Starting your own coffee business is no easy task, so finding the right roasting partner matters. Maybe your priority is award-winning coffee, ethical sourcing, equipment support, or hands-on training. Every business is different, and there’s no single “right” answer when choosing a wholesale coffee partner.
Klatch Coffee is a coffee roasting company that’s been in business since 1993. From Mike Perry, who started the company with his wife Cindy and developed our “Peak of Flavor” roasting method, to Heather Perry, two-time U.S. Barista Champion and former President of the Specialty Coffee Association, and even down to our Operations VP, Shawn Hamilton, who is a founding member of the World Coffee Research non-profit organization, our team is made up of individuals with decades of experience within the specialty coffee industry.
Their combined experience has helped grow Klatch Coffee from a single storefront to more than thirty locations projected by the end of 2026. They’ve also built up a successful e-commerce business, and they’ve done so while supporting over two hundred wholesale partners along the way.
Whether Klatch Coffee is the right wholesale partner for you or not, here’s what we think are the most important factors to look for during your search for your coffee roasting partner.
Start with Location!
There are two levels of lead time for coffee. The first is the roasting timeline, and the second is transit time. Though coffee needs a good resting period of 3-5 days before its recommended use, roasters often operate on a roast-to-order basis nowadays. This means they don’t have coffee sitting around aging, and can get you the freshest roasts possible.
Even with fast roasting turnaround, long transit times can impact freshness. If you’re in California and your roaster is in New Orleans, for example, it may take a whole week to arrive once they ship your coffee out! This can impact flavor, both because the coffee is less freshly roasted and because shipping hubs and delivery trucks are typically not climate controlled. In the summertime, this can mean your coffee is sitting in a hot truck for a whole week before it arrives.
We always recommend finding someone local as your supplier. That way, you may be able to pick up or have your orders delivered directly from the roaster. If not, your transit time will at least be shorter. Additionally, if you have an extra busy weekend and need coffee in a bind, you’ll be much closer to your roaster and able to work something out to get you more coffee ASAP.
Next, order minimums.
Each company offers different minimum requirements in terms of order frequency, and order size. Make sure you’re able to meet the requirements needed for your roaster partner without needing to bulk order an excess amount of coffee at a time! If you’re needing to order a large quantity to then let the coffee sit in the storage room for months before use, you might need to search for a roaster with lower minimums. As an example, we do not have an order frequency minimum at Klatch Coffee, but we do require a minimum of 15 lb. of coffee per order for our wholesale program partners. This lower minimum helps smaller businesses order fresh coffee without overstocking inventory.
Do they carry what you need?
At the end of the day, you want to serve a product that you yourself can enjoy and feel confident in. Have you tried their coffee, and do you like their roasts? Are they able to provide you with consistent products year-round? Because coffee is so seasonal, certain single origins may only be available during short periods of time. Does your potential roaster partner carry offerings that you can order all year to offer your own customers the same consistent product? As an example, we have our rotating single origin and organic offerings here at Klatch Coffee, and they’re based on crop and harvest availability from origin countries we partner with. However, we also have staple espressos and blends that we offer 365 days a year! We do this by rotating out certain components based on what’s available, but always matching the same roast and flavor profile.
What about non-coffee items?
It can be difficult to keep track of your vendors if you need to order every other item from someone else. What does your potential roaster partner offer aside from coffee? Here at Klatch Coffee, for our wholesale partners, we carry syrups, sauces, cleaning supplies, scales, measuring cups, scoops, powders, teas, matcha, and more—everything you’d need from a one-stop shop.
How do they set you up for success?
We’ve been jumping ahead to menu offerings and ingredients, but ultimately, what you need to get started is a strong foundation. Are you able to source equipment from your partner, or do they have any services available if you run into any issues with your equipment? We’re teamed up with brands such as BUNN, La Marzocco, Wilbur Curtis, and more, so we can offer competitive equipment prices. Even if your equipment is not purchased through us, we have an in-house technician that can help our partners with installation, regular maintenance, and one-off issues that can occur!
Aside from equipment, we also don’t believe in gatekeeping. We’re happy to help with setting up your barflow and also with recipe development, sharing recipes and seasonal drink ideas. We host monthly espresso training for our wholesale partners, educating you or your team on espresso dialing, milk steaming, latte art, and basic equipment maintenance.
How will you be able to grow with them?
It’s nice to start out with a name people may be familiar with to assure your customers they’re getting great coffee, but at some point, you may want to rebrand! Does your roaster partner have a private labeling or custom blending program that can really allow your brand to shine at the forefront? What do the pricing and minimums look like for those options? For custom blending, we do require a minimum amount of each component to be roasted, however, for private labeling, any of our existing blends or offerings can become yours! We don’t have any additional minimums or fees—just provide us with your labeled bags, and we’re ready to go. Private labeling is the ideal way to offer coffee on your shelves branded to your own business without any worries about the quality, or any extra costs.
Do you align with their company values?
How does your potential roasting partner source their coffee? If politics or ownership are important to you, don’t be afraid to ask! You always want to align yourself with someone who you genuinely can trust, because at the end of the day, they’re going to be an integral part of your business.
Bonus: How easily are you able to communicate with their team?
How quickly does their team reply to your emails or answer your calls? If you have trouble reaching them before you’ve even signed on, that may be something worth paying attention to.
Choosing the right roasting partner is about more than just coffee. It’s about finding a team that supports your business goals, communicates well, and helps you grow over time. Whether you’re opening your first café or expanding an established operation, taking the time to ask the right questions upfront can save you time, money, and stress down the road.
Looking for more information on Klatch Coffee's wholesale partnership program? Head over to our Wholesale page!