Our Rich History
Ellis Coffee Company is proud of our long, rich history as one of the oldest family-owned coffee roasters in the U.S. founded in 1854 on the Philadelphia waterfront, Ellis Coffee grew into a coffee roaster with a thriving business. Board chairman Gene Kestenbaum joined the business in 1976. Adam Kestenbaum, president since 2010, balances the tradition and relationships of our family-run business with the innovation and professionalism required in today’s market.
We are solution-oriented. We craft high-quality coffees to meet the needs of restaurants, distributors, food service hotels, healthcare, and C-stores. Excellent customer service continues to be the hallmark of our success. Today Ellis sources, roasts and distributes coffees from around the world to customers across the country.
Over 165 Years of Innovation
The Iconic Giant Coffee Pot
Ellis Coffee’s history of innovation dates back to the iconic giant coffee pot that John Ellis commissioned atop his roastery at 9 South 16th St. in Philadelphia. Over 2 stories tall and constructed of reinforced concrete and terra cotta covered in chromium plates, this pot was visible for miles. Long before the 21st Century consumer fascination with coffee aromatics and sensory evaluation, Philadelphian’s were drawn to our then flagship location by the steam and smoke from roasting and delivered through an ingenious system of pipes up through the coffee pot’s huge spout.
Roastery-Direct Shipping
When you work with Ellis Coffee you get your coffee “roastery-direct”. We cut out the middle men and distributors and ship directly to you, our customers, which saves you money while minimizing the carbon footprint associated with shipping. This also means you get your coffee faster and fresher. Minimum orders are low. Turnaround is quick. Within 5 days you’ll have our in-stock items delivered directly to your business.
Markets & Distribution
Although most of our core business is in the greater northeast, we serve markets along the entire east coast and west to the Rockies. In fact, our two largest accounts are no where near our home of Philadelphia – they are located in Maine and Florida. We deliver products and support through our extensive route distribution network and through direct ship to warehouses.
