Portland Coffee Wars
Though still friendly, the competition heats up.
Posted by: Mike Thelin on Jun 03, 2009 at 07:00AM
35 Comments
From a glossy spread in Bon Appétit to several articles in the New York Times, Portland’s Stumptown Coffee has become the local darling of the so-called “third wave” coffee movement. Yes, its direct-trade sourcing practices are desirable, its support of micro lots has helped coffee farmers attain record per-pound prices for specialty single-origin beans, and of course, we Portlanders tend to sip a bit easier knowing our Stumptown baristas are treated well and receive full medical benefits—something nearly unheard-of for employees of independent coffee shops. That’s all very important, but the real reason for Stumptown’s success is this: Stumptown Coffee is delicious. It elevated our expectations and forever changed the Portland market.
Ten years since it began, Stumptown is now growing its brand nationally for this same reason. And while Stumptown owner and founder Duane Sorenson and company are experiencing the same type of success in New York City and other large markets, Portland coffee drinkers are discovering out-of-town roasters who’ve set their sights on top independent Portland shops, formerly the exclusive domain of Stumptown .
The most obvious example is former Albina Press front man Billy Wilson’s new shop, Barista. Wilson serves Stumptown’s Hair Bender espresso blend alongside coffee selections from Sonoma County’s Ecco Caffe and Chicago’s Intelligentsia. Across town on N Killingsworth Street and Michigan Avenue, another longtime Albina Press-er recently debuted Red E, which serves Intelligentsia beans along with those by Coava, a burgeoning local roaster.
Two blocks east, on N Albina and Killingsworth, the popular Coffeehouse Five also caters to the Piedmont neighborhood and the PCC crowd, serving coffee by Caffé Vita, one of Seattle’s pioneering independent roasters. Coffeehouse Five (which, incidentally, is located on the site of what once was my great-grandfather’s grocery store) has become perhaps the busiest storefront along N Killingsworth, and is a major success for Vita, which was featured yesterday on a popular New York Times blog.
Local Portland roasters such as Courier, Cellar Door, Spella, Ristretto, and Cherry are becoming more visible, adding a new depth to our local coffee scene. That said, it’s safe to say we’re at the very beginning of a trend that will increase the local influence of larger nationally focused artisan brands like Vita, Intelligentsia, and Counter Culture in Portland shops. According to one local proprietor whose upcoming project will feature an out-of-town roaster (he asked not to be named because his plans are not public), this is happening for two reasons. First, Portland coffee drinkers are becoming far more interested in variety. Second, competition between the roasters in cities like New York and Los Angeles is still friendly but increasingly fierce among large independent roasters.
I promise you, this will get interesting.
Interesting. I thought the coffee wars were won in the 90’s when Starbucks became the behemoth they are today. I hadn’t thought it would come down to the artisen level.
Are there enough customers to support all of these artisen beans? I remember back in the day when America was introduced to something other than MJB, they tried the coffee, but didn’t know how to store it properly, grind it properly and even brew it properly to make it worth the cost. There are those out there who do that, but are they enough to support a burgeoning business.
I’m excited to now seek out some of these roasters I have never heard of, but I don’t know if I have as discerning a palate to know one from another. I like what I like and usually don’t stray other than if someone prepares it better- i.e. Billy Wilson’s pulls are amazing.
dieselboi:
Great points all around. I think you’re right to point out that most consumers can’t tell the difference between say Stumptown and Vita, but a lot of folks can. There has been similar booms in artisan chocolate and wine, so in some ways it’s logical that coffee will follow suit. That said, I don’t think artisan roasters will ever take a really large chunk of the market. I actually asked Billy Wilson what he thought about this and he indicated that McCafe and the likes posed more of a threat to Starbucks than Stumptown or Intelligentsia.
That said, it’s certain that this is a growing market and one that’s untouched in many American cities. For me, Stumptown coffee was life changing, just as Vivace and Vita coffee was for Seattle-ites in the mid-1990s.
Good observations, but I think the reason for the intensity is that these formerly neighborhood roasteries have been clashing as they’ve expanded into New York. The three big independents: Stumptown, Intelligentsia, and Counter Culture have been been quietly at war in Brooklyn and Manhattan. I’m not sure if it’s as friendly as you suggest. New York has 8 million residents and mostly shitty coffee. That’s a huge market to grab.
