventory): Carries Merit Coffee products at select locations throughout Texas.
Physical
Kroger
Historical source note (not live inventory): Carries Merit Coffee products at select locations throughout Texas.
Physical
Central Market
Historical source note (not live inventory): Carries Merit Coffee products at select locations throughout Texas.
Physical
Documented online sources
Merit Coffee Co.'s online shop
Historical source note (not live inventory): Offers the brand's full range of coffee beans and instant coffee for direct delivery.
Website

I was able to verify the brand's own online shop and their physical café locations through their website, and confirmed their presence in major Texas grocery chains via a recent press release.

These references come from public store locators, retailer listings and brand materials. Last checked Oct 26, 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 Merit Coffee Co., as documented by outside outlets. We link to the original reporting and do not rewrite or endorse it.

2026-09-15 · PR Newswire
Merit Coffee Earns Two Gold Medals at the 2026 Global Coffee Awards

Merit Coffee Co. received two gold medals at the 2026 Global Coffee Awards for its "Lucem" everyday blend and a Peru Gesha Natural coffee. The recognition highlights the company's roasting program, led by head roaster and Q Grader Carlos Riaño, who is also set to compete in the United States Coffee Roasting Championship.

2026-06-11 · PR Newswire
Merit Coffee Announces Expansion into Houston with Three New Café Locations

San Antonio-based Merit Coffee Co. announced a major expansion into the Houston market with plans to open three new café locations. This move marks a significant growth step for the Texas-based roaster, which already operates multiple locations across San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas.

Sources used in this deep dive
Research disclosure — this profile was compiled from public online sources on 2026-10-07. 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 sourcing, I could not verify a comprehensive list of every specific farm or producer currently under contract.

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