FairWave Specialty Espresso Collective emblem.

FairWave Specialty Espresso Collective has appointed longtime hospitality govt Justin Seamonds as CEO, because the Kansas Metropolis-based specialty espresso “collective” continues its acquisition-driven enlargement throughout a number of U.S. markets.

Seamonds, who can be described as the corporate’s “Prime Minister of Enjoyable,” beforehand served as CEO of Chicago-based quick meals chain Roti from 2020 to 2025, in line with his LinkedIn profile. He additionally held quite a few govt roles at connoisseur meals model and grocery/cafe chain Dean & DeLuca from 2008 to 2016.

FairWave, primarily based in Kansas Metropolis and backed by Nice Vary Capital, has not publicly named a CEO for the reason that departure of founding CEO Dan Trott in 2023. Throughout that interval, the corporate has expanded its retail and roasting footprints via acquisitions of quite a few specialty espresso firms. 

Acquisitions have included Minneapolis-area manufacturers reminiscent of Spyhouse Espresso Roasters and Up Espresso Roasters, Milwaukee’s Anodyne Espresso Roasters and Fiddleheads Espresso, Maryland’s Ceremony Espresso Roasters and North Carolina’s Black & White Espresso Roasters, together with the Feb. 2026 deal for North Carolina roaster-retailer Joe Van Gogh Espresso.

FairWave was based in 2020 with the merger of Kansas Metropolis-based specialty espresso roaster-retailers Messenger Espresso and The Roasterie. The group now spans 14 totally different espresso and bakery manufacturers, six manufacturing roasteries and roughly 45 cafes. 

By every of the acquisitions, the group has saved the person manufacturers intact. In keeping with an announcement from FairWave at the moment, Seamonds shall be touring to every market to study every of the FairWave manufacturers’ “successes and the distinctive communities they serve.”

“Every model on this collective has constructed one thing extraordinary,” Seamonds mentioned within the announcement. “My job is to guard every model’s distinctive identification whereas strengthening our work collectively as a collective.”

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