Key Takeaways
- Fresh Roasted Coffee grew from a garage operation to a multi-site manufacturer with ~84 employees and national co-packing programs.
- A 1,300-panel rooftop solar system now supplies an estimated 80–90% of electricity needs, with reported savings of about $20,000/month.
- The company is expanding automation and weekend shifts to raise throughput while maintaining SQF certification and grocery-grade compliance.
- Elevated green coffee prices and tariffs are tightening U.S. supply; management reports booking several million pounds forward to manage risk.
- Consumer demand is shifting toward bulk formats and value, with ongoing R&D on compostable formats if cost premiums remain modest.
Founding Story of Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC: Online First, Built for Volume
Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC began as a practical extension of a local distribution business in central Pennsylvania, with online sales as the growth engine. Owner Andrew Oakes summarized the early constraint and pivot: “There’s just no one here to sell to… I thought I would go online and… reach out and touch the world.” He started “roasting in my garage on a little… popcorn popper style machine,” then stepped up to larger equipment and formal training.
Financing the move from plan to plant required persistence. Oakes recalled writing a full business plan during the late-2000s downturn and then taking on a few investors before a bank would lend. The company built early momentum through Amazon and direct-to-consumer channels, culminating in a buyout of initial partners “somewhere around 2020 right before COVID,” making Oakes the sole owner.
Capacity, Headcount, and Co-Packing Expansion
Pandemic-era online demand accelerated growth. A 24,000-square-foot facility (occupied in 2019) was soon outgrown; by 2022, Fresh Roasted Coffee acquired an 84,000-square-foot site and has since added a secondary ~25,000-square-foot building, for roughly 115,000 sq ft combined. Staffing is now “around 84 employees,” according to Oakes.