It is glaringly apparent to local Portlander’s that Stumptown is joining the ranks of Starbucks as they hit the national scene and quality noticeably drops. Gone are the days when a new cafe opens and celebrates (celebrates!) the gift of Stumptown *gracing" them with their coffee. Stumptown is everywhere now. Even quietly whole-saling to suburban churches in, gasp!, Tigard. I’m not opposed to a company making money at all and I do not deny them their place in history— but I am among those who are watching the decline of quality as Stumptown becomes….not quite, but on par with, Starbucks. Extreme, maybe— but could it be? Many local PDXers think so.
The point of the above is this: Starbucks and McDonalds (McCafe!) do not chase the same target market as the small batch/artisan roasters. Is there a market for all of them? Yep. Who will win the so-called Coffee War? On the non-Starbucky McCafe front, the roaster who roasts the best coffee wins.
Competition is also fierce for the cafes in PDX. Billy’s BARISTA set the stage for higher quality and was the first to consider that people might actually want to select their espresso from a variety of roasters. I only hope they carry Coava Coffee Roasters soon because Coava has simply blown my mind with the best single origin I have EVER come across. I got the-best-SingleOrigin-ever at the above mentioned Red E but want the master himself to hand me a double of Coava’s Sumatra. Wow.
I don’t think the last line explains your point quite as well as you meant it to. The reason we’re just at the beginning of the trend is that competition is becoming more fierce, true. But why is the formerly “friendly” competition suddenly heating up? Basically, all these newly “national” brands are just that — newly national. They used to only be regional powerhouses. Now they are all jockeying for space in the same few coffee-savvy markets (LA, NYC, PDX, Chicago, San Francisco, etc.). They used to be able to sort of gaze pleasantly at one another from across a few states and say “Isn’t what we’re all doing so grand?” Now they are elbowing for the same prime real estate. The market for specialty coffee is growing, but it’s not all that big in the end. These guys all need each other for the overall growth of the market, but they end up competing within the relatively small niche that exists.
Coffeegeek: I agree that quality has declined as they’ve gotten bigger, but realistically, Stumptown has a long, long, LONG way to fall before they become comprable to Starbucks — unless “Starbucks” is just short-hand for “bigger and more prevalent.” And, to be fair, it’s rather incredible how little quality has declined in the roasts themselves as Stumptown has grown. Their quality control over purchasing, processing, and roasting is actually pretty astounding. I place most of the blame for the decline in quality on service — they simply aren’t capable of controlling the quality of baristas and training with so many wholesale accounts (as you mentioned). Unfortunately, it does degrade the brand pretty significantly in my mind (and apparently also in yours). It’s a justified criticism. But I think you do have to draw a line between quality of the product and quality of the service. In high-end coffee the two (rightfully) blur together, but props where they’re due…
Coffeegeek: I haven’t noticed a slip in Stumptown coffee as you say. Sure, I’ve had sub-par coffee at Stumptown cafes, but only a couple of times. When this happens, they’ve happily remade my drink.
You just can’t put Stumptown in the same category as Starbucks.
Hanna: Great point. You’re absolutely right.
coffeegeek: with all due respect sir, you are an idiot. If Stumptown’s quality has dropped as you say, then why are they becoming the most popular indie roaster in new york?
I am not a Stumptown hater— like I said, I give them full props. I, along with many others, am noticing a quality decline. Hanna has a good point when she says they can’t control all of the quality variables— the most noticeable being the Barista. They used to be picky and make sure all of their accounts could pull a great shot and now they are not so stringent as they are not as selective with the accounts they associate themselves with.
Stout— you are small-minded. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
http://www.nypress.com/article-19910-totally-stumped.html Obviously, not everyone agrees with your opinion. Each to their own.
Geez, people! Coffee War is right, huh? I can see that some of you are just not comfortable with other folks having contrary opinions to yours. (Stout, uh, I am not looking at you, wack-job!). Coffeegeek has good points on decline in Stumptown quality and Hanna does a great job of explaining why that phenom is really occurring. Ok! Back to the article already!
Stumptown is good. Coava, Ristretto, Cellar, Courier
- good!! Different, tooin their particular niche. Small batch vs 1 bag (100lbs!) batches. Stumptown roasts nearly 10,000lbs PER DAY! Let me say it again. Nearly 10,000 pounds of coffee PER DAY!!! Quality control is hard to maintain at that high of a volume and they do a pretty damn good job but it ain’t always hot. Sometimes it is and it really does depend on who pulled the shot. I do wholeheartedly believe that some smaller ‘artisan’ roasters can honestly do it better because they can control quality so much tighter in their batches.Last but not least, interesting article for sure!
