Coffee Futures Fund

Futures

Our 10-week immersion for the next generation of iconic coffee shops

People often ask us what happens at Coffee Futures Fund. Here is an overview of what happens during the CFF program and the benefits you get as a CFF alumni. You can read more about why you should apply to CFF here.

The Goal

The goal of Coffee Futures Fund is to help independent coffee shop owners build stronger, more sustainable businesses — with support they typically never receive. Our goal is to: help you leave the program in dramatically better shape than when you started.

For most shops, “better shape” means two things:

clearer systems and smoother operations
stronger margins, better leadership, and a real plan for growth

The energy of CFF is hard to describe until you’re in it — but one word that comes close is clarity. For 10 weeks, you’re surrounded by people who want to help you succeed: mentors, operators, industry experts, and a tight-knit peer cohort that speaks your language. That kind of environment unlocks progress.

Many owners describe the 10 weeks as the most productive and perspective-shifting time in their business. And while the CFF network continues far beyond the program, that initial sprint is where the transformation begins. We can’t do the work for you — but we can help you do your best work with the right structure and support.

Funding

CFF invests up to $50K in 2 shops per cohort through a revenue-share model designed around your growth – not against it.

Here’s how it works:

You keep 100% ownership of your business — no equity taken.
We make an offer at the end of the program, based on your growth potential, revenue, and alignment.
You repay an agreed percentage of your revenue over four years, with a fixed cap on the total payback amount.
Shops with higher expected turnover repay at a lower % — and vice versa.

The goal is simple: help you grow with breathing room, not pressure.

Cohorts & Mentorship

Each CFF cohort includes up to 10 shop owners, grouped intentionally for diversity of geography, business models, and lived experience.

Throughout the program, you’ll work closely with mentors, guest speakers, and past operators who’ve scaled respected brands.

Sessions are structured but intimate — a mix of workshops, peer roundtables, and 1:1 office hours with coaches and operators who meet you where you are.

Office Hours

Each CFF cohort includes up to 10 shop owners, grouped intentionally for diversity of geography, business models, and lived experience.

Throughout the program, you’ll work closely with mentors, guest speakers, and past operators who’ve scaled respected brands.

Sessions are structured but intimate — a mix of workshops, peer roundtables, and 1:1 office hours with coaches and operators who meet you where you are.

Beyond the 10-Weeks

The CFF program is just the beginning. Here’s what happens after the formal program ends.

Ongoing Support

Mentorship doesn’t stop after the program. You’ll have access to CFF mentors, coaches, and advisors year-round – whether it’s for quick advice, strategy calls, or sounding boards before major decisions.

Alumni Community

The CFF alumni network is built on trust, transparency, and mutual respect.

Owners continue to meet through roundtables, share benchmarks in private channels, and show up for each other in ways that are rare in this industry.

we're a village

Identity-Based Communities

Through the Coffee Owners Roundtable and digital alumni channels, you’ll connect with other owners across geographies and identities — whether you’re building a multi-unit brand or running a single-location café in a small town.

Credibility & Signal

When one CFF shop grows, the whole ecosystem gets stronger.

Partners, investors, and the media increasingly look to CFF as a signal of quality and potential — not just because of who we invest in, but how we work.

We spotlight great operators, amplify owner voices, and help more people believe in the long-term success of independent coffee.