How do I choose a Coffee Supplier?

How do you source coffee for a cafe?

Looking for wholesale coffee beans for your cafe, restaurant, office, or shop? This guide covers how to find and vet wholesale coffee suppliers, what questions to ask, and what separates a good roasting partner from a bag of regret.

We're Roasted by Mom, a 5-time award-winning roastery in Hillsboro, Oregon. We roast to order and ship nationwide. If you'd rather skip the research phase, check out our wholesale program. If you want to do your homework first (smart), keep reading.

What to look for in a wholesale coffee supplier

After 7 years of roasting and working with cafes, restaurants, and offices across Oregon and beyond, here's our honest checklist:

Roast-to-order, not warehouse stock. Coffee is produce. If your supplier roasts in bulk and ships from a shelf, your customers taste it. Ask when the beans were roasted. If they can't answer, walk.

Realistic minimums. Big distributors want you locked into volumes that don't fit a small shop. Look for a supplier whose minimums match your actual weekly usage.

A human who answers. When your order is short or your grinder dies on a Saturday, you want a roaster who picks up, not a ticket queue.

Fast turnaround. Roast-to-order should still mean days, not weeks.

That's the standard we hold ourselves to. Our wholesale coffee program is built for small businesses: roast-to-order, 24-48 hour response time, local Portland metro delivery, and shipping anywhere in the US.

How do I find my coffee supplier?

I highly recommend reaching out, to a coffee roaster when searching for a supplier of whole bean coffee in your area. They can offer guidance. Potentially connect you with reliable sources.
Coffee roasters possess knowledge when it comes to sourcing coffees that match your desired flavor profile whether you're seeking beans, for your espresso drinks or brewed drip coffee. It would be beneficial to arrange a meeting with them to discuss your preferences regarding taste, quality ordering process, delivery schedule and pricing. Asking these questions will greatly assist you in finding the ideal wholesale coffee bean supplier for your business.

Were you aware that Roasted By Mom has devised a program specifically tailored for businesses aiming to expand their coffee offerings?

We supply wholesale coffee beans roasted to order to coffee shops, restaurants, bakeries, and offices across Oregon and the US. Fill out the form on our wholesale page and you'll hear from us within 24-48 hours. From an actual human. Probably Mom.