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About La Colombe
Coffee’s on! La Colombe is a Philadelphia-based coffee roaster with a passion for third-wave coffee and sustainability. Since 1994, the company has helped pioneer the direct trade model of coffee sourcing.
With 176k followers on Instagram and 51k likes on Facebook, this brand boasts a wide reputation for roasting ethical and flavorful brews. Today, you can find its roasts in 30 retail locations across the US.
Does this brand have what it takes to make your morning cuppa unforgettable? This La Colombe review is here to find out. In the following sections, we’ll take a deeper look at the company and its mission, customer testimonials, answer important FAQs, and more, so you can make an informed decision.
Overview of La Colombe
La Colombe started in 1994 as the brainchild of two self-proclaimed coffee geeks, Jean Philippe Iberti and Todd Carmicheal. You might recognize Carmicheal’s name from the hit Travel Channel’s show Dangerous Grounds where he checks out remote and renowned coffee-producing regions of the world, sourcing coffees for La Colombe.
Back in ’94, the dynamic duo was repeatedly disappointed by the coffee they’d receive after a fine-dining experience—this coffee was sometimes so lackluster it would tarnish the otherwise superb meal. So, the team set out to create “culinary coffee”—a specialty brew that would meet the same sensory experience as elevated food.
La Colombe opened its first cafe the same year on 19th street in Philadelphia, roasting coffee in the back of the shop. The efforts were met with increasing demand, and by December of 1994, it opened its first roastery.
Fast forward 20 years, La Colombe is found in some of the most elite restaurants in the world! With this success, the company still keeps its commitment to sustainability close to its heart. In 2009, the brand developed a coffee crafted exclusively from Hatain coffee, recognizing that the one-time coffee-mecca was now in economic ruin.
With help from the Clinton Foundation, the initiative brought in a $350k investment into Haitian coffee farmers and created the Haiti Coffee Academy.
On the company’s 20th anniversary, La Colombe released a new venture dedicated to distilling. During a trip to Haiti, Carmicheal and Iberti took note of the vast amounts of sugar cane growing around the coffee fields and decided that they could craft rum and help the Haitian economy. So, La Colombe Distillery was born!
Around the same time, the coffee company started its Draft Latte, a canned cold-pressed espresso with frothed milk (yum!). The line of cold brew is available in cafes and grocery stores across the country.
If you haven’t caught on by now, this brand is doing some pretty amazing things—for both coffee lovers and the world. Before we dive into its inspired, unique brews, this La Colombe review will pause on the highlights:
Highlights
- Wide variety of roasts that can appeal to any coffee connoisseur
- Also offers creative canned coffee products like single-origin cold brews and draft lattes
- Reasonable prices on par to brands Starbucks
- Multiple promotions available
- Sustainability goals
- Featured in a wide variety of retailers from Amazon to Whole Foods
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, this La Colombe review is here to save the day. In the following sections, we’ll cover the products that customers are loving the most. From canned coffees to premium beans, we’ve got you covered.
The company knows how awful it is to run out of coffee, especially on those mornings when you sleep past your alarm and everything is going awry. That’s why you can subscribe to your favorite roasts, ensuring you never run out of coffee. Simply pick your fav blend, choose how often you’d like it delivered, and that’s that.
La Colombe Cold Brew Review
This brand is pushing the envelope on cool, cold brew concoctions, and we’re thirsty for more. Let’s take a look at some of the best-selling La Colombe cold brews.
La Colombe Cold Brew On Tap Fridge Pack Review
Every time we log on to TikTok, our FYP is filled with people showing off how they make their iced coffee. Chilled brews seem to have completely taken over, and the La Colombe Cold Brew On Tap Fridge Pack was designed to keep you stocked up on the good stuff.
Each pack comes with one gallon of La Colombe’s dark-roasted Brazilian Single-Origin cold brew. This particular brew is completely crafted by the brand, from sourcing to brewing and everything in between. It’s described as bold and nutty with a natural sweetness.
Housed in an airtight container for freshness, simply activate the spigot for a convenient cuppa whenever the mood hits. You’ll get eleven 12oz servings in each pack. Grab one for $34.
La Colombe Extra Bold Cold Brew Fridge Pack Review
Need to add some bold, cold caffeine to those groggy mornings? The La Colombe Extra Bold Cold Brew Fridge Pack has you covered. This one-gallon container of cold brew on tap offers a push-button spigot for convenient access to a little jolt of energy.
Each box is sealed in an airtight container and fits perfectly on a fridge shelf. The coffee is brewed extra bold, so you know you’re getting a solid cup.
The cold brew starts with washed, single-origin beans from Brazil that take on the region’s classic nutty, chocolatey profile. La Colombe pushes the roast on these beans to the dark side, enhancing this classic profile.
