Coffee By Design

Coffee By Design is a mission-driven, sustainably sourced, specialty coffee roastery and retailer based in Portland, Maine. The Maine-owned and operated company opened its doors to a single coffeehouse in 1994 and today runs a roastery and coffeehouse at 1 Diamond St, Portland, in addition to India St. Many thought we would not survive, but there were those who believed we offered something special. That was the start of a 30-year journey, figuring out what it truly means to call ourselves a “community coffee company,” listening and learning all the time as we grew.

From the very beginning, our business model has been to provide the best quality coffee, educate our community about specialty coffees (and the stories behind them), and use our power as a small business to move forward initiatives that support people and the planet, improving how we all live well together—locally and worldwide.

Coffee By Design adheres to the Brundtland Report’s definition of sustainability. This report, also known as “Our Common Future,” highlights the interconnectedness of the environment, economic growth, and social equity. Since opening, we have focused on quality coffee, building genuine, long-term relationships with coffee growers and farms, fair pay, and, locally, supporting the arts and building social equity and community. The belief that you can grow a business and remain committed to ethical, sustainable practices is central to our business practices. Coffee By Design is dedicated to serving customers sustainably sourced, traceable, quality coffee, to educating its community about specialty coffee, and to using its voice to further initiatives supporting people and the planet.

Coffee By Design was named Roaster of the Year 2020 by Roast Magazine.