The Launch: From YouTube to Your Mug

Before she ever launched a coffee brand, Emma Chamberlain was already synonymous with iced coffee. Her YouTube channel …built on chaotic edits, thrifted fits, and unfiltered overshares helped define what Gen Z content looked like. And whether she was vlogging in her kitchen or ranting in her car, she almost always had a cup of coffee in hand (good for us coffee pros)

So when Chamberlain Coffee launched in 2020, it wasn’t just another influencer product it was a brand extension that made sense…. The brand kicked off with steeped coffee bags in bright, character-driven packaging, designed to be low effort and high vibe.

It was less about cupping scores and origin education, and more about creating a lifestyle brand built on Emma’s personality. This authenticity, combined with her massive online reach, made it one of the most successful coffee launches ever seen by a non-coffee professional.

The Growth Engine

Chamberlain Coffee’s early success wasn’t just hype. The brand leaned hard into TikTok marketing, influencer collaborations, and Emma’s massive reach across YouTube and Instagram. Her audience became a built-in engine for awareness and sales. This level of access and trust most startups spend years (and serious money) trying to build.

Strategic collabs with lifestyle brands like Levi’s and Swoon, along with frequent product drops and limited editions, helped keep energy around the brand high. Chamberlain Coffee doubled down on storytelling and design with curated playlists, vibrant packaging, and products made to be shared (and shown off) online.

Challenges & Criticism

Despite its rapid growth, Chamberlain Coffee hasn’t been immune to industry skepticism….

Many specialty coffee professionals argue that the brand leans more on aesthetics and celebrity appeal than on coffee quality or sourcing transparency. While the company promotes organic and sustainably sourced beans, it doesn’t offer the same depth of traceability or educational content that traditional specialty roasters prioritize.

That’s led some in the coffee world to question whether Chamberlain Coffee should even be considered “specialty” at all. It’s just a lifestyle brand with a great social media strategy?

There’s also the broader challenge of influencer fatigue. As more creators launch products, the novelty of a YouTuber-owned coffee brand may wear off. Maintaining momentum without constantly relying on Emma’s persona will be key to long-term sustainability.

The brand’s first retail cafe in LA will be a critical test…..can it move from a content-driven e-commerce business to a physical experience people seek out on its own merit?

Lastly, as Chamberlain Coffee scales, it faces the classic DTC dilemma: balancing brand identity with mass retail expansion. As it shows up on shelves at Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart, it runs the risk of losing the indie appeal that made it special in the first place?

The Future: A Blueprint for Creator-Led Brands

Regardless of where it lands on the specialty coffee spectrum, Chamberlain Coffee has laid out a repeatable blueprint: pair an authentic creator voice with direct distribution, smart branding, a deep understanding of the target audience and add capital to scale faster than ever.

Whether it stays tied to Emma’s persona or matures into a broader lifestyle brand, the impact is already visible. More creator-led beverage startups are popping up (oh nooo...) and they’re all paying attention to what Chamberlain Coffee does next.

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YouTube Subscribers x Venture Capital = CA$H

What started as an internet darling quickly evolved into a serious CPG business. Chamberlain Coffee has proven it’s not just another influencer side project. It’s a fast-scaling, venture-backed brand with real traction.

As of 2024, Chamberlain Coffee has the cash locked and loaded…

• Raised between $14M–$20M in venture capital, starting with a $7M Series A in 2023 and additional funding disclosed in a 2024 pitch deck

• Projected $22M in revenue for 2024, with a goal of hitting $33M in 2025. Wow!

• Launched into major retail chains like Target, Whole Foods, and Walmart, dramatically increasing brand visibility and accessibility

• Opened its first physical cafe in early 2025, located in LA’s Century City Mall…marking a major shift from digital-only to real life experience

• Expanded its product lineup beyond coffee to include matcha, RTD cold brew cans, espresso blends, seasonal drops, and lifestyle-forward merch

This growth reflects a broader trend: influencer-led brands that evolve beyond content to become full-blown consumer platforms. Chamberlain Coffee is playing in that league merging digital media, lifestyle branding, and retail execution with increasing sophistication.

Meanwhile, we’re moving in the opposite direction: from cafes and roastery toward building a media-forward, creator-driven brand (help us….😂😂)

Reading: WANT TO WIN A COFFEE KIDS BOOK?! We’re giving away 10 copies of My ABCs of Coffee by Christine Rollings! Follow us on Instagram for your chance to win and listen to her interview here with us.

Watching: Big podcast week and this one’s special. Coming Thursday! Cole sits down with Rachel Peterson to talk about what it took to win Best of Panama. From farm to fame, you won’t want to miss it.

Listening: Theta Waves for Dreaming. Not sure if I fully believe in the science, but it helps me sleep better. And right now, I’ll take more sleep and deeper sleep any way I can.

Brewing: Drinking something special: Hacienda La Esmeralda NIDO Natural Geisha. Only one bag left… and for good reason. It’s an insane coffee from one of the best farms in the world.

Distance: Buy the Drip run club. Clocking some kilometers. Help us push a few more kilometers through this week?

Want to join us as we hit the road? Let’s connect on Strava! or, join our Whoop group - just respond to the email and let’s grind together!