# La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2020-07-20
- Length: 1h 04m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-20-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti

## Summary

Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti, co-founders of La Colombe Coffee Roasters, recount their journey from meeting in 1980s Seattle to pioneering the third-wave coffee movement in Philadelphia. They detail their early struggles, including roasting beans in a cafe with a makeshift chimney, and their strategic pivot to direct farm sourcing and ready-to-drink products like the Draft Latte. The episode highlights their decision to buy out a private equity investor to avoid rapid cafe expansion, a move that allowed them to scale into a billion-dollar company with widespread grocery distribution.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-20-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti#t=0) Introduction: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
- [5:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-20-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti#t=318) Early Lives and Meeting in Seattle
- [26:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-20-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti#t=1601) Founding La Colombe in Philadelphia
- [43:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-20-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti#t=2604) Sourcing Directly from Farms
- [48:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-20-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti#t=2894) Todd’s Sabbatical and Mental Health
- [52:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-20-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti#t=3160) Pivoting to Cafes and Cold Brew
- [55:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-20-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti#t=3336) Buying Out Investors and Scaling
- [59:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-07-20-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti#t=3564) Navigating the Pandemic and Reflections

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- La Colombe Coffee Roasters (company)
- Starbucks (company)
- Intelligentsia (company)
- Counter Culture (company)
- Espresso Roma (company)
- Toscanini's Italia (company)
- Le Bec Fin (company)
- Paragon Coffee (company)
- Draft Latte (product)
- U.S. Bank (company)

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- [Founder Feature: Cason Crane of Explorer Cold Brew](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-11-22-founder-feature-cason-crane-of-explorer-cold-brew) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#100 Toasting to 100 Episodes of The Startup CPG Podcast with Our Favorite Moments](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-07-25-100-toasting-to-100-episodes-of-the-startup-cpg-podcast-with-our-favorite-moment) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [051: Launching a turmeric-based alternative to coffee, Samantha & Elaine of Midas Cup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2017-05-02-051-launching-a-turmeric-based-alternative-to-coffee-samantha-elaine-of-midas-cu) (Product Startup)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 1 - Rich Brilliant Willing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-08-19-afterschool-podcast-episode-1-rich-brilliant-willing) (Core77 Podcast)

## Citing this page

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