About Us
To bring people and communities together by sharing great coffee, roasted with passion and served with love.
Who We Are
About Us
Three words permeate everything we do at Kahwa Coffee: love, passion and quality.
Love for the bean and the timeless coffee ritual. Passion for roasting exceptional blends. And the thrill of introducing the highest quality beans to seasoned connoisseurs and new aficionados alike.
We opened our doors in sunny St. Pete, Florida in 2006. All of our roasting is done at our production site here in St. Pete. We bring over 25 years of experience in the coffee industry to combine passion and expertise in our process.
Our community is very important to us, and we love working with and supporting nonprofit organizations. We donate our time and products to countless events and organizations in the Tampa Bay area and beyond.
- 2006Established in
St. Pete, FL - 1000+Wholesale
Customers - 20+Locations
& Growing
Our Process
Quality beans - Pure Water - Passion - Served with Love
Origins
Our Story
The journey of Kahwa Coffee began within the corridors of Philadelphia. Raphael Perrier was a young barista working at a local coffee shop when Sarah walked through the doors. Sparks of love ignited with the sweet aroma of espresso in the air.
For the next several years, Raphael worked his way up to Wholesale Sales Executive and mastered the art of coffee roasting. Sarah became Company Manager of a prestigious dance troupe and developed a passion for business management.
In 2005, the married couple arrived in sunny St. Pete, Florida and merged their talents into a concept called Kahwa Coffee. Months were spent tediously creating blends until the perfect mixture of sweetness, acidity, body and bitterness emerged.
In 2008, the first Kahwa retail location opened in downtown St. Pete. That same year, Paul Bocuse chose Kahwa Coffee for his world-renowned French restaurant at Walt Disney World’s Epcot, and an additional 50 customers from Washington, D.C. came calling.
Since then, our high-quality roasts have won over chefs and coffee connoisseurs all over the country and can be found in restaurants and world-class resorts from Utah to Aspen to the Turks and Caicos.
Each cup will be the best you've ever had.
— Raphael & Sarah Perrier
Two Decades of Coffee
Our Journey
From a Philadelphia café meeting to over 20 locations across Florida and Texas.
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Year 1998
A Meeting Destined for Greatness
Raphael Perrier, a young barista in Philadelphia, locks eyes with Sarah as she walks through the cafe door. Sparks ignite with the sweet aroma of espresso in the air.
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Year 2005
Arriving in Sunshine City
The married couple arrives in St. Pete, Florida. Raphael brings years of roasting mastery; Sarah brings her passion for community. Kahwa Coffee is born.
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Year 2006
The Roast Begins
Months of tedious blend creation yield the perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, body, and bitterness. Kahwa Coffee officially opens and lands its very first customer the same month their daughter is born.
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Year 2008
Doors Open in Downtown St. Pete
The first Kahwa retail cafe opens. Raphael and Sarah introduce the coffee themselves, from behind the counter. That same year, Paul Bocuse selects Kahwa for his world-renowned French restaurant at Walt Disney World's Epcot.
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Year 2010
Best of the Bay — First of Many
Kahwa begins a streak of consecutive Best of the Bay Award wins, cementing its place as Tampa Bay's most beloved coffee brand.
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Year 2016
Giving Back Through Coffee
Charity signature blend partnerships begin. Kahwa channels its community love into meaningful collaborations with nonprofits across Tampa Bay.
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Year 2020
Going National Online
Kahwa launches its e-commerce platform, bringing locally roasted St. Pete coffee to doorsteps across the country.
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Year 2022
Franchise Announced
Kahwa announces its franchising program, opening the door for passionate coffee lovers to carry the brand's mission into new communities.
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Year 2023
First Franchise Contract Signed
The ink dries on the first franchisee agreement — a milestone that signals Kahwa's evolution from beloved local roaster to a growing national presence.
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Year 2024
First Franchise Location Opens
The franchise dream becomes reality as the first independently operated Kahwa cafe opens its doors, carrying the love, passion, and quality that define the brand.
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Year 2024
Florida Grows — Texas Calls
Kahwa plants its flag in the Lone Star State with its first Texas location, proving that great coffee and warm hospitality have no borders.
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Year 2026
20th Anniversary - Major Expansion
After two decades of love, passion, and quality, Kahwa undergoes a significant expansion into a new 24,742-square-foot corporate and manufacturing facility, increasing the production space by over 10,000 square feet.
✦ 20th Anniversary Milestone
Twenty Years. One Mission.
Love. Passion. Quality.
Thank you, Tampa Bay — and the world — for two extraordinary decades of coffee, community, and connection. Here's to the next twenty.
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