The box has a shelf-life of six months before opening; after opening, La Colombe recommends enjoying it within 30 days. Want to make your mornings bold? This cold brew pack can be yours for $34.
La Colombe Nitro Extra Bold Cold Brew Review
The La Colombe Nitro Extra Bold Cold Brew makes it easy to add a little more boldness to your day. Crafted from 100% Arabica single-origin Brazilian coffee, this brew has all the sweetness and nuttiness of Brazilian coffee in one convenient can. The dark roast enhances the brew and makes it shine over ice.
The best part about the added nitro is that it creates a milky texture without adding any dairy. This creamy-concoction is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and contains zero sugar.
The Nitro Extra Bold Cold Brew is shelf-stable but is best enjoyed served chilled for that ultimate summer refresher. A 12-pack is available for $36.
La Colombe Coffee Review
As much as we love a chilled bevie, nothing beats a steaming cup of joe in the morning. Up next, this La Colombe coffee review will pop the kettle on and dive into some of the brand’s best-sellers from around the world.
La Colombe Fishtown Review
The La Colombe Fishtown blend pays homage to where it all got started. This seasonal coffee is named after the neighborhood that’s home to the brand’s flagship cafe.
Fishtown is a medium roast with complex notes of bergamot, stone fruit, and caramel. The blend changes steadily with the seasons, but one thing’s for sure—it’s a fruity and balanced staple of La Colombe’s menu.
The current iteration of the blend uses coffee from Brazil and Colombia to give it that deep caramel and chocolate profile, as well as Ethiopia for a necessary touch of fruitiness. The 12oz box can brighten up your morning for $15.
La Colombe Frogtown Review
If Fishtown is named after La Colombe’s hometown cafe, Frogtown pays homage to the company’s first west-coast roastery. Featuring a worldly blend of coffees from Brazil, Colombia, and Guatemala, this medium roast is roasted in small batches to bring out the best in each coffee.
The blend is named as a tribute to a Los Angeles neighborhood called Frogtown. The area began in the early 20th century with an influx of Mexican-American communities. These days, it’s a burgeoning center rooted in culture and art.
This coffee blend takes on a more traditional tasting profile with notes of marzipan, cacao, and hazelnut. Add some comfort to your mornings with the La Colombe Frogtown blend, starting at $15 for a 12oz box.
La Colombe Nizza Review
La Colombe Nizza is a medium-roast blend that gets its name from the co-founder’s hometown. Jean Philippe Iberti hails from Nice, France—a city known for producing some of the world’s best honey.
Picking up traits from the world’s sweetest city, his coffee has a desert-like quality to it that’ll pair perfectly with a sugary treat. It has decadent tasting notes of milk chocolate, nuts, and brownies.
While you can use Nizza to make excellent drip coffee, La Colombe features this blend as the espresso in its cafes. Best of all, this sugary coffee is a sweet deal! Grab a 12oz bag for $13.
Who is La Colombe For?
Most people wake up in the morning already craving a steaming cup of joe. Trust us when we tell you that purchasing higher-quality beans and blends makes a big difference, allowing you to turn an enjoyable but mundane ritual into a delightful tasting experience.
If you’re already a die-hard coffee connoisseur, La Colombe offers a wide selection of worldly blends—it’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll discover something new. If you’re used to quickly whipping up some instant coffee, then you’ll definitely taste the difference by switching to a more inspired brew.
This La Colombe review found that the company does a great job of providing high-quality, delicious beans at accessible prices. The brand’s tasting profiles are also crowd-pleasers, making it a great option if you’re just starting to go down the coffee rabbit hole.
La Colombe Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
It’s time to pass the mic over to the customers in this La Colombe review to get a better idea of La Colombe’s products. Below, you’ll find testimonials from the company’s website, Amazon, and Yelp.
Starting with La Colombe’s website, we found that every product we covered received an impressive rating of 4.5/5 stars or higher. The favorable reviews also reached beyond the best-seller list. Check it out:
- Fishtown: average of 4.7/5 stars from 63 ratings
- Frogtown: average of 4.5/5 stars from 61 ratings
- Nizza: average of 4.6/5 stars from 513 ratings
- Corsica: average of 4.8/5 stars from 648 ratings
- Bleu: average of 4.7/5 stars from 179 ratings
- Lyon: average of 4.5/5 stars from 136 ratings
- Monaco: average of 4.7/5 stars from 109 ratings
- Afrique: average of 4.8/5 stars from 81 ratings
We were intrigued by Fishtown, so we chose to dig deeper into the comments. One customer described the coffee’s profile as mellow and cozy. They continued:
“I have been buying and loving La Colombo coffee ever since the beginning of Covid (it comes nicely to my front door). Fish town is the best yet. Not overpowering or overly flavored. Mild undertones that are smooth and delicious.”
