Philz Coffee, Inc.

What does Philz Coffee own?

Philz Coffee operates a single brand: its cafe chain plus associated roasting, packaged coffee, subscription, wholesale, and catering operations. All trade under the Philz name.

Is Philz Coffee publicly traded?

No. Philz Coffee is a private company with growth-capital backing. It has not held an IPO and publishes no financial reports.

Who founded Philz Coffee?

Phil Jaber founded the company in 2003, converting his Mission District grocery into a pour-over coffee shop. He developed the blend recipes the chain still uses, and his son Jacob Jaber later served as CEO during the expansion years.

Where is Philz Coffee headquartered?

The company is headquartered at 680 85th Avenue in Oakland, California, alongside its roasting plant. The original cafe remains at 24th and Folsom Streets in San Francisco.

How many locations does Philz Coffee have?

The company operates more than 80 cafes as of November 2026, concentrated in California and the Chicago area. All locations are company-owned rather than franchised.

Who owns Philz Coffee?

Philz Coffee is owned by its founding Jaber family interests and outside growth investors, including firms reported as Summit Partners and TSG-affiliated capital. Exact ownership percentages are not disclosed publicly.

Phil Jaber immigrated from Palestine and spent more than two decades running a corner grocery at 24th and Folsom Streets in San Francisco's Mission District. Behind the counter he developed his own coffee blends and a made-to-order pour-over method that regulars came to request.

In 2003 he converted the grocery into a dedicated coffee shop. The timing matched San Francisco's technology boom, and the cafe became embedded in startup culture: founders pitched there, engineers queued there, and the Mint Mojito iced coffee became a local signature.

Jacob Jaber, Phil's son, took over as CEO and raised growth capital beginning with a Summit Partners round in 2013. Expansion followed through the Bay Area, then Southern California, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. The company built a roasting plant and headquarters in Oakland and added wholesale, catering, and online bean sales.

The leadership structure professionalized starting in 2021. Mahesh Sadarangani, previously chief operations and development officer at Wingstop, became CEO in September 2021. Patti Nelson joined as chief development officer and Andy Mai as chief business officer in 2022. Mark Johnson, a veteran of California Fish Grill, was named chief operating officer for retail in August 2026.

Store count passed 80 by 2026, with the footprint consolidating around California and Chicago after earlier experiments in other markets. New units continue to open in California suburbs, including a Rocklin location listed in November 2026.

The company's most publicized controversy came in April 2026, when management directed cafes to remove Pride flags in the name of visual consistency. The order drew sustained criticism given the brand's San Francisco identity.

CEO Mahesh Sadarangani reversed the directive within about two weeks and apologized publicly, acknowledging the decision had failed employees and the LGBTQIA+ community. Stores were permitted to restore flags, and the company committed to locally created artwork in each cafe. Coverage appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and coffee trade press; the matter closed with the reversal.