Tony Conrad, writing for on the True Ventures blog:
We believe Blue Bottle Coffee is at the forefront of a “consumer movement” or mega-trend in which consumers are moving to higher quality, artisanal micro-roasters of coffee, where quality, attention to detail, beauty and a distinctive experience are being sought over more mainstream alternatives
I appreciate what Blue Bottle is doing. I’m not a coffee drinker, but many of my friends love the company and the products.
But I can’t get past the irony of using “growth capital” to scale a business that is based on consumers’ preferences for artisanal micro-roasters and a distinctive experience. Doesn’t scale…destroy that value?