b corp wholesale coffee roasters

the standard

the company (not the coffee) is certified to balance profit with social and environmental impact. b lab scores the business across governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. 80/200 minimum to certify.

audit cycle

every three years. annual disclosure of impact metrics. legally requires the business to amend articles of incorporation to consider stakeholders, not just shareholders.

cost to the roaster

$1k-$50k/year in certification fees by revenue band. the cert signals values to wholesale buyers - cafés running b-corp programmes preference b-corp roasters.

verify the chain of custody, not just the seal

a roaster carrying b corpon the bag doesn't always mean every bean is certified. ask for the cert number and the percentage of their range that qualifies. transparency reports are the gold standard.

b corp is a floor, not a ceiling

certification proves a minimum standard. it doesn't tell you about cup quality, freshness, or how the roaster treats their wholesale clients. use this directory to shortlist, then judge the coffee on the cup.

stack certifications carefully

many specialty roasters carry two or three stacked certs (organic + fair trade, b-corp + direct trade). that signals values-led sourcing. it also adds cost - a single-cert bean is typically 10-20% cheaper than the same lot triple-stacked.