Partners Coffee

Partners Coffee was established in 2012 in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Founded by childhood friends Adam Boyd and Amber Jacobsen, the company began with the objective of creating a space that prioritized both the social aspects of coffee culture and the technical quality of the product. The brand operates as both a roaster and a retailer, maintaining a flagship roastery, education lab, and cafe on North 6th Street in Williamsburg, which serves as the central hub for its operations and quality control efforts.

The company’s sourcing philosophy is built upon the development of long-term, direct relationships with coffee farmers and producers. Partners Coffee emphasizes a strategy of comprehensive purchasing, which involves acquiring both high-end microlots and larger volumes of dependable coffee from the same partners. This approach is intended to provide producers with greater financial stability and to encourage investment in their local communities, while simultaneously allowing the roaster to maintain a consistent flavor profile for its core offerings.

Partners Coffee produces a variety of coffee products, including a selection of 'mainstay' blends and a rotating menu of single-origin coffees. Their roasting operations are based in Brooklyn, where they process coffee daily. The company’s product range has expanded to include specialty instant coffee, cold brew, and various brewing equipment, reflecting a broader effort to make specialty-grade coffee accessible to a wider consumer base beyond their physical cafe locations.

In addition to its retail and roasting activities, the company operates an education lab, which serves as a resource for staff training and community engagement. This focus on education is integrated into their cafe model, where baristas are trained to provide support and guidance to customers. The company has also expanded its physical footprint with multiple cafe locations across New York, each designed to serve as a community space for coffee consumption.

Transparency and sustainability are central to the company's stated operational principles. By avoiding reliance solely on commodity-priced coffee, Partners Coffee aims to mitigate the environmental and economic risks associated with volatile coffee markets. They emphasize that their purchasing decisions are made with the intent of being stewards of the land where their coffee is grown, trusting their producing partners to manage the environmental impact of their farming practices.

Partners Coffee has received recognition within the specialty coffee industry, including accolades such as finalist status in the Good Food Awards for specific offerings like their Ethiopia Suke Quto. The company continues to operate as a private entity, focusing on its wholesale business, direct-to-consumer subscriptions, and its network of cafes, maintaining its original commitment to roasting and sourcing quality coffee in a manner that is intended to be both approachable and sustainable.