Metric Coffee is guided by “radical transparency” and “the transformative power of a fair price”. Co-founder Xavier Alexander and his partner Darko started roasting in late 2012 on a Probat bought sight unseen, which had to be refurbished once it reached the United States, and in early 2013 moved the company, a wholesaler and online retailer, into the Kinzie Corridor. Metric buys directly from small producers, pays higher than average premiums and makes its prices public, and since 2020 it has released transparency reports on its green coffee purchases; the latest covers 2025. Every coffee is roasted on an antique Probat UG15 and a Probat P25, then cupped for quality control before packing. Metric is working towards B Corp certification.

The flagship café and training centre is in the Kinzie Corridor, west of Fulton Market. Established on 10 October 2016, it is a 400 square foot walk-up café behind a glass divider from the training room, with walnut counters and exposed brick, serving espresso, batch brew, cold brew, Spirit Tea, baked goods, bags of coffee and brewing gear. The same building hosts Metric’s workshops on pour-over, home espresso and milk steaming.

In 2022 Metric bought a century-old former antique mall in Avondale, just under 10,000 square feet under a central skylight. It is now Milli by Metric, an all-day café and bakery whose dining room looks onto the roasting and production floor, with house-made pastries, seasonal food and a wine list. Metric also produces Source Code, a journal and podcast on sourcing, transparency and sustainability.

Coffee on the shelf

Photograph: Metric Coffee