The New SKU
Purity Coffee, the Greenville, S.C.-based specialty roaster known for third-party-tested, USDA-certified organic beans, has added its first dedicated espresso roast to the lineup. The medium-roast whole-bean product, branded simply ESPRESSO, is available now at PurityCoffee.com for $30 a bag — a direct-to-consumer launch that bypasses the forecourt and grocery aisle, but signals where premium coffee demand is migrating.
The SKU lands in a market where dispensed beverage programs at convenience retail continue to compete with at-home specialty coffee. As chains invest in bean-to-cup and espresso-based equipment at the back-of-house, the ingredients they source — and the health-positioning story those ingredients carry — are increasingly relevant to operators building premium coffee programs.
Roast Profile & Sourcing
Purity developed ESPRESSO specifically for espresso extraction rather than simply roasting its existing blends darker. The roast profile sits between FLOW, the brand's flagship medium roast, and EASE, its dark roast — a calibration designed to reduce natural acidity and build body that holds up as a concentrated shot. Flavor notes include cocoa and dried fruit, with a silky finish suited to straight espresso and milk-based drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos.
All Purity beans are grown under the brand's Circular Health Coffee framework, which connects regenerative soil practices and intentional sourcing to precision roasting. Every harvest undergoes third-party laboratory testing for mold, mycotoxins and other contaminants before reaching consumers. That testing protocol is increasingly the table stake for premium coffee positioned around wellness — a segment that continues to outpace mainstream roast-and-ground volume at both grocery and specialty retail.
Channel Relevance
For c-store operators and foodservice buyers, the launch is a useful data point on where the premium-coffee consumer is heading. Bean-to-cup espresso units are now standard equipment at regional chains competing on dispensed beverage quality, and the health-and-clean-label attributes that Purity leads with — no mycotoxins, organic certification, regenerative sourcing — are increasingly part of the conversation when operators brief beverage suppliers.
"We created ESPRESSO to deliver the rich, balanced experience people want from espresso while setting a higher standard for healthy coffee," said Andrew Salisbury, CEO and co-founder of Purity Coffee. "Every decision — from the soil to the final roast — can influence the quality and health potential of the coffee in your cup."
The DTC-only launch also reflects a broader pattern: premium specialty brands establishing direct consumer relationships and brand equity before entering wholesale or foodservice channels. Operators sourcing differentiated coffee programs for their dispensed beverage and foodservice sets should watch how quickly brands like Purity move into B2B supply as DTC volume scales.
The ESPRESSO roast is compatible with traditional and automatic espresso machines, moka pots and other grind-and-brew methods — a versatility that matters for operators evaluating premium packaged coffee for retail sets alongside their in-store dispensed programs.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
