Palouse Coffee Club
At a glance
- Roasts inSeattle, WA
- Founded2008
- VisitorsOpen to the public
Kuma Coffee is one of the beloved local roasters we follow in Washington: an independent roaster based in Seattle, founded in 2008. Here is what their own pages and public sources say about them, in our words.
Their story
Kuma, which means bear in Japanese, began in 2008 with one person roasting coffee in his garage in Seattle, focused on how the coffee tasted rather than how the package looked. It is still a four person team roasting in Seattle, and its focus on quality has made the brand known across the country. Kuma buys directly from farmers whenever it can, so growers can invest in their crops knowing they have a buyer for years to come. It aims to pay about three times Fair Trade prices.
It has sourced directly from Colombia for about five years, mainly from Narino, Tolima, Huila and Antioquia, working with the exporter Azahar. The team cups lots at Azahar's lab in Armenia, Colombia, then visits the farms in Narino. For one recent Colombian harvest it says it paid an average of $3.54 a pound FOB, and it often buys a farmer's entire crop for the season. Ethiopia is the one core origin it does not source directly, because traceability there is hard to establish.
What they roast
Roast levels run light and medium. House blends include Classic, Bright Blend, Sun Bear and Momma Bear 50/50 Decaf-Regular Blend. Single origins on the list when we checked: Ethiopia Guji, Ethiopia Gotiti, Ethiopia Natural Bookkisa, Kenya Gatomboya, Guatemala Hunapu, Guatemala Finca Rosma, Costa Rica Black Honey Don Mayo and Honduras Arturo Paz. Single origin espresso, roaster's choice. Decaf Ethiopia Natural Suke Quto, plus the half decaf Momma Bear blend. Offerings change with the seasons, so this is what their own pages listed on 2026-09-27.
Where to drink it
Online orders can be picked up at the roastery Monday to Thursday, 10 am to 4:30 pm, where a small warehouse cafe offers pickup customers a free drink. No pickup Friday to Sunday.
Address
3401 Thorndyke Ave W, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98119
Roastery and warehouse cafe, by the railroad tracks.
Why buying from Kuma Coffee matters here
Started in a Seattle garage in 2008 and still roasts in Seattle with a four person team. Neighbors can skip shipping and pick up at the roastery's roll up door on Thorndyke Ave W, with a free drink from the warehouse cafe.
Every bag bought from a Seattle roaster pays roasting and cafe wages in Washington, and the coffee reaches you days after roasting instead of months. That is the reason the club exists. Why local roasters matter.
About this listing
Listed as a local favorite. A listing does not mean Kuma Coffee is part of the club.
Are you Kuma Coffee? Email roasters@palousecoffeeclub.com to correct or remove this page.
More Washington roasters
- Victrola Coffee Roasters, Seattle
- Caffe Vita, Seattle
- Herkimer Coffee, Seattle