We Don't Do Wholesale... (at least, not in the usual way)
Why Yellow Bear Don't Do Wholesale*
(And Why That’s Good News for You)
*like you've seen before.
If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t find Yellow Bear Coffee in your local cafe or in restaurant supply lists, here’s the short answer: We don’t do wholesale.
And that’s entirely by design.
We’ve chosen to focus 100% on roasting for home brewers, coffee shop guest slots and specialty coffee lovers just like you, allowing us to source more exclusive microlots, maintain absolute control over quality, and ensure every bag of coffee arrives at peak freshness.
This isn’t a knock on wholesale—plenty of amazing roasters do it well—but after some serious reflection, we realised it simply wasn’t for us.
Here’s why our direct-to-consumer model works so well—and why it means a better coffee experience for you.
TL;DR – Why No Wholesale?
- Freshness first – small-batch, roasted to order.
- Rare finds – no bulk contracts, just the best beans.
- For home brewers – quality over quantity, always.
- Love consistency?
- Crave variety?
- We tried wholesale – retail wins. Better coffee, happier drinkers.
We Tried Wholesale… Then Realised It Wasn’t Right for Us
For a while, we dipped our paws into the wholesale world. Some of our wholesale customers truly loved and appreciated what we did. Truly, it is a delight to work with coffee shops who care as much as we do about the coffee experience. Others, however… well, let’s just say we found ourselves bending over backwards to meet demands that didn’t always align with our mission.
IMPORTANT NOTE: To put this firmly beyond doubt, and prevent tittle tattle, this is not in reference to any of our Holmfirth based café wholesale customers.
In truth, you have kept us going during difficult times, and we owe you a debt of gratitude for being so great to work with.
There were, however, a couple of larger wholesale customers based further afield who really taught us the difference between Commodity and Speciality Customers.
The margins on wholesale were growing thinner by the day, and the price of coffee was increasing at a similar rate... The stress was real. We didn’t know what we were going to do.
Risk losing a huge chunk of our cash flow, even though it was effectively costing us money? Or take the leap of faith and double down on what we were best at.
Meanwhile, our home coffee drinkers and guest coffee shop grinder customers (people like you) were consistently excited, engaged, and invested in what we were doing. The retail side of Yellow Bear was thriving, and we loved picking out incredible coffees from offer lists and hearing all your feedback.
It became clear: this is where we needed to focus.
As a small roaster, we also struggled to keep consistency at such large scale. By stepping away from wholesale, we were able to:
- Keep our roasting standards sky-high. No rushing to fulfil huge orders, no compromises.
- Source ultra-rare and exceptional coffees. Without wholesale contracts to fill and a disciplined cashflow model, we have the freedom to hunt down the best microlots we can find.
- Stay flexible and innovative. We can experiment, refine, and offer rotating, one-of-a-kind coffees that showcase the very best of the speciality coffee world.
The result? More fun for us... Better Coffee for You!
Quality First: Why Small-Batch Roasting Beats Bulk Production
Coffee peaks in flavour within days of roasting. The longer it sits, the more those incredible aromas and nuances fade.
Wholesale demands big batches, long shelf times, and mass consistency—which often means:
☕ Coffee sitting in warehouses or stock rooms before it ever reaches a customer.
☕ Bulk roasting with darker profiles to “even out” variations (and sometimes mask lower-quality beans).
☕ Less flexibility in sourcing, since contracts lock roasters into using the same coffees year-round.
We don’t do any of that.
Instead:
✅ We roast to order, ensuring maximum freshness.
✅ We hand-select our coffees for their flavour and uniqueness—not just their ability to scale.
✅ We change things up frequently, so you always have something exciting to brew.
Guest Grinder? We’ve Got You Covered.
While we don’t do traditional wholesale, we love working with specialty coffee shops who want something special for their guest grinder offering.
If you run a café and want to serve your customers something truly unique, we can help. With rotating single origins and limited-edition microlots, Yellow Bear can bring something fresh and exciting to your lineup. Drop us a message—we’d love to chat.
Perennial Blends & The Wild Bear Subscription: Stability + Surprise
Not everyone wants a new coffee every month. Some of you want consistency—something you know will hit the spot every single morning. That’s where our Perennial Blends come in. This is
Bear Necessities - The Everyday Best, and The Best Every day!
Brown Bear - The Modern Day Dark Roast.
Red Panda - Something truly wild and exotic - Fruity, Tropical and Adventurous!
These coffees are carefully crafted to deliver a reliable, delicious profile year-round, whether you’re brewing espresso, pour-over, or French press.
But if you love variety and want to explore the best of specialty coffee, our Wild Bear Subscription is for you. Each month, we feature an incredible, hand-selected single origin, giving you a chance to experience the wildest, most exciting coffees we can find. It's usually what we're raving about at Yellow Bear HQ and can't wait for you to try too.
Wild Bear is our main event. No wholesale contracts. No compromises. Just coffee at its absolute best, delivered fresh to your door.
Would You Rather Have the Same Coffee Every Month, or Do You Prefer Variety?
We’d love to hear from you! Are you a creature of habit who loves a go-to blend, or do you live for discovering something new each time? Drop us a comment, send us a DM, or just grab a bag of coffee and taste the difference for yourself.
Ready to experience coffee without compromise? Join the Wild Bear Subscription today and taste what happens when freshness, quality, and craftsmanship come first. 🐻☕
A Coffee Community, Not Just a Drink
At the end of the day, it’s not just about selling coffee—it’s about sharing something we truly love with people who appreciate it. Whether you’re here for the perfect morning coffee, to geek out over processing methods, or just to try something new every month, we’re glad you’re with us for the ride.
Choosing not to do wholesale wasn’t about saying no to something—it was about saying yes to quality, control, and staying true to what makes Yellow Bear special.
It means we get to chase the best coffees we can find, roast them with care, and share them directly with you—no middlemen, no compromises, just damn good coffee.
So, what kind of coffee drinker are you? Do you have a go-to favourite, or do you love the thrill of trying something new every time? Let us know—we love talking coffee.
And hey, if you’re ready to make every cup something special, we think you’ll love Wild Bear. But whether you subscribe, grab a one-off bag, or just keep reading along with us, we’re happy you’re here.
Now, go brew something amazing. ☕🐻
References;
Speciality Coffee Advisor
Lanna Coffee Co.
Local Coffee Roasters over Big Chains
Ethical and Sustainable Sourcing
Difference Coffee
Bluecart - really interesting article