Blue Bottle Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster and retailer founded in 2002 by James Freeman in Oakland, California. The company built its reputation on a commitment to freshness, roasting coffee to order and shipping beans within 48 hours of roasting. Blue Bottle has grown from a single farmers' market cart into a global brand with cafes across the United States, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and mainland China, while maintaining its artisanal approach to sourcing and roasting.
The company sources green coffee beans through direct trade relationships with farmers in coffee-growing regions around the world, prioritizing quality, sustainability, and fair compensation for producers. Blue Bottle's online store offers a rotating selection of single-origin coffees, signature blends, espresso, cold brew, instant coffee, and brewing equipment. The company also offers subscription plans that deliver freshly roasted coffee on a customizable schedule.
Blue Bottle was acquired by Nestle in 2017 but continues to operate as an independent brand with its founding commitment to quality and sustainability. The company has expanded its product line to include ready-to-drink canned coffees, craft instant coffee, and a range of brewing accessories. Blue Bottle is widely credited as one of the pioneers of the third-wave coffee movement, which treats coffee as an artisanal food product rather than a commodity.