Merit Coffee Co. (San Antonio / Texas)
Merit Coffee Co.
Texas specialty coffee roaster and café chain. The direct successor company to [[local-coffee-founders]] (est. 2009). Rebranded from Local Coffee to Merit Coffee in 2018; Robby and Neesha Grubbs sold their stake in February 2020; CEO Bill Ellis and Javier Lobo purchased all remaining company assets and have led expansion since.
Lineage
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Local Coffee opens (Robby & Neesha Grubbs, Bill Ellis, Javier Lobo) |
| 2015 | Merit Roasting Co. launches (Scott Rao consulting; Probat P12) |
| 2018 | Rebranded to Merit Coffee; first Austin location (Seaholm District) |
| 2020 | Grubbs sell stake; Ellis + Lobo acquire all assets; Ellis becomes CEO |
| 2020 | New HQ building acquired (north SA, 55-year-old midcentury modern) |
| 2022 | First production roasts at new HQ (February); Christian Rotsko joins as Director of Green Coffee |
| 2024 | 15th anniversary; Sonterra flagship remodel; 13 locations across Texas |
| 2026 | Two Houston locations announced for Q1 2026 |
Leadership (post-2020)
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| Bill Ellis | CEO |
| Javier Lobo | Co-owner |
| Christian Rotsko | Director of Green Coffee (joined Feb 2022) |
| Kim Balzen | Roasting Operations |
| Jacob Gregoire | Roaster |
| Zadik Rivera | Roaster |
| Jacob Raley | Roaster |
Roasting HQ
9,000 sq ft facility on San Antonio’s north side, in a 55-year-old midcentury modern building acquired early 2020. Approximately 5,400 sq ft dedicated to production equipment, plus training facilities and administrative offices.
Roaster equipment (full progression)
| Phase | Equipment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 launch | Probat P12 | Merit Roasting Co. debut; Scott Rao consulting |
| Mid-scale | Probat P25 | Upgrade while still at original facility |
| ~2018 | Reconditioned larger Probat from Germany | Arrived mid-2018 per DCN |
| Current HQ | Probat P25 + Probat G45 Retro | Both at new north-SA facility |
Café footprint (as of 2026)
13 locations: 5 San Antonio · 3 Austin · 5 Dallas. Two Houston locations planned Q1 2026. Flagship: Sonterra (SA) — first location, opened 2009.
Current coffee offerings (sample)
- Nahun Fernandez Parainema Honey (Honduras)
- La Senda Reserva (Guatemala)
- Niguse Nara Murango (Ethiopia)
- Miguel Guzman Pacas (Honduras)
- Camino de Oro (signature espresso blend)
- Saddle Up (signature drip blend)
Retail price range: $21–$30/bag. Subscriptions and wholesale available.
Philosophy
Tagline: “source. roast. brew.” Educational blog (“Behind The Curtain”) covers pour-over technique, grind freshness, roast dates, and single-origin vs. blend trade-offs.
See also
- [[local-coffee-founders]] — Robby + Neesha Grubbs retained the Pearl location; the origin company and its full founding history
- [[sa-coffee-roasters]] — SA’s longest-running roaster since 1979; contrast with Merit’s specialty-wave trajectory
- [[shotgun-house-roasters]] — near-Westside roaster that opened the year Merit rebranded
- [[joe-coffee-platform]] — SA chain listed as active Joe partner; app-era indie infrastructure