Red Bay Coffee

Red Bay Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster and retailer with a mission-driven approach that combines exceptional coffee quality with a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social and economic restoration. The company sources, roasts, and sells single-origin and curated coffee blends, positioning itself as a vehicle for meaningful community impact alongside product excellence. Red Bay Coffee offers a range of whole bean coffees organized into collections, including its Hero Collection, marketed as 'Brewed for the Movement,' reflecting the brand's cultural identity and social purpose. Among its flagship offerings is Chasing Lions, an Ethiopian single-origin medium roast sourced from the Guji Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia. This coffee is procured from approximately 650 smallholder farmers working across roughly 1,400 hectares, with farms averaging just 2 hectares each. The beans are processed at the Derikocha Washing Station in Hambelawamena using a fully washed method, fermented for 36–48 hours, and sun-dried for 12–15 days on raised African drying beds. Grown at elevations between 1,750 and 1,850 MASL under shade, in fertile red-brown soil with high annual rainfall, the coffee reflects meticulous agricultural stewardship and cooperative farming traditions. Red Bay Coffee's roasting approach delivers a light-to-medium body with bright citrusy acidity and notes of stone fruit and wildflower, catering to specialty coffee consumers who appreciate nuanced flavor profiles. The company provides detailed brewing recommendations for methods including pour over (Chemex, Kalita, V60), French press, and espresso, demonstrating a deep engagement with coffee craft and consumer education. Red Bay Coffee's product line spans whole bean retail offerings available through its e-commerce platform, making its specialty coffees accessible to a broad consumer base. The brand's founding story is rooted in Oakland, California, where it originated as a café called Chasing Lions before expanding into a full roasting and retail operation. This heritage is directly embedded in its product storytelling and brand identity, connecting its origin narrative to its sourcing relationships and product development. The company's emphasis on traceable, high-quality sourcing from smallholder cooperatives, combined with its cultural and community mission, positions it distinctively in the specialty coffee market for both direct-to-consumer and potential wholesale and foodservice channels.