I first learned about La Colombe Coffee Roasters through a now forgotten show on the Travel Channel called Dangerous Grounds. This was around 2012 or so, and the Travel Channel was going strong with original content having to do with food and travel. Bourdain and Zimmern were at the forefront, it was a great time to be a fan of the genre.

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Dangerous Grounds was hosted by Todd Carmichael, then CEO and co-founder of La Colombe. In the series, Carmichael would drop into places tourists don't usually venture to seek out the finest beans to roast for La Colombe coffee. Carmichael's approach was one part coffee snob, one part cultural anthropologist, and one part adventure traveler. From the first watch, I was hooked

La Colombe Coffee Roasters via Facebook
La Colombe Coffee Roasters via Facebook
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I finally had the chance to try La Colombe coffee at one of their locations during a trip to Chicago. When I say it's some of the best coffee I've ever had, it's not an exaggeration. Todd Carmichael's commitment to quality shined through each and every sip.

With that in mind, I was delighted to see that Chobani had fully acquired La Colombe in December 2023. Chobani's attention to quality foods is a stringent as Todd Carmichael's. In my opinion, it's a perfect match. The sale conveyed retail, cafes, foodservice, and direct-to-consumer sales channels.

La Colombe Coffee Roasters via Facebook
La Colombe Coffee Roasters via Facebook
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Though it's now part of Chobani, La Colombe Coffee Roasters will remain a standalone brand while benefitting from collaboration with its parent company, Chobani. Personally, I'm looking forward to Chobani unleashing the brand and bringing it to its full potential. I'll be there with a fresh cup, rooting them on!

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