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La Colombe Coffee Roasters

also referred to as: la colombe

26 statements across 2 episodes · 6 bullish · 3 bearish · 2 people on the record · first statement Jul 20, 2020 by Todd Carmichael · said 54 times in 9 episodes since 2020 · across every show →

Mentions by year

brought up most by Guy Raz (28), J.P. Iberti (14), Todd Carmichael (9), Mark Ganter (3)

tap a year for its mentions
001523032020202120222023202420252026episodesmentions
0232020202120222023202420252026episodes it came up in
00101.52032020202120222023202420252026episodesmentions per episode
2026 26 mentions in 2 episodes 13 per episode
2025 5 mentions in 3 episodes 2 per episode
2024 2 mentions in 2 episodes 1 per episode
2021 2 mentions in 1 episode
2020 19 mentions in 1 episode

every mention, scene by scene, with the transcript →

Everything said about La Colombe Coffee Roasters, oldest first

Jul 20, 2020 bullish
What-if
Carmichael: American coffee was unprepared for an incoming French and Italian fine-dining boom
“We had a deep, deep belief that there would be this restaurant renaissance in America. There was going to be this huge inflow of French and Italian high-level cuisine, and that the coffee in America wasn't going to accommodate it.”
Todd Carmichael Jul 20, 2020 ▶ 21:22 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
Jul 20, 2020
Assertion Not publicly verifiable
Carmichael: La Colombe priced wholesale coffee at mid-$7/lb versus $1.50 market rate
“When we arrived in Philly, coffee wholesale to restaurants was at about a dollar 50 a pound, and ours was the mid-sevens.”
Todd Carmichael Jul 20, 2020 ▶ 37:29 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
Jul 20, 2020
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Carmichael: La Colombe founders cut their salaries to zero during COVID-19
“JP and I, we just, we cut our salaries to zero. We went to the executive crew, we cut everyone 50%.”
Todd Carmichael Jul 20, 2020 ▶ 59:27 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
Jul 20, 2020
Insight
Carmichael: Direct sourcing requires repeatedly returning to earn farmer trust
“Once you get the faith and confidence of farmers, then you can do pretty much what you want. The problem is, in places like Haiti, or in Africa, or even El Salvador, there are loads of gringos that show up making promises and then never come back. You have to …”
Todd Carmichael Jul 20, 2020 ▶ 45:39 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
Jul 20, 2020
Disclosure
Carmichael: Offered to give all his La Colombe equity to co-founder Iberti
“So, I went to JP, and I said, you can have my shares. I don't want to ruin this thing, you can have it all.”
Todd Carmichael Jul 20, 2020 ▶ 47:40 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
Jul 20, 2020 neutral
Insight
Carmichael: Commodity traders tolerate specialty sourcing because volumes are tiny
“And traders that are trading over borders, or they're, you know, taking big lion's share, and it ends up in some Maxwell House blend. They're looking for giant volumes, and we're not disrupting that. We're looking for this creme de la creme, and often, they le…”
Todd Carmichael Jul 20, 2020 ▶ 46:10 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
Jul 20, 2020
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Iberti: Fire department came to original La Colombe location weekly
“We got the fire department in, you know, about two, three times a week.”
J.P. Iberti Jul 20, 2020 ▶ 32:41 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
Jul 20, 2020
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Carmichael: La Colombe's first cafe was built entirely without permits
“In fact, we built the cafe by our, like, with no permits. Like, I did all the wiring, all the plumbing. Like, we asked forgiveness rather than permission on pretty much anything.”
Todd Carmichael Jul 20, 2020 ▶ 32:10 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
Jul 20, 2020 bullish
Assertion Supported
Carmichael: La Colombe Draft Latte is in nearly two-thirds of US grocery stores
“I'd say, yeah, it's probably higher than that now. I'd say we're getting like two out of three. It's close.”
Todd Carmichael Jul 20, 2020 ▶ 56:53 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti
Jan 12, 2026
Assertion Not checkable as stated
La Colombe built its original Philadelphia cafe entirely without municipal permits
“In fact, we built the cafe by our, like, with no permits. Like, I did all the wiring, all the plumbing. Like, we asked forgiveness rather than permission on pretty much anything.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 32:37 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026 positive
Assertion Partly supported
Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya bought out La Colombe's initial private equity backer
“In order for that to happen, you need to take out this VC. And he said, great, let's meet him. And we met him, and he did. And they had no problem with it? They were like, sure, we'll sell. That's fine. Yeah, they doubled their money in a couple months.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 56:30 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026
Disclosure
Carmichael offered to surrender his La Colombe shares during a mental crisis
“So, I went to JP, and I said, you can have my shares. I don't want to ruin this thing, you can have it all.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 48:12 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026 negative
Assertion Not checkable as stated
