Stumptown Coffee

Name: Stumptown Coffee
Brand: USA
Availability: OutOfStock

since 1999 : Brewing a Culture of Care and Craft

Stumptown Coffee was founded in Portland, Oregon in 1999 by Duane Sorenson, who invested his savings into a vintage 5 kg Probat roaster and a small café with a big ambition: “to take care of people and make them happy” through exceptional coffee.

The café opened in a space that once housed a local hair salon called Hair Bender. The name lived on as Stumptown’s first signature espresso blend and remains a legacy nod at the downtown roastery. What began as a neighborhood venture quickly grew into a pioneering force in what would later become the third-wave coffee movement.

Coffee Ethos & Direct Relationships

From the outset, Stumptown built its reputation on Direct Trade. Instead of relying on middlemen, Sorenson and his team forged transparent, long-term relationships with farmers, focusing on fairness, quality, and shared growth.

One of the earliest partnerships was formed in 2003 with the Aguirre family of Finca El Injerto in Guatemala, setting the stage for future collaborations across Nicaragua, Honduras, and other regions. Today, more than 90 percent of Stumptown’s producers have been partners for over three years, underscoring the brand’s dedication to consistency and community impact.

Sustainability & B Corp Commitment

In 2018, Stumptown became a Certified B Corporation, joining a global movement of businesses that balance purpose and profit. Its 2022 B Impact Score of 104.9 is more than double the global median, reflecting strong progress in accountability and sustainability.

The company publishes annual Sustainability and Impact Reports, measuring progress in areas ranging from energy use and waste reduction to school enrollment rates for children in coffee-farming communities. To achieve zero landfill waste by 2025, Stumptown continues to demonstrate that transparency and responsibility are essential to growth.

Innovation & Cultural Reach

Stumptown has been a leader in coffee innovation. In 2011, it introduced nitro cold brew in cans, a breakthrough that reshaped the ready-to-drink coffee market and inspired countless imitators.

Its cafés are designed as community destinations, each with a distinct atmosphere that merges architecture, art, and culture. From the rustic charm of Portland’s flagship to the converted firehouse in Brooklyn and collaborations with Ace Hotel, these spaces showcase coffee as an immersive cultural experience.

By elevating terroir, connoisseurship, and ritual, Stumptown helped define a new era in coffee appreciation, treating the beverage with the same reverence as fine wine.

Social Impact Beyond Coffee

Stumptown’s influence extends beyond cafés and roasteries. In 2006, Sorenson founded Bikes to Rwanda, a non-profit initiative that provided custom cargo bicycles to coffee farmers, improving transportation, market access, and livelihoods. The program also established workshops to ensure long-term maintenance and community empowerment.

This project reflects the heart of Stumptown’s mission: to use coffee as a catalyst for connection, creativity, and positive change.