Axum Coffee

Axum Coffee was established in December 2010 by founders Renaut and Brooke van der Riet. The company's origin is rooted in a 2009 visit to the city of Axum, Ethiopia, which served as the inspiration for the brand's mission to foster community and support positive change. Headquartered in Winter Garden, Florida, the company operates both as a retail coffeehouse and a roasting operation, aiming to provide a gathering space while maintaining a competitive presence in the specialty coffee industry.

In 2015, the company expanded its operations by opening the Axum Roastery, located at the Plant Street Market in downtown Winter Garden. This move was driven by a desire to exert direct control over the selection of green coffee and the development of specific roasting profiles. The roastery utilizes a twelve-kilo Probat roaster, a German-manufactured machine, to process its coffee in small batches. By roasting approximately three times per week, the company aims to ensure that its coffee is served or sold within 14 days of the roast date.

Axum Coffee’s sourcing philosophy emphasizes transparency and traceability. The company reports that it sources its green coffee through a combination of bulk importers, such as Balzac Brothers, and direct trade relationships with farmers. Their stated criteria for sourcing include evaluating the sustainability, traceability, and quality of the beans. The company claims to be able to trace its inventory back to the specific region of origin and, in most instances, to the individual farm where the coffee was harvested.

Flagship offerings from the company include Ethiopian Sidamo beans, which were the first variety processed at their roastery. The company maintains a commitment to freshness, with all green coffee arriving in its raw state before being roasted at 80% of the machine's capacity to ensure uniform heat distribution. Once roasted and degassed, the beans are manually packaged and distributed to their retail locations, wholesale partners, and online subscription customers.

Beyond its retail and roasting activities, Axum Coffee provides wholesale services, including custom private labeling for other businesses. The company positions itself as a direct partner for these clients, emphasizing the absence of middlemen in their supply chain. This wholesale arm is part of their broader business model, which seeks to integrate community engagement with commercial coffee production.

Community involvement remains a central pillar of the company's identity. Through programs like 'Axum Serve,' the company organizes opportunities for staff and customers to engage in local service projects. The founders have historically framed the business as a vehicle for social impact, aiming to support farmers globally while serving as a local hub for community development and relationship-building in Florida.

Today, Axum Coffee continues to operate out of its Winter Garden facilities, maintaining a focus on craft roasting and retail hospitality. The company remains a privately held entity, with its operations spanning multiple locations in the Winter Garden area, including its primary coffeehouse and the roastery bar, while continuing to manage its e-commerce and wholesale distribution channels.