Alterra Coffee

Alterra Coffee Roasters was founded in 1993 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as a specialty coffee brand focused on high-quality roasts and sustainable practices. The brand gained significant recognition for its artisanal approach to coffee processing and its commitment to direct trade with coffee farmers.

In 2010, the brand was partially acquired by Mars, Incorporated, more specifically its Mars Drinks division. This partnership allowed the Alterra brand to be introduced to offices and businesses worldwide through Flavia brewing systems. While the retail cafes in Milwaukee eventually rebranded to Colectivo Coffee after the founders bought back the remaining rights to the name, the Alterra brand name remains under the ownership of Mars for its commercial beverage products.

Today, Alterra operates as a core brand within the Lavazza Professional portfolio. This transition occurred in 2018 when the Italian coffee giant Lavazza acquired the Mars Drinks business from Mars, Inc. The manufacturing and supply chain leverage a global network to serve the commercial office coffee segment.