Reflecting on 25+ years of great coffee: A conversation with Colectivo Coffee

It’s been over 25 years since the brand now known as Colectivo Coffee was established in Milwaukee. Over those years, the company has seen a name change (from Alterra to Colectivo), growth into new markets including Madison and Chicago and the birth of an adjunct brand, Troubadour Bakery. It’s also faced numerous challenges, from managing growing pains and meeting employee expectations to facing the challenges of a global pandemic.

On this week’s podcast, we chat with Scott Schwebel, the vice president of brand, marketing and retail for Colectivo Coffee about all of these things and more. During our conversation, we take a trip down memory lane and look back on the history of the popular hometown coffee brand, which began as a kiosk at Bayshore Mall and has grown to encompass over 20 retail locations. Along the way, we discuss the brand’s mission and values, the way they’ve adapted to change, steered through the pandemic and some of the ways they plan to navigate the uncertain future.