Red Bay Coffee

Red Bay Coffee was established in 2014 by Keba Konte, an artist and food entrepreneur with extensive experience in the San Francisco Bay Area hospitality sector. The company originated in a converted garden shed in Oakland’s Fruitvale district, a space Konte referred to as the "Coffee Dojo." From its inception, the business was built with the support of family, friends, and a successful crowdfunding campaign, allowing it to grow from a small-scale operation into a prominent specialty roaster.

The company defines its mission through what it terms the "fourth wave of coffee." This philosophy moves beyond traditional specialty coffee standards by positioning the business as a vehicle for social and economic change. Central to this approach is a firm commitment to diversity, inclusion, and environmental sustainability, with a specific focus on hiring individuals who have historically been marginalized or excluded from the specialty coffee industry.

Red Bay Coffee maintains a direct-trade sourcing model, working with smallholder cooperatives across Africa and Latin America. Notable sourcing partners include Sweet Unity Farms in Tanzania—founded by David Robinson—and CENCOIC in Colombia. By bypassing traditional intermediaries, the company aims to ensure that farmers receive fair compensation while maintaining transparency in the supply chain.

Beyond its roasting operations, Red Bay Coffee functions as a community hub. The company operates several cafes throughout the Bay Area, including locations in the Fruitvale district, the Ferry Building, and on Grand Avenue. These spaces are designed to serve as inclusive environments that reflect the company's broader social mission, often hosting community events and fostering local engagement.

In recognition of its social and environmental performance, Red Bay Coffee became a Certified B Corporation in September 2019. This certification validates the company's adherence to rigorous standards of social and environmental impact, transparency, and accountability. The business has also expanded its reach through wholesale partnerships and national e-commerce, shipping whole-bean and ground coffee to customers across the United States.

The company’s growth has been marked by significant milestones, including securing Series A funding and expanding its production capabilities to meet increasing demand. Despite this scaling, the leadership team maintains a focus on the original ethos of the brand: producing high-quality coffee while actively working to dismantle barriers to entry within the specialty coffee market for underrepresented groups.