Anodyne Sold to Midwest-Based Coffee Collective
Cafe ownership will be shared between FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective and a local ownership group.
Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. – Walker’s Point. Photo taken September 21, 2013 by Michael Horne.
Change is brewing for a prominent Milwaukee coffee roaster and cafe, but customers are unlikely to notice the shift because it will take place largely take place behind the scenes.
The founders of Anodyne recently sold the company to FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective. The Milwaukee-based cafe joins nine other specialty coffee brands under the purview of the collective, headquartered in Kansas City, MO.
“FairWave’s mission is to elevate existing coffee brands to ensure they stay local to the communities they serve,” said a representative of the collective. “Anodyne’s cafes and wholesale operations will continue uninterrupted, and no major menu changes will be made.”
Behind the scenes, however, FairWave will have a hand in decisions regarding Anodyne’s coffee buying, roasting, operations, accounting, and marketing teams. All of Anodyne’s employees will remain in their current positions.
Anodyne founders Matt McClutchy and Lacee Perry will become partial owners in FairWave. Ownership of Anodyne will be divided between the Midwest-based collective and a local ownership group comprised of Anodyne’s existing leadership team: Steve Kessler, Nolan Truttschel, Laura Lown and Stephanie Burton.
A FairWave representative did not respond to a question about how much of the company the local ownership group owns.
“As a local brand, we will stay true to our customers while leveraging FairWave’s resources,” said Kessler in a statement. “At the end of the day, we are still Anodyne Roasting Co. with the same great team & coffee.”
Moving forward, Anodyne’s Walker’s Point, Milwaukee Public Market and Bay View cafes will continue to operate as usual. The 24-year-old cafe’s local character, including its special events and wood-fired pizza, will remain unchanged.
“With more than two decades of experience in the specialty coffee industry, Anodyne is bringing a wealth of talent and experience to the collective,” said Joe Marrocco, vice president of coffee sourcing and product development for FairWave, in a statement. “Milwaukee has a strong sense of community with a vibrant food and beverage scene, and we couldn’t be happier to launch in this market with such an incredible partner.”
Along with Anodyne, The Roasterie Coffee Company, Spyhouse Coffee Roasters, Folly Coffee, Messenger Coffee Co., Up Coffee Roasters, IBIS Bakery, Black Dog Coffeehouse, Filling Station Coffee Garage and Philtera Cold Brewed Coffee operate as part of the FairWave collective.
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