Turning to its sister-blend Frogtown, we were met with equally positive reviews, like this one that praised the consistency of the cup: “This is consistently excellent coffee; rich, mellow roast, never bitter. I use a French Press and this is my morning favorite!”
Next, we were curious about how the cold brews stood up to the coffee, so we examined the available options on Amazon and were not disappointed! Each product scored 4.5/5 stars or higher:
- Cold Brew Coffee: average of 4.5/5 stars from 740 reviews
- Cold Brew Coffee- Milk & Sugar: average of 4.5/5 stars from 621 reviews
- Draft Latte Mocha: average of 4.5/5 stars from 3127 reviews
- Oatmilk Draft Latte Vanilla: average of 4.5/5 stars from 943 review
- Cold Brew Coffee- Unsweetened Colombia: average of 4.5/5 stars from 960 reviews
- Cold Brew Coffee- Extra Bold: average of 4.5/5 stars from 122 reviews
Starting with the Extra Bold Cold Brew, we found some comments that complained it was too bitter and bold, but those were outweighed by positive feedback like this one: “This cold brew is delicious! This is so good I could drink without any additional add-ins, and I typically add heavy cream! I prefer the bold over all the other cold brew roasts they offer.”
Next, we took a look at the Draft Mocha to see what all the hype was about. Most people loved the subtle sweetness despite the cost, like this happy customer:
“This coffee is just delicious. The flavor is always consistent and it tastes like chocolate but is only slightly sweet. I don’t even bother to buy any other brand anymore, I found my perfect one.”
Finally, to get a taste of how its retail locations hold up to the rest of the company, we turned to Yelp to research the flagship location in Philly. It received 4.5/5 stars out of 500 reviews, and was praised for ambiance as well as high-quality brew, like in this testimonial:
“I came in for a bite and a latte. I’ve always liked coming into La Colombe because I love their coffee! It has a very calm atmosphere with lots of comfortable seating areas. It has great baristas and a very nice selection of pastries, sandwiches, and salads. The coffee is roasted here! It’s always fun supporting local businesses.”
We scoured Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau but couldn’t find any unresolved complaints. We have to hand it to the company because this La Colombe review had a hard time finding any negative feedback. Customers clearly gravitate towards its inspired, well-balanced blends.
Is La Colombe Worth It?
Based on everything we covered in this La Colombe review, we have to say that the coffee company is definitely worth it. The brand offers super delicious coffees with prices that are on par with what you’re used to. For just a couple of extra bucks, you can make your coffee sing.
Aside from the coffee beans, the company is doing some interesting stuff with bottled coffee, from the draft lattes to the single-origin cold brews. La Colombe blends together traditional coffee with innovative and inspired methods to create products that are cutting-edge and appetizing.
La Colombe Promotions & Discounts
No matter how reasonably priced a brand is, a little promo never hurts! We found three promotions in this La Colombe review:
- Free shipping on orders over $50
- Sign up for the newsletter to receive 10% off your first order
- 20% off bulk coffee purchases
Where to Buy La Colombe
To take advantage of the brand’s offers and ensure you’re getting the freshest beans, head to LaColombe.com. You can also find select blends at Walmart, Amazon, Whole Foods, and a variety of other retailers.
FAQ
Who owns La Colombe?
La Colombe is owned by co-founders Todd Carmicheal and Jean Philippe Iberti. Recently, a share of the company was also purchased by Hamdi Ulukaya, the founder of Chobani.
What does ‘La Colombe’ mean?
La Colombe translates to “the dove.” This phrase pays homage to co-founder Jean Philippe Iberti’s French background.
Where is La Colombe made?
La Colombe currently operates three roasters that are located in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. The brand makes all of its canned products out of a facility in Michigan.
Does La Colombe ship internationally?
La Colombe currently only ships to the US (including Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico) and Canada.
What is La Colombe’s Shipping Policy?
La Colombe offers the following info on its shipping policy for US orders:
- Free shipping on orders over $50, with an estimated delivery time of 5-10 business days
- Any canned product (i.e. cold brew) is shipped out of its facility in Michigan, whereas coffee is shipped out from either of its three roasters in Chicago, Philadelphia, or Los Angeles
- Most orders placed before 12:00 pm will ship out on the same business day
What is La Colombe’s Return Policy?
La Colombe offers a generous return policy depending on the product you buy. For coffee, if you don’t like what you receive, you’re able to return it within 30 days. It has to be sent in the original packaging with an attached return form, found on its website.
For bottled/canned items, La Colombe currently doesn’t accept returns or exchanges. Finally, unused and unopened brewing merchandise can be sent back to the brand within two weeks for a full refund.
How to Contact La Colombe
Have questions not covered in this La Colombe review? The coffee company can be reached by submitting a request on its website.
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