The Story
La Colombe was founded by Todd Carmichael and JP Iberti in 1994 in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Philadelphia.
The two friends met at a grunge concert in Seattle in the 1980s and shared a love for great coffee, dreaming about opening a cafe and premium roastery that would produce coffee at a higher quality than anything available in the U.S. at the time.
The company gets its name from La Colombe d’Or, France, and both founders had lived in Seattle where there had been a growing coffee scene, wanting to bring that scene to a new city.
Carmichael recalls their humble beginnings: “JP and I arrived in 1994. We made the jump from different parts of the world to this hardworking, blue-collar city to chase our dream. We knew Philadelphia, with all of its spirit and persistence, was the place where we could build something special. We roasted 100 bowls of different coffees using a gas stove in a 3rd floor walk-up on 21st and Spruce Street.”
After extensive testing, they discovered their first signature blend: “After testing over and over, we finally discovered it. Nizza was born.”
The company started as a pure coffee roaster with the goal of roasting coffee for the best restaurants in the country, landing four of the most talented French chefs in 1994: Georges Perrier at Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia and Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York City. The business evolved from a single cafe with a micro roaster in the back to a national brand. In December 2023, Chobani fully acquired La Colombe for $900 million.
Sourcing & Relationships
La Colombe is known for its ethically sourced and high-quality coffee beans, which are obtained through direct relationships with coffee farmers and cooperatives. The company is committed to sustainable practices and fair trade principles, ensuring that farmers receive equitable compensation for their work.
As one of the early pioneers of direct trade, the coffee brand prides itself on proactive, long-term relationships with small-holder farms and socially responsible coffee-growing associations.
Through direct sourcing, La Colombe sources coffee directly from farmers, cutting out intermediaries and ensuring fair prices. By paying more than fair trade prices, farmers are allowed to invest in their farms and communities, while ethical sourcing and above-fair-trade prices support coffee farmers.
The company maintains strong relationships with a network of farmers in Central and South America, which is crucial for ensuring a consistent supply of premium beans. Data from the Specialty Coffee Association indicates that direct trade relationships can account for up to 40% to 60% of the final price paid for high-quality coffee.
In 2013, La Colombe partnered with the Clinton Foundation to found the Haiti Coffee Academy. The organization’s stated aim is to improve coffee growers’ livelihoods in Haiti through training programs for smallholder farmers, a demonstration farm and nursery, and efforts to strengthen the supply chain for both local and export markets for Haitian coffee.
The certified organic coffee purchase by La Colombe has increased year over year, reaching about 150,000 pounds in 2020.
Roasting Philosophy
At La Colombe Coffee Workshop, they sweat every detail. Since 1994, they’ve spared no expense when it comes to sourcing, roasting, and brewing exceptional coffee. For them, roasting and brewing is about expressing the terroir, elevation, and effort behind each bean.
Their philosophy emphasizes transparency, sustainability, and a focus on flavor clarity.
At La Colombe, roasting isn’t just tossing beans in a roaster—it’s more like conducting a symphony. Since ‘94, they’ve been blending hard science with gut instinct, chasing flavors that make you pause mid-sip. It starts with the beans—only specialty-grade, high-altitude Arabica. Then their roasters, these flavor wizards, step in. They tweak temps, adjust airflow, ride the fine line between too little and too much heat—until the beans sing.
Small batches are non-negotiable. No factory-line monotony here. Every roast gets attention, care, maybe even a little pep talk.
Their Nizza blend exemplifies this approach with “impressive complexity: high, sweet notes, caramel in the middle, crisp, edge-of-burned tones, a touch of floral acidity. Excellent body… A fine, versatile American espresso: intriguing in the small cup and substantial in milk.”
What to Try
When they say Corsica’s their signature blend, they mean it. It’s been on drip at their cafés—and some of America’s finest restaurants—for over 30 years. Corsica is deeply roasted, comfortingly chocolatey, and perfect straight up or with a splash of milk.
Named for an ancient island in the Mediterranean, Corsica’s cocoa notes pair beautifully with milk or stand-alone, making it the perfect filter coffee for a fulfilling morning. Cupping notes: Baker’s Chocolate, Red Wine, Spices.
Nizza is a medium roast blend named for the city of Nice, France, hometown of co-founder JP and home to some of the best honey in the world. True to its name, this coffee exemplifies a honey-sweet, roasted nuttiness. It’s one of their longstanding favorites, and the coffee they use for espresso in all La Colombe cafes.
Nizza is La Colombe’s iconic medium roast, often used as the espresso base in their cafés. It balances sweetness and nuttiness, offering a smoother profile than Corsica while still delivering a solid caffeine boost.
The company’s innovation builds on their entry into the ready-to-drink coffee space in 2017, when they first introduced canned versions of their coffeehouse Draft Lattes on-tap in retailers. La Colombe’s ready-to-drink line has tripled in growth over the last five years.
The Draft Latte starts with single-origin Colombian bean coffee that has been carefully selected, roasted, and cold brewed, plus locally sourced, fresh milk. The high quality craftsmanship delivers a delicious and pure experience, with 50% less sugar than typical ready-to-drink flavored coffee beverages.