Hubbard & Cravens Coffee and Tea

Hubbard & Cravens was established in 1991 in Indianapolis, Indiana, by founders Rick Hubbard and Jerry Cravens. The company emerged during a period when specialty coffee was still in its infancy in the Midwest, with the founders drawing inspiration from the West Coast specialty coffee model. Marcie Hubbard later joined the leadership team alongside her husband, Rick, and Jerry Cravens, helping to steer the company through decades of growth. Today, the business operates as a specialty roaster that balances a retail presence in the Indianapolis area with a substantial wholesale operation that supplies coffee to restaurants, hotels, and private label clients across the United States.

The company’s sourcing philosophy is defined by a hands-on approach to the supply chain. The owners have maintained a rigorous travel schedule for over twenty years, visiting coffee-producing regions in Africa, Europe, and Central and South America to establish direct connections with growers. By working closely with both small-scale family operations and larger cooperatives, the company aims to maintain transparency and traceability. This commitment to the 'crop-to-cup' journey involves sourcing high-quality single-origin beans and micro-lots, which are then roasted in small batches to highlight the specific characteristics of the origin.

In practice, the company’s operations are supported by a dedicated sourcing team, including professionals with experience as importers in major coffee-producing countries like Colombia and Nicaragua. This expertise allows the roaster to secure consistent access to high-quality crops, such as their long-standing relationship with the Herbazu farm in Costa Rica. The company’s internal culture emphasizes the human element of coffee production, ensuring that every roasted product—whether a single-origin offering or a component of a signature blend—is connected to the specific story and labor of the farmer who produced it.

While the company maintains a retail footprint, a significant portion of its production capacity is dedicated to wholesale and private label services. The roaster produces millions of pounds of coffee annually, serving a diverse range of clients that includes high-end hospitality venues and corporate partners. This dual focus allows the company to maintain its specialty standards while operating at a scale that supports its extensive sourcing network. The company has historically been noted for its preference for Sumatran coffees and its development of balanced, medium-roast blends like the SoBro Organic.

Despite its growth, the company has remained focused on its core mission of providing high-quality arabica coffee and tea. The business has navigated the changing landscape of the coffee industry by avoiding the trend of rapid, massive expansion, instead prioritizing the quality of its relationships and the consistency of its product. This approach has earned the brand a reputation among discriminating consumers and industry peers as a foundational institution in the Indianapolis coffee scene.

Today, Hubbard & Cravens continues to operate as an independent, unfunded entity. Its longevity is often attributed to the founders' deep industry knowledge and their early commitment to specialty-grade coffee before it became a mainstream commodity. By maintaining a focus on direct relationships and quality control, the company remains a significant player in the regional coffee market, bridging the gap between traditional wholesale roasting and the modern demand for transparent, origin-focused specialty coffee.