Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

How does a company like Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA), a seasoned player since 1971, manage to post a 27% jump in net sales to $23.9 million in its Q3 2025 fiscal quarter, yet still report a net loss of $1.19 million?

That kind of volatility-strong revenue growth but a significant hit from a $2.2 million negative impact on derivative positions (financial contracts used to hedge against price swings)-is the honest reality of the wholesale coffee market right now, but it also reveals a company strategically positioning its core business with acquisitions like Second Empire.

If you're looking for a clear map of how this integrated roaster and dealer actually works, from sourcing green coffee to navigating commodity risk, you defintely need to understand its dual revenue engine of private label and branded products.

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) History

You're looking for the bedrock story of Coffee Holding Co., Inc., the foundation that explains its current position as an integrated wholesale coffee roaster and dealer. The direct takeaway is this: the company is a third-generation family business, founded in the early 1970s, whose trajectory was fundamentally shifted by going public in 2005 and, more recently, by strategic acquisitions and a focus on cost reduction, which helped deliver strong fiscal results in 2024 and early 2025 despite market volatility.

Given Company's Founding Timeline

Year established

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. was established in 1971.

Original location

The company started in New York, with its corporate offices currently located in Staten Island, New York.

Founding team members

The company was founded by Sterling A. Gordon. The business has remained a family-run operation for three generations. Other early team members included Sheldon Mandell and Michael Borowsky.

Initial capital/funding

Specific initial capital figures are not public, but the company's major funding shift came with its Initial Public Offering (IPO) in May 2005, listing on the NASDAQ under the ticker JVA. The IPO's issue price was $5.00 per share.

Given Company's Evolution Milestones

Given Company's Transformative Moments

The biggest shift for Coffee Holding Co., Inc. was moving from a private, family-run operation to a publicly-traded entity in 2005. That IPO provided the currency for a decade of strategic acquisitions, like Steep N Brew and Gourmet Coffee, that broadened the product mix beyond wholesale green coffee into specialty and branded retail products. This is what allowed them to tap into new consumer segments.

Still, the market is tough, but the company has shown a real ability to execute on cost control and strategic growth, even amidst high coffee prices and inflation. Here's the quick math on recent performance:

• Q3 2025 net sales (ending July 31) hit $23.9 million, a strong 27% increase over the same period in 2024.
• The trailing twelve months revenue as of July 31, 2025, reached $89.75 million, up 17.92% year-over-year.
• In early 2025, the company renegotiated its main Staten Island office lease, securing an annual savings of approximately $72,000.
• The recent acquisition of Second Empire is already showing early profit, which is defintely a positive sign for future earnings.

What this estimate hides is the volatility; Q3 2025 saw a net loss of $1.19 million due to a $2.2 million negative impact from derivative positions (financial instruments used to hedge against coffee price swings). So, while revenue growth is robust, managing commodity price risk remains a crucial, near-term action for the executive team. To be fair, they anticipate a reversal of those unrealized losses in the fourth quarter. You can get a deeper dive into the numbers here: Breaking Down Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) Ownership Structure

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. is a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker JVA, but its control is a blend of long-standing insider ownership and a significant retail float.

This structure means the company is not entirely beholden to short-term institutional demands, but it does leave a large portion of the stock-over 62%-in the hands of the general public and smaller investors, which can affect stock volatility.

Coffee Holding Co., Inc.'s Current Status

The company is an integrated wholesale coffee roaster and dealer, trading publicly on the NASDAQ Capital Market (NASDAQ:JVA). This public status requires rigorous financial transparency, but the day-to-day strategic direction is heavily influenced by the long-tenured insider team.

For the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2025, the company reported net sales of $23.9 million, a 27% increase year-over-year, despite a net loss of $1.19 million largely due to derivative positions related to fluctuating coffee prices. That's a real-world example of how commodity price risk can bite a balance sheet, even when sales are strong. To gain more insights into the investor landscape, see Exploring Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Coffee Holding Co., Inc.'s Ownership Breakdown

As of November 2025, the ownership structure shows a significant stake held by company insiders, which aligns management's interests with shareholder returns, plus a substantial institutional presence from funds that see value in the stock.

