Expansion Opportunity Groundswell recently opened a third cafe in Chicago, signaling rapid growth and potential for wholesale coffee program expansion, partnership with office spaces, coworking venues, and retail locations to scale distribution beyond their cafes.

Premium Local Focus With on-site single-origin roasting and locally sourced pastries, Groundswell emphasizes quality and locality, presenting a sales angle for premium beans, limited-batch roasts, and curated coffee subscription offerings to customers seeking artisanal, locally anchored brands.

Tech-Forward Adopting multiple ecommerce and payments platforms (Shopify, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal) and analytics (Piwik PRO) indicates readiness for online sales, loyalty programs, and measurable marketing initiatives to drive both DTC and B2B orders.

Financial Scale Revenue in the low-mid single-digit millions with 2–10 employees suggests an opportunity to target coffee wholesalers, regional distributors, or corporate catering contracts to accelerate growth while maintaining a high-touch customer experience.

Market Position As a Chicago-focused, boutique cafe aiming for a warm, welcoming experience, Groundswell can be positioned against mid-market specialty roasters for partnerships in hospitality, cafes, offices, and boutique retailers seeking distinctive, ethically sourced coffee programs.