Interesting article—although the commentary is more
telling that what the author has uncovered. Portland is not as change averse or
as blinded by coffee myopia as some of you make it out to be (Stout, its ok to
like other roasters). I am also fascinated by the café wars in Portland. Albina Press vs The Red E vs Barista vs, etc etc etc. Competition is crazy!
Oh, check out this other article from the NY press – http://www.nypress.com/article-19910-totally-stumped.html#commAjax- not quite my sentiments but it does help
gel the notion that Stumptown is not universally loved. Again, read the
comments. The author is a little on the tard side.
I agree with this (below quoted comment) and applaud the efforts of the boutique roasters.
“This type of growth almost always results in collateral damage to quality. Look at what happened to Peet’s and the difference between the coffee at their first store and the franchises that cropped up. At what point does the coffee cease to be “artisanal”?
Stumptown coffee at their signature cafes is very good, but the cups I’ve had at places that just SERVE Stumptown have been unremarkable and were NOT properly prepared.
,p>
I agree with ANNENYC when she says Sorensen’s commitment to standards is nothing new. This is a trend in coffee that beyond promoting positive ethics is also blatantly a marketing tool that appeals to consumers and moves product."
Source: http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/56145/comments.html
Jeez folks. Comment away but avoid the name calling.
I don’t know a lot about the local coffee shop vs cofee shop rivalries, but fair to say there seems to be a lot of collaboration between them as well.
Regarding the other roaster mentioned, Cherry. That used to be the name of Extracto Coffeehouses roast but they have since split with their partner and are now roasting beans under just the “Extracto” label.
And quite good beans at that.
Hey, let’s add a local wholesaler to the conversation that stridently trains its customers’ baristas before they even allow their goodness to be served. Portland Roasting has been making frothy coffee waves on the wholesale scene since before Stumptown was a glimmer in our fair city’s eyes. Product quality through to the end consumer has always been a priority ahead of growth for Portland Roasting. At the same time, Portland Roasting is the FIRST roaster in our city, and for that matter, one of the first in the country, to have initiated direct trade practices (which it coined Farm Friendly DirectTM). From where I sit, Portland Roasting’s direct practices are making a far greater impact in coffee growing communities than any other roasters that I am aware of (e.g., Portland Roasting has built water treatment facilities and new schools, pays teachers’ salaries, has purchased new classroom computers, has planted tens of thousands of trees… and the unsung list of good works goes on, and on…). I applaud the hype of local coffee darlings, and of those going national, but I implore our city’s coffee aficionados, and cafes, to include Portland Roasting in the conversation… Portland Roasting is made up of serious high-caliber coffee geeks, but in my view as their humble PR servant (which ethically, I must reveal), their product is more sophisticated… and, on a social cause level, much more fulfilling. www.portlandroasting.com
I can assure you Talisman, that Stumptown does NOT roast 10,000 pounds of coffee per day….
And Portland Roasting Company lost all of its accounts to Stumptown because Stumptown had a superior product. If they’re so serious, then where’s there retail shop? A local shop isn’t anything without that.
Also: name one high caliber shop that serves Portland Roasting Company.
Just One.
That’s all.
By The Truth, Stumptown does indeed roast on average 10,000lbs per day according to one of their (many) roasters. That is the truth. Check your sources.
Oh and Kelliann: I think your decision to post what you did was in very bad form though I give you credit for identifying yourself as their PR person. I second Sip on This— somehow I am sure Portland Roasting was not accidentally overlooked either in this article or in any of the comments to follow. Coffee darlings (roasters) in this fine city are coffee darlings for a reason…If Portland Roasting was indeed the first roaster on the scene, something terribly wrong happened with the coffee, the brand or all of the above. Non-existent.
Just you wait people, Folgers is making it’s underground comeback…
And for the record I don’t know what all the coffee snobbery is about in PDX and elsewhere… Some people [like myself] are in fact addicted to the caffeine, and so are more open to variety.
Of course I’m currently on a Spella kick but that doesn’t mean I’m going to jack my old trusted pusher Starbucks from gettin’ his cut of my drug money. ;-)
Coava coffee!!!