Here's the quick math: with approximately 5.71 million shares outstanding, the 17.44% insider stake represents about 1.00 million shares controlled by directors and executives, giving them a powerful voting block.

Coffee Holding Co., Inc.'s Leadership

The company is steered by a highly experienced, long-tenured management team, with an average tenure for the management team and board of directors being around 28 years. This stability is defintely a key factor in their consistent wholesale operations.

The leadership team, as of November 2025, includes:

• Andrew Gordon: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Appointed in January 1997, he has a tenure of over 28 years. His total yearly compensation is approximately $324.43K, and he directly owns 5.48% of the company's shares.
• David Gordon: Executive Vice President of Operations. His total yearly compensation is slightly higher than the CEO's at approximately $337.68K.
• Daniel Dwyer: Director, elected by shareholders in late 2024.
• Barry Knepper: Director, also elected in late 2024.

The concentration of leadership within the Gordon family and long-time associates shows a clear, consistent strategic vision, but it also means the company's future is tightly linked to the decisions of a small, core group.

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) Mission and Values

Coffee Holding Co., Inc.'s purpose extends beyond being an integrated wholesale coffee dealer; it centers on delivering premium quality coffee while upholding ethical sourcing and sustainability as core tenets of its long-term strategy. This is a business built on relationships, not just commodity trading.

Given Company's Core Purpose

The company's cultural DNA is rooted in being a multi-generational, family-run business, which translates into a focus on intimate, long-term relationships with suppliers and customers, even after becoming publicly traded in 2005. It's about quality and integrity over short-term gains.

Official mission statement

The formal mission of Coffee Holding Co., Inc. is to offer high-quality coffee products to a broad market spectrum-from wholesale green coffee to branded retail products-while adhering to strong ethical standards throughout the supply chain. This commitment breaks down into three clear operational pillars:

• Source and deliver premium quality coffee beans consistently.
• Build and maintain strong, reliable relationships with both global suppliers and domestic customers.
• Operate with integrity and a commitment to sustainability in all business practices.

For perspective, this focus on quality and ethics is what allowed them to maintain a 19% gross margin in Q2 2025, even with rising green coffee prices.

Vision statement

The company's vision is to solidify its position as a leading, integrated coffee roaster and dealer in the US by driving innovation and adapting to the ever-changing consumer landscape. They are a trend-aware realist, always mapping near-term risks to clear actions.

• Drive innovation within the coffee industry, especially in roasting and packaging.
• Adapt quickly to changing consumer preferences and market trends, such as the growth of specialty and certified coffees (Organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance).
• Leverage strategic expansions, like the recent acquisition of Second Empire, which is expected to be accretive to future earnings.

You can see the impact of this strategy in their recent performance: Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) revenue ending July 31, 2025, hit $89.7 million. That's a defintely solid run.

Given Company slogan/tagline

While the company has a variety of brands, the overarching message that captures their core values and customer-centric approach is succinct and direct:

• Committed to Coffee, Committed to You.

This simple statement maps directly to their business model of serving everyone from the small regional roaster to the large retailer with both green coffee and private-label solutions. For a deeper dive into how they manage market volatility, check out Breaking Down Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) How It Works

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) operates as an integrated wholesale coffee roaster and dealer, creating value by controlling the coffee supply chain from global sourcing of raw green beans to the final distribution of branded and private-label roasted products across North America and select international markets.

The company essentially acts as a vital intermediary, generating revenue through three main channels: selling unroasted green coffee, manufacturing private label coffee for major retailers, and marketing its own portfolio of eight proprietary brands, which gives them a broad footing in the entire consumer coffee spectrum.

