Our Story
Joe Coffee Company was founded in 2003 by Jonathan Rubinstein as a singular specialty coffee cafe in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village with the simple vision of brewing high quality, unique coffees, and creating a welcoming space for the community.
We have since expanded to 21 cafes in New York, with a roastery in Long Island City, yet our mission remains unchanged: to serve excellent coffee with warm hospitality in every one of our communities.
At Joe, we believe the secret to a great coffee experience relies just as much on the quality of coffee as it does the expertise of the barista, which is why we foster and promote the continued education and success of our baristas through industry-leading professional training. As an early pioneer of artisan coffee to New York 17 years ago, we are proud to continue to innovate, grow, and lead as the specialty coffee movement expands.
An Unwavering Commitment to Quality
Our sourcing team maintains stringent standards when selecting green coffee for our menu. All beans, from the components of our house selection to our rotating cast of single-origin coffees, have met or exceeded our intense quality standards. Joe’s quality protocols require cupping (tasting) hundreds of samples of coffee per year, maintaining a seasonal rotation of beans, and working with importers and exporters who use the utmost care in transporting and storing the coffee.
Flexibility
Joe is committed to the flexibility when purchasing green coffee. We understand that each and every coffee-producing country has its own unique purchasing infrastructure. While Joe works directly with farmers or cooperatives when possible, we also embrace other forms of ethical sourcing already established in certain regions. Some of the coffee we buy is certified fair trade, organic or shade-grown, but our purchases are not limited to farms that have secured such certifications.
Sustainable Relationships
We work to build sustainable and trusting relationships with importers, exports, brokers, and farmers. Working with many of the same individuals each year can guarantee both quality coffee for Joe and stability for our wholesale partners. Additionally, relationships with importers and brokers formed on a trusting foundation help us to perennially source only the best coffee from around the world.
