La Colombe
Coffee · 29+ locations · Philadelphia, New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Austin, Los Angeles, San Diego
La Colombe still reads as the scrappy Philly coffee roaster its founders built in 1994. But Chobani bought it outright for $900 million in 2023, and one of its two founders left years before that deal closed. The direct-trade story remains; the ownership doesn't.
The Big Picture
Chobani, the company led by its founder Hamdi Ulukaya, bought La Colombe outright for $900 million in December 2023. Co-founder JP Iberti still runs it day to day, while co-founder Todd Carmichael left in 2021. A pay lawsuit by hourly production workers ended in a $450,000 settlement, and baristas unionized at seven cafés. La Colombe answers to Chobani.
The Dirty Details
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Company data last updated September 2026
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