Where to buy intelligentsia

Intelli expanded into Los Angeles in with what is considered a groundbreaking coffeebar in Silver Lake. A top priority was placed on a polished culinary experience with exclusive roasts and drink preparation center stage. Modern techniques were fused with rare coffees, and high-end decor featured intricate tile work, marble countertops and hand-crafted porcelain cups. Coffee tastes different in the wrong cup. Three more cafes followed in Southern California — Venice Beach, Pasadena and Hollywood — which further intertwined the coffee and cocktail scenes.

The coffee culture in the city is now thriving. The moves joined two of the top brands in the specialty coffee market. Coffee decisions remain in-house and independent. The new financial backing helped accelerate a push into new markets — Watertown, Mass.

Intelligentsia has also rebranded itself visually with new packaging, introduced a bag portfolio, experimented with premium instant coffee, and pushed deeper into micro-lot and limited-edition varietal coffees. The future for Intelligentsia beyond further cafe expansion and green coffee sourcing is a bit up for grabs with the COVID pandemic depressing foot traffic at cafes.

McLaughin said the company has been able to absorb the disruption due to a larger-than-expected uptick in home consumption and retail sales. He attributes it to brand loyalty and gaining entry to Target stores nationwide this spring and a potential reach of more than 1, locations. Intelli was already in Whole Foods stores in large metropolitan markets and on shelves in regional grocers like Wegmans.

Zell said there are other areas of the U. McLaughlin said more concepts with instant, which uses a freeze-drying method to crystallize grounds and preserve flavor integrity for up to a year , are in development.

McLaughin said Intelligentsia has long held the belief coffee can achieve the same culinary standing as wine. He said instant could be a way to preserve and feature noteworthy coffees in new ways and for longer periods of time.

Watts, on a recent video call from Bogota, shook his head in response to the changes the company and the industry have undergone together. The underlying themes are the same, but the idea of coffee quality has entered the mainstream. Skip to content. Catherine Councell, right, hands a pastry to customer Greg Orlowski through the walk-up window at the original Intelligentsia coffee shop on Oct.

The coffeebar has since moved operations inside for the colder weather. A customer orders at the walk-up window at the original Intelligentsia coffee shop on Oct. The artisan model. He spent eight years learning the craft at Intelligentsia.

Any discussion of execution and education, former staffers say, begins with Watts. Littlefoot Coffee Roasters, based in Grandville, Michigan, was founded by Intelligentsia alum Alex Burbo, who spent eight years at the company.

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Peet's CEO David Burwick confirmed Zell's assertion that the brand would remain autonomous, saying, "Intelligentsia is not moving, they're not going anywhere. They're going to continue to be run by Doug and Emily and the rest of the team here and maintain clean independence from Peet's to do what they do really well. Bags of the freshly roasted beans are also sold in grocery stores nationwide for fans of the coffee company who live outside the five metropolitan areas with an Intelligentsia Coffee presence.

The brand's coffee beans are also brewed in select restaurants, hotels, and cafes throughout the world, bringing their vision to a wider audience of coffee connoisseurs.

Want Intelligentsia Coffee but can't find it at a store near you? The brand now offers a subscription service , which allows devotees worldwide to enjoy their seasonally rotating selections of coffee blends and single-origin roasts.