Given Company's Product/Service Portfolio

Given Company's Operational Framework

The operational framework is built on a vertically-integrated approach, meaning they manage multiple stages of the coffee process to control quality and cost. Here's the quick math on their recent performance: Q3 FY2025 net sales hit $23.9 million, a 27% jump year-over-year, largely driven by higher private label and green coffee sales, but still resulted in a net loss of $1.19 million due to derivative impacts.

• Strategic Sourcing: Purchase green coffee beans from key regions like Central America, South America, Africa, and Indonesia, focusing on establishing direct, long-term grower relationships for stable supply and quality control.
• Integrated Processing: Perform in-house artisanal roasting, blending, and packaging at facilities in New Jersey and other production plants, allowing for flexible production across whole-bean, ground, and single-serve formats.
• Value-Added Services: Offer custom blending, package design, and supply-chain management to large wholesale and private label customers, making them a full-service partner for retailers who want their own store brand.
• Distribution Network: Distribute products throughout the United States and Canada, serving a diverse client base that includes supermarkets, coffeehouses, hotels, and healthcare facilities.

If you want a deeper dive into the company's long-term direction, you should check out their Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA).

Given Company's Strategic Advantages

The company's market success comes down to a few defintely concrete advantages that help them navigate the volatile commodity market, especially with green coffee prices fluctuating so much.

• Horizontal Product Mix: The ability to sell green coffee, private label, and branded products mitigates risk; high green coffee prices, for instance, can increase profitability with wholesale customers, offsetting margin compression with private label contracts.
• Acquisition-Driven Growth: The recent acquisition of Empire Coffee business (also known as Second Empire) is a clear example of this strategy, which management expects to be accretive to earnings going forward, with the unit already recording a profit in July 2025.
• Financial Hedging Expertise: They actively use derivative positions to manage the risk of fluctuating green coffee prices, a necessary but sometimes costly practice-Q3 2025 saw a $2.2 million negative derivative impact, but this is a tool for long-term stability.
• Inventory Positioning: Management strategically increases inventory during market price dips, like they did before new tariffs on Brazil imports in 2025, which positions them to sell low-priced inventory for higher margins when prices recover. That's smart risk management.

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) How It Makes Money

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) generates revenue by acting as an integrated wholesale coffee roaster and dealer, essentially capturing value at multiple points of the coffee supply chain.

The company's financial model is built on three core pillars: selling unroasted green coffee beans to other roasters, manufacturing private label (store brand) coffee products for major retailers, and selling its own proprietary branded coffees like Café Caribe and Brooklyn Bean.

Coffee Holding Co., Inc.'s Revenue Breakdown

The company's trailing twelve-month (TTM) revenue ending Q3 2025 reached a strong $89.75 million, reflecting a 17.92% year-over-year growth. While the exact 2025 percentage breakdown is not publicly segmented, the business model clearly relies on a mix of high-volume commodity sales, high-margin private label production, and proprietary brand sales.

Here is an estimated breakdown of the company's revenue streams, based on its strategic focus and the industry's fastest-growing segments:

The Wholesale Green Coffee Sales segment is a key driver, focusing on specialty gourmet Arabica beans which the company calls the 'fastest-growing category in the coffee industry'. The Private Label business is a consistent, high-volume revenue source, crucial for building strong relationships with major wholesalers and retailers.

Business Economics

The economics of Coffee Holding Co., Inc. are a balancing act between commodity-driven wholesale and value-added, fixed-price product sales. It's a tough market, but they have a clear strategy.

• Pricing Strategy: Pricing for green coffee is dictated by the global coffee market, which is volatile and influenced by everything from weather in Brazil to geopolitical factors. Conversely, the company uses a more stable cost-plus pricing model for its private label and branded products, factoring in production, packaging, and marketing costs.
• Margin Advantage: The private label segment is a clear margin play. Private label products typically deliver gross margins 25-30% higher than national brands because they cut out significant advertising and distribution costs. This margin cushion helps offset volatility in the wholesale green coffee business.
• Risk Management Shift: The company has deliberately moved away from speculative commodity trading, choosing instead to focus on operational strengths and hedging strategies to manage price risk. This shift is a realistic move to stabilize results in a volatile commodity environment.

