coffee society vs. trade: the marketplace and the micro roaster

coffee society journal — honest comparisons

by sherry quach, founder & roaster at coffee society · berkeley, ca

the short answer

People ask how we compare to Trade. Short version: Trade is a marketplace. It matches you with coffee from dozens of American roasters. We are one small roaster in Berkeley with three or four coffees at a time. Both are good. They just solve different problems.

01how trade works

Trade connects you to roasters around the country. You take a taste quiz. An algorithm picks a coffee and that roaster ships it to you. Bags run about $17 to $23. You rate what you drink and the picks get smarter. It is a fun way to sample a lot of American roasting.

02how we're different

  • One roaster. Every bag comes off our roaster in Berkeley, CA. If a coffee is not great, that is on us.
  • A score floor. We only buy lots that cup 85 or higher. That is why our menu is small.
  • Matched to your drink. You pick americano, latte, pour over, or the rotating pick. We choose lots that shine in that cup.
  • Same freshness. Both of us roast to order and ship fast. Call that one a tie.
at a glance coffee society trade coffee
model one micro roaster in Berkeley, CA marketplace of 55+ US roasters
menu size 3 or 4 coffees at a time 450+ coffees
quality standard every lot cups 85 or higher varies by roaster
how it picks by your drink: americano, latte, pour over, or rotating taste quiz plus an algorithm
price per bag from $18 about $17 to $23
freshness roasted to order, ships in 24 hours roasted to order by the member roaster
shipping free over $70 free when prepaid
best for consistency variety

03which one should you pick

pick trade ifyou want variety. a new roaster every box, and picks that learn from your ratings
pick us ifyou want a consistent cup from one roaster with a hard quality floor
either waylook for roast dates and easy pausing. both of us clear that bar. grocery coffee does not

Price is a wash. Our bags start at $18. Theirs run $17 to $23. So pick on breadth versus depth, not budget.

04common questions

Is Trade Coffee worth it?

Yes, for discovery. Real roasters, fresh roasting, and picks that improve as you rate coffees. The tradeoff is consistency. Every box comes from a different roaster.

What's a good Trade Coffee alternative?

A single roaster subscription. Ours ships 85+ scored single origins matched to how you brew, roasted to order in Berkeley, from $18 a bag.

What's the real difference between Trade and a single roaster?

Trade spreads your orders across many roasters and learns your taste with an algorithm. A single roaster curates a small menu and answers for every bag.

meet the single-roaster option

Four subscriptions matched to how you brew. Every lot cups 85 or higher. Roasted to order in Berkeley and shipped within 24 hours. From $18 a bag.

the coffee society coffee club coffee clubs, explained marketplace vs single roaster

coffee society · specialty micro roaster · berkeley, ca · est. 2023

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