Food - Investment

Joe Coffee

Joe is the original handcrafted, artisanal coffee. An icon in NYC, it is known as much for its brew as for its “Joe Pro” barista training school.

Two cups of coffee sitting next to each other.

Recognizing unrealized potential in Joe Coffee, Union Square Hospitality purchased the brand in 2017.

Having grown organically over the past 10 years, Joe was ready for a strategic refresh. USH hired Bread Ventures to distill the essence of the Joe Coffee brand and make recommendations on how to preserve its place as the beloved neighborhood hub while charting a course for expansion.

A group of people standing outside of a coffee shop.

True to our process, we started by writing the Story of Joe. Putting on paper the authentic and iconic elements that make Joe “Joe,” from visuals to attitude and voice. We then brainstormed on how we could keep the authentic community feeling while keeping Joe relevant in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

A book with pictures and instructions on how to design furniture.

Bread collaborated with the USH team, interior designers and architects as new locations were developed.

A drawing of the interior of a restaurant.

A collage of photos with different lighting fixtures.

We created a collection of bling – merchandise and apparel that would take the voice of Joe to the streets.

A book with pictures of shirts and hats.

“Our competitive edge would be to not only serve delicious coffee, but to make people feel good when they came into our shop.” Jonathan Rubinstein, Founder

Joe Coffee

Recognizing unrealized potential in Joe Coffee, Union Square Hospitality purchased the brand in 2017.

We created a collection of bling – merchandise and apparel that would take the voice of Joe to the streets.

“Our competitive edge would be to not only serve delicious coffee, but to make people feel good when they came into our shop.” Jonathan Rubinstein, Founder

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