As more and more companies are incorporating artificial intelligence into their businesses, a new Chicago startup is using the tech to help match consumers with the perfect craft coffee and deliver it directly to them while it is still fresh.
Javaya, founded just last year by Nick Selman and Jasen Holley, has created an online marketplace where consumers can be matched with and buy craft coffee from dozens of artisanal brands throughout the country.
When a buyer visits Javaya’s website, they are prompted to take a quiz on what flavors and aromas they like in a cup of coffee, ranging from fruity and floral to neutral and balanced. The quiz, powered by AI, then matches users with particular bags of coffee that mesh with the user's preferences.
“The problem with craft coffee is that, like any craft category, it can be a little high-brow and a little bit unapproachable,” Selman said. “What we really wanted to do with Javaya was make it more approachable, more friendly and really a place where people interested in craft could learn a little bit more and feel included.”
After shoppers identify which coffee they want to buy, Javaya asks them to choose the day they want to receive it. Once an order is placed, the platform notifies the company to roast and ship the coffee for free all on the same day, so that by the time the buyer receives it, the coffee is hitting its peak flavor.
“The reason the coffee arrives to you so fresh is because it’s fresh roasted specifically for you,” said Selman, who says he best likes light roast Ethiopian coffees made by brands like Red Rooster and Little Foot, both of which are sold on Javaya.
Chicago has a reputation for having a significant craft coffee scene, with more than 30 artisanal coffee brands operating in the Chicaogland area, such as Metropolis and Abacus. When Selman first met Holley in Chicago in Notre Dame’s executive MBA program, he says they explored the niche together.
“We instantaneously bonded over a mutual love for the craft coffee scene that we discovered here,” Selman said. “But we quickly found that getting all of our favorite coffees in one place was really hard, so we found ourselves driving all over Chicagoland to get our favorites.”
Which is precisely the problem Javaya aims to solve. Selman said the prices for coffee on Javaya are similar or slightly more to what consumers might see in grocery stores. But even if Javaya’s prices are $1 or $2 more, Selman said Javaya’s target customer will be willing to pay it because they’re looking for the freshest coffee possible.
“Our customers really value and are willing to pay a premium for the freshness,” Selman said. “The folks who really love craft [coffee] just go bonkers for this concept.”
Trade Coffee, a similar kind of company based out of New York, also matches shoppers with coffee and roasts it as orders come in.
Javaya, which employs three people and operates out of tech incubator 1871, has sold “tens of thousands of dollars worth” of coffee since it launched, according to Selman. Javaya pays the coffee companies for the coffee it sells on its platform and takes a cut of every transaction.
The company is currently raising a friends and family funding round for about $250,000, and Selman said Javaya will use the money to improve its tech and market the brand toward potential consumers.
