Jesse Diaz is a coffee connoisseur who decided to start his own roasting company in Chicago after working for Nordstrom, Peet’s Coffee and Tea, and Starbucks. He wanted to create a coffee company that was different than both the mainstream coffee shops and the many hipster coffee shops. Unlike many of his competitors in the coffee-roasting industry, Diaz started his company without many expensive materials. His company, Dark Matter, has 31 employees who all help run the company.
Chicago has a substantial coffee industry right now, so Diaz had to find a way to differentiate himself among competitors including Intelligentsia, Bow Truss, and Gaslight. Diaz does this by aging coffee in cognac and bourbon barrels. This roast of coffee appeals to a very specific market, and many millennials in the city are intrigued by the idea because it mixes two drinks they enjoy.
Dark Matter sells its coffee in Whole Foods stores in Chicago, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The company, however, only advertises through its coffee shops, which minimizes expenses. This marketing technique works because they can also use social media for advertising.
Bravo to Jesse Diaz to pursuing and creating a coffee shop in such a vastly filled market! I guess his USP is really something that intrigues a good amount of customers!
That’s such an interesting mashup. I like that he differentiated both his coffee and the atmosphere of his shop; both are crucial elements of a good coffeehouse. I also appreciate the small advertising budget that is obviously successful since they’re growing!
I’m really intrigued by this idea. It does sound very unique. Thanks for sharing!
i have never heard of Jesse or his company but i would love to try his product someday! such a different idea
Making it his own and reinventing the coffee shop to what he wanted seems to have turned out to be in his favor!