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New Orleans, Louisiana · Specialty Coffee Brand Deep Dive

Try-Me Coffee Mills

Editorial sacred-geometry artwork for Try-Me Coffee Mills; not a documentary photograph
IndependentRoasts its own coffeeSourcing: Origin / region level
TagsTry-Me Coffee MillsLouisiana coffee roastersColombiaKenyaCosta RicaEthiopiaGuatemalaBrazilNicaraguaIndependentOrigin / region levelRoasts in-house
Visit Try-Me Coffee Mills's site

Try-Me Coffee is a historic New Orleans roastery that has operated in the Bywater neighborhood for a century. They specialize in traditional Southern-style coffee blends and fresh-roasted single-origin beans, maintaining a long-standing wholesale presence in the city's culinary scene. The company continues to use vintage roasting equipment to preserve the quality and flavor profiles established by its founder.

Ownership
The company is independent and family-owned. It was founded by Henry Kepler and operated by his family for over 90 years before being purchased by Lauren "Mermaid" McCabe and Abby King in 2023.
Founded
1925
Roasting
Reported to roast in-house.
What it's known for
Try-Me Coffee is a historic New Orleans institution known for its century-long legacy of roasting in the Bywater neighborhood and supplying coffee to iconic local restaurants and diners.
Sourcing countries
Colombia · Kenya · Costa Rica · Ethiopia · Guatemala · Brazil · Nicaragua
Farm-level sourcing
The brand offers a mix of traditional blends and rotating single-origin coffees. While they highlight specific countries of origin, they do not consistently publish specific farm or producer names for their offerings.
In the news

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

2025-08-03 · NOLA.com
Try-Me Coffee Roasters turns 100 in New Orleans, Louisiana

As the company celebrates its 100th anniversary, coverage notes that the business was sold by the founding Kepler family to new owners in 2023. The roastery remains a key supplier for iconic local establishments like Angelo Brocato, maintaining its long-standing reputation for quality.

2025-05-27 · Axios New Orleans
100-year-old New Orleans coffee roaster looks to grow its brand

The Bywater-based roaster is highlighted for its century of operation and recent transition to new ownership. The piece emphasizes the brand's deep integration into the local culinary scene, supplying coffee to well-known city staples.

2025-04-01 · Biz New Orleans
Episode 233: The Best Kept Secret in Coffee

This feature discusses the 2023 acquisition of the 100-year-old roastery by Lauren 'Mermaid' McCabe and Abby King. The new owners are focused on increasing brand awareness and promoting their roast-to-order and delivery services.

Sources used in this deep dive
Research disclosure — this profile was compiled from public online sources on 2026-10-21. 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 a 'Nicaragua Direct Trade' coffee, I could not verify specific farm names or a comprehensive list of producer partners on their website.

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