# La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2026-01-12
- Length: 1h 08m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on

## Summary

Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti, co-founders of La Colombe Coffee Roasters, recount their journey from meeting in Seattle to launching a specialty coffee brand in Philadelphia. They detail the operational challenges of their early roastery, including a lack of ventilation that forced them to use a garbage chute as a chimney, and their strategic pivot to direct sourcing from farms in countries like Brazil and Haiti. The founders explain how they navigated a conflict with private equity investors by buying them out with the help of Chobani founder Hamdi Ulakaya, ultimately focusing on cold brew and canned lattes rather than rapid cafe expansion.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on#t=0) Introduction: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti on La Colombe
- [5:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on#t=324) Todd and JP's backgrounds and meeting in Seattle
- [19:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on#t=1176) Moving to Philadelphia and opening the first roastery
- [32:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on#t=1953) Roasting challenges: ventilation and the garbage chute
- [37:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on#t=2244) Pitching coffee to top chefs and securing first accounts
- [43:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on#t=2636) Sourcing beans directly from farms in Brazil and Haiti
- [48:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on#t=2926) Todd's sabbatical and mental health struggles
- [53:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on#t=3192) Shifting to cafes and cold brew innovation
- [56:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-01-12-la-colombe-coffee-roasters-todd-carmichael-and-j-p-iberti-a-brotherhood-built-on#t=3368) Conflict with investors and bailout by Hamdi Ulakaya

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- La Colombe Coffee Roasters (company)
- Chobani (company)
- Starbucks (company)
- Intelligentsia (company)
- Counterculture (company)
- Espresso Roma (company)
- Torre Facion Italia (company)
- Le Bec Fin (company)
- Paragon Coffee (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)
- Aronti (product)

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- [#186 - Bootstrap Heroes: Bumpin Blends, Lentiful and Drink Wholesome](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-03-11-186-bootstrap-heroes-bumpin-blends-lentiful-and-drink-wholesome) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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