I’ve been at Portland Roasting for years, I’ve never witnessed any “losing all of their accounts to Stumptown” phenomenon that was spoke of…
Portland Roasting is a wholesale roastery so it hasn’t focused on it’s own cafe… Instead it has focused on it’s wholesale customers…
Not very rock n’ roll, I know, but it’s that simple.
Not to mention, as a Roaster here, I’ve met dudes from ristretto and Extracto and Vita and Stumptown and all that,…It ain’t that vicious… There’s room for all of us still and will be for some time…Chill out. We’re all pretty friendly with each other in the coffee world…Some of us even like each other and, …GASP!….drink each others coffee and stuff…
And really, why slam Portland Roasting?
I feel Stumptown’s a “go to” for new cafes, not only because they have a good quality reputation, but they have pop status too…
That doesn’t classify other roasteries as inferior in quality. It takes running your own retails to buy and move tons of micro lot coffees. And a running menu of micro lot and high priced beans doesn’t necessarily translate to quality, consistent coffee carried by the majoirty of your accounts daily…
I love to go into a place and taste something unique and brilliant and roasted right and pulled awesomely. A lot of folks do that at a lot of places around town. That’s the variety Portlanders should like as per this article states…
I’m sure more than a few of your favorite breakfast spots slang Portland Roasting and to name “just one” shop serving it up well…Cooper’s…
I deleted a few comments. All commentary is welcome, but name-calling will not be tolerated.
oh, really, Coffee Roasters just want to source and roast and SERVE great coffee PERIOD. Business plans and capitalist economics aside, that’s all any of us who Roast or Barista seriously care about, so…..Other than staying in business to do what we love, relative growth to do things like we and Stumptown and vita do with sourcing practices nobody competes in such a way. Total market domination of one or two roasteries is NOBODY’s goal and A TOTAL MYTH to perpetuate. A more realistic view would be of roasteries obsessing of coffee and having passion for coffee’s power. What we can make it as a product to enjoy, and what we can make it as a sustainable and beneficial product for people from the countries of origin to all the coffee folks here.
It might do you better to compare companies as you compare cup characteristics from different origins…. Or general ways in which they approach roasts and what they pull, Light and fruity, medium and mild, dark and Italian, etc…
Why the trolling? First you have your PR person clumsily insert you into a discussion, and second you use Portland Monthly’s website to push your own brand? Your intentions may be good, but I don’t think you guys are doing yourselves any favors.
People sure get feisty when it comes to coffee don’t they? Red E is selling some Nicaraguan from Coava that will blow you away. Gotta love all the great coffee in Portland.
Two things:
I read the NY Press story on Stumptown: It was the biggest bunch of BS I’ve ever seen in my life. It was a parody of itself: A hipster elitist author attempting to hide his own insecurity by hating something to which he probably relates. I will respond in greater detail when I have time. I for one am glad good coffee is finally making its way to the Big Apple.
Second, there’s apparently a new coffee shop on 4th Avenue near Alder that serves Intelligentsia. Anyone know anything?
Michael T. .. . there actually three locations in Portland where you can Intelligentsia:
1) Barista : 539 NW 13th Ave.
2) Invasion : 412 SW 4th Ave.
3) Red E : 1006 N. Killingsworth St.
I am personally a huge fan of Spella. Each to their own! I love our diverse coffee market here in Portland. I also read the NY Press article and agree it is complete CRAP! That guy has a major bone to pick. I’ve been to the RED E and love this new addition to the area. Its crazy how fast the word has gotten out about them— guess it shows the area needed a new space. Cheers on this great article.
Came across this amazing article I had to share. Stumptown in NYC and not well embraced it appears. Hmmmm.
http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/56145/comments.html#comments
there is another discussion regarding this blog going on at the BaristaExchange. http://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/coffee-wars-in-portland (posted with permission from Mike.)
If you want to taste coffee created by those with a passion for the bean my suggestion is Klatch,far south of Portland.
http://www.klatchroasting.com
Klatch: Never heard of it in my life. Thanks for the heads up.
I agee Coava coffee is pretty great, I wouldnt have known that unless a certain cafe served it up proudly. I recenty visited Oregon and I have to say Its wonderful to see such an interest in coffee making as an art. I had the oportunity to visit the Red E and it is the best cafe experience I’ve ever had. The owners Mindy and Kieth take so much time and effort to make sure the coffee is perfection and the customer service is superior… Its about time