By Will Grunewald
From our September 2023 issue
In 2000, Aroma Joe’s opened its first shop (on the wrong side of the New Hampshire state line, but they can be forgiven for that). Now, the Portland-based coffee company serves its Topsham-roasted beans at locations in eight states. Over the years, Aroma Joe’s has more or less stuck to its original formula: almost all its shops are drive-throughs, and customers order from a barista at a window, not through an intercom — sort of a middle ground between, say, driving through a Dunkin’ and walking into a Starbucks. Earlier this year, Aroma Joe’s opened its 100th outpost (and a few more have joined the roster since). It’s just the 13th coffee-centric concern in the country to pass that mark, according to an industry group. What better way to savor the milestone than by counting some beans.
4
Cousins from Maine — two sets of brothers — who founded Aroma Joe’s and still co-own the company.
140
Tons of hash-brown bites served at Aroma Joe’s locations last year.
25
Hours to drive between the northernmost location in Orono, and the southernmost, in Pompano Beach, Florida.
43
Locations in Maine, which is 16 more than Starbucks (and 119 fewer than Dunkin’).
436,000
Pounds of beans supplied to Aroma Joe’s by Topsham’s Benbows Coffee, the oldest roaster in the state.
4,658,443
Orders of the house energy drink, AJ’s Rush, last year — accounting for almost one out of every three drink orders across all locations.
2,000
Baristas, give or take, employed at Aroma Joe’s shops at any given moment.