The goal is simple: use the high-margin, stable private label and branded sales to smooth out the commodity price swings in the wholesale green coffee segment. Want to dive deeper into how they manage these risks? Check out Breaking Down Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

Coffee Holding Co., Inc.'s Financial Performance

The company's recent financial reports show strong top-line growth but highlight the immediate impact of market volatility and financial instruments (derivatives). The overall trend is one of increasing sales volume, but profitability is being tested by external factors.

• Revenue Growth: Net sales for the fiscal quarter ending July 31, 2025 (Q3 2025), increased by a significant 27% year-over-year, reaching $23.9 million. This demonstrates strong demand for their product mix.
• Gross Profit Margin: The gross profit margin was strong in the first half of the year, with Q1 2025 hitting 26.9%. This is a good indicator of efficient production and effective pricing, even as input costs fluctuate.
• Net Income Impact: Despite the jump in sales, the company reported a net loss of $1.19 million for Q3 2025. This loss was not operational; it was primarily driven by a $2.2 million negative impact from derivative positions (financial instruments used to hedge against price changes).
• Earnings Per Share (EPS): The Q3 2025 net loss translated to an EPS of -$0.21. However, management is optimistic, expecting a reversal of these unrealized derivative losses in the fourth quarter, which should boost future profits.

Here's the quick math: operations were profitable, but the derivative loss masked the core business health. The TTM revenue of $89.75 million is a solid foundation, but you need to watch how they manage commodity risk moving forward.

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) Market Position & Future Outlook

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) maintains a niche, but profitable, position in the US coffee market, primarily through its wholesale green coffee and private label segments, but its future trajectory hinges on successfully integrating recent acquisitions and navigating extreme commodity price volatility.

The company's trailing twelve-month (TTM) revenue as of July 31, 2025, stood at $89.75 million, a small fraction of the overall $90.97 billion US coffee market projected for 2025, which means every strategic move-like the acquisition of Empire Coffee Company assets-carries outsized importance for growth.

Competitive Landscape

To be clear, Coffee Holding Co., Inc. is a small-cap player in a market dominated by giants like Starbucks and Nestlé, but its direct competition lies with other wholesale, private label, and regional branded coffee suppliers. Its competitive advantage is its horizontally-integrated model, spanning the value chain from importing raw green beans to selling branded products.

Here's the quick math: Westrock Coffee Co.'s TTM revenue is over $1.08 billion, and Farmer Brothers Co.'s fiscal year 2025 net sales were $342.3 million. Coffee Holding Co., Inc. is simply playing a different game, focusing on high-margin niches where its smaller scale is actually an advantage. Exploring Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (JVA) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Opportunities & Challenges

The company is positioned to capitalize on a few clear trends, but it must defintely manage significant financial risks tied to commodity markets.

Industry Position

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. is a specialty player, not a mass-market behemoth. Its standing is built on three pillars:

• Wholesale Green Coffee: Serving small to medium-sized roasters with over 90 specialty coffee offerings, providing a stable, high-touch revenue stream.
• Private Label Strength: The company is a key supplier for regional and national supermarket chains, which provides volume and access to the off-trade market (86.43% of 2024 US market revenue share).
• Strategic Rationalization: The announced closure of the Comfort Foods manufacturing facility in North Andover, MA, is a move to streamline operations and focus capital on core coffee profitability.

The company's decision to resume an annual dividend in June 2025 signals management's confidence in its improved cash flow and working capital, despite the Q3 net loss of $1.21 million due to derivative impacts. They are a small, nimble ship in a big, choppy ocean.