La Colombe clashed with its first PE backer over canned cold brew
“We did the deal, and that lasted 52 days to the first board meeting. I said, ok, I believe that cold brew is going to be a thing, and La Colombe needs to be the father of it. We also need to create ready-to-drink drinks that include milk, and hopefully one, if…”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 54:16 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026 neutral
Disclosure
Carmichael needed to raise $95,000 to launch La Colombe with J.P. Iberti
“I knew I needed to put together 95,000 dollars so I could start this coffee company with my best friend.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 18:14 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Carmichael vented La Colombe's first roaster through a 20-story outdoor garbage chute
“I jackhammered a hole into a garbage chute that runs the outside of the building, and I think it's about 20 stories high. And I piped the, then cemented the piping into the garbage chute and told JP to fire it up.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 32:01 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026
Assertion Not publicly verifiable
La Colombe priced wholesale coffee at mid-$7 against a $1.50 market standard
“When we arrived in Philly, coffee wholesale to restaurants was at about a dollar 50 a pound, and ours was the mid-sevens.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 37:57 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026 bullish
Disclosure
La Colombe was founded to supply an expected American fine dining renaissance
“We had a deep, deep belief that there would be this restaurant renaissance in America. There was gonna be this huge inflow of French and Italian high-level cuisine, and that the coffee in America wasn't going to accommodate it. Coffee in America was just dedic…”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 21:28 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026
Disclosure
La Colombe originally operated strictly as a wholesale supplier for restaurant kitchens
“Our idea was to be purveyors and to serve the kitchen, so it didn't really matter.”
J.P. Iberti Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 28:19 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026 positive
Assertion Supported
La Colombe Draft Lattes are in nearly two-thirds of U.S. grocery stores
“I'd say, yeah, it's probably higher than that now. I'd say we're getting like two out of three. It's close.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 57:25 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026
Insight
Carmichael designs food and beverage products for just one or two individuals
“I think it's really hard to make food and beverage for everybody. It's like Kurt Vonnegut wrote for his sister. He wrote for one person. And I think that when I make food and beverage, I have like one or two people I think about.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 35:36 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026 negative
Opinion
Pre-1990s American espresso was too abrasive to consume without milk or sugar
“Because espresso in America up to that point was an abrasive liquid. It was not to be consumed without tons of sugar or milk on it.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 40:20 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026
Insight
Direct coffee sourcing requires repeat visits to earn skeptical farmers' trust
“The problem is, in places like Haiti, or in Africa, or even El Salvador, there are loads of gringos that show up making promises and then never come back. You have to show a resilience that you're coming back time and time and time again.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 46:14 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026
Disclosure
La Colombe's name was inspired by a French inn and the dove
“So I think the inspiration of the name is connected to the place, but it's also the symbol of what La Colombes, you know, internationally.”
J.P. Iberti Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 25:53 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026 negative
Assertion Contradicted
Philadelphia had no cafes when La Colombe scouted the city
“There were no cafes in the city. You know, it's a city of a million, some people, and there wasn't one cup of coffee.”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 27:29 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026
Insight
Commodity coffee traders ignore specialty buyers due to their small purchase volumes
“And traders that are trading over borders, or they're, you know, taking big lion's share, and it ends up in some Maxwell House blend. They're looking for giant volumes, and we're not disrupting that. We're looking for this creme de la creme, and often they lea…”
Todd Carmichael Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 46:42 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
Jan 12, 2026 positive
Assertion Not checkable as stated
La Colombe expanded nationally by following restaurant chefs relocating to new cities
“A lot of people go into a kitchen and then move away to San Francisco, LA, Denver, Miami, and we had such roots in the kitchen with supply that people ended up taking us with them when they moved. So we did move from kitchen to kitchen, you know, and it went, …”
J.P. Iberti Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 41:56 La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Todd Carmichael and J.P. Iberti. A Brotherhood Built on Coffee (2020)
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