# Citizens Coffee Aussie All-Day Café Brand Winning the U.S Market - Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/citizens.coffee - Entity ID: wefunder:company:157323 - Last updated: 2026-06-19T05:01:16Z - Generated at: 2026-06-19T17:01:39Z ## Quick facts - Citizens’ Revenue Has More Than Doubled: Up From $4.9M to $12M in One Year - Backed by KingsCrowd Venture Fund and Influential Investors Including Randi Zuckerberg - Citizens Stores Average Annual Sales of $3M+, 55% Higher Than Starbucks’ Average - Nationally Recognized Brand: Featured in Forbes, Vogue, and Rated #1 Brunch Spot in Texas by Eater - Expansion Pipeline to 40 Locations With a Clear Path to $100M+ Revenue ## Active fundraises - wefunder:fundraise:116536: 4(a)(6) successful (USD) - wefunder:fundraise:116535: 4(a)(6) successful (USD) ## Story Our StoryBorn in Australia, the global leaders in specialty cafe concept, inspired by wellness-forward lifestyle, specialty coffee, and embracing technology and innovation. Citizen’s management team has proven experience from Australia's leading brands in scaling the concept.Industry Leading ‘Store Level’ Profitability of 20%The breakfast restaurant industry is an extremely profitable sector due to its high customer demand, cost-effective ingredients, and quick service model. Breakfast items like eggs, pancakes, and coffee have low food costs but can be sold at attractive price points, leading to strong profit margins.Additionally, breakfast service typically involves faster table turnover, allowing for more customers to be served in a shorter time frame. This combination of low overhead costs and high volume sales makes breakfast restaurants a lucrative opportunity in the food and beverage industry.Our TractionCitizens successfully completed an oversubscribed $1.2M crowd raise on Republic in 2021, which saw notable angels such as Randi Zuckerberg (Facebook, Zuckerberg Media, Hugg) and Sean Davis (MLS Captain) join Citizens as advisors.We've spent eight years perfecting our model, refining our chef-driven breakfast menus, specialty roasted coffee, and craft cocktails. This dedication has led to a beloved all-day café experience, evidenced by thousands of 5-star reviews.Why Breakfast? Why Now?Breakfast is the fastest-growing segment in the U.S. restaurant industry, and we're uniquely positioned to capitalize on this trend. Our business model boasts industry-leading 'store level' profitability of 18%. This is driven by:High Customer Demand: Everyone loves a great breakfast!Cost-Effective Ingredients: Breakfast staples like eggs, pancakes, and coffee offer low food costs with attractive price points, leading to strong profit margins.Quick Service Model: Faster table turnover means more happy customers served in less time.Proven Traction & Explosive GrowthOur journey of scale has already begun, with current locations thriving in New York, Houston, Austin and many more markets on the way!2024 Revenue: Over $4.9M+ and growing rapidly year-over-year -- on track to hit $12M in 2025Per-Store Sales: Averaging above industry giants like StarbucksEfficient Expansion: Significantly lower build-out costs than competitors like Starbucks or Shake Shack, enabling faster, more efficient growth.Houston Success: Our first store outside NYC, opened in 2024, is hitting an annual run rate of over $2 million, demonstrating incredible market acceptance.Kingscrowd InterviewCitizens Coffee: Scaling an Australian-Style Café Brand Across Texas & BeyondAustin Expansionhttps://austin.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/citizens-of-austin-opening/Best Breakfast in Houstonhttps://houston.eater.com/maps/best-breakfast-restaurants-houstonBeyond our cafes, our CPG channel is successfully distributing coffee pods, beans, and K-Cups into grocery stores, homes, and offices, further diversifying our revenue streams.Pathway to Citizens At Scale: Our Ambitious FutureFollowing the amazing response in Houston, we are now focused on deepening our foothold in Texas with planned launches in the Austin and Dallas markets, alongside expanding our presence in New York.Our goal is to grow profitably, using free cash flow and strategic capital injections to fuel our expansion. We project to have 40 stores across the country, producing $100 million in revenue by 2029 across our restaurants, retail, and wholesale channels.Following in the footsteps of IPO brands:Citizens has a goal to grow its business profitably, use free cash flow as well as strategic capital injections to fuel our growth over the next 4 years. At this point, the company is projecting to have 40 stores across the country, producing $ 100 million in revenue by 2029 across our restaurants, retail and wholesale channels. Upon completing our projected growth pipeline, we hope to follow public brands who have successfully executed an IPO.Forward-looking projections are not guaranteed.Join Our Journey: Why Invest in Citizens?In 2021, Citizens successfully completed an oversubscribed $1.2M crowd raise on Republic, attracting notable advisors like Randi Zuckerberg (Facebook, Zuckerberg Media, Hugg) and Sean Davis (MLS Captain). This demonstrates strong investor confidence in our vision.In 2024, Citizens started a crowdfunding campaign (on StartEngine), raising $1.5M and now are expanding access to that round on Wefunder based on popular demand from our community.We've poured our lives into building this company, not just as restaurant operators, but as individuals committed to seeing Citizens become one of the top breakfast brands in the country. We are incredibly excited about the future and invite you to be a part of this journey with us.Building with Purpose: Our Local Legends ProgramAt Citizens, we believe in growing our brand alongside the communities we serve. That's why we've launched our 'Local Legends' program. Through this initiative, we've partnered with over 260 local non-profits, community programs, and grassroots organizations, sharing a portion of each site's revenue. To date, we have directed over $40,000 donations from Citizens and our customers towards these Local Legends.This not only deepens our community engagement but also helps grow the Citizens community in and outside our brand, creating a positive impact where it matters most.Invest in Citizens today and help us bring the best of Australian café culture to America! ## FAQ 1. **How does free brunch for year work?** - G'day Bernie! Detailing the T&C's for the perks below: *A ‘free coffee’ is valued at $6 store purchase. A ‘free brunch’ is valued at a $25 store purchase. The appropriate value to your tier will be added to a house account. This credit can only be redeemed for in-store, regular menu purchases. This excludes retail coffee beans, merchandise & more. This credit may not be used for payment of gratuities. ***‘Coffee’ and ‘Brunch’ for life represents that a house account will be created pr... 2. **Any update for previous investors (2024 rolling close) as to when K-1 info for tax-year 2024 will become available?** - Thank you for raising this important point. We’re currently working with Wefunder’s SVP platform on a K-1 distribution plan for 2025, which will ensure that K-1s are generated and distributed properly to investors. Looking ahead, we plan to roll Citizens into a C-Corp structure as we continue to scale. Once that transition is complete, we do not expect to issue K-1s to investors in the future. This step will simplify reporting and align with our long-term growth and capital-raising strategy. ... 3. **Hi Justin and Andrew, 2 questions for the two of you 1. Your income statement for the years 2023 and 2024 show roughly 2 million each year in other expenses, roughly 40% of revenue. Can you give some more detail on what these expenses are? 2. From a strategic perspective, can ...** - Hi Drake, thanks for the question here. Other expenses include pretty much all other operating expenses beyond cost of goods sold and restaurant 4 wall labor. Some of the main categories here are new restaurant expansion expenses, rent, development and legal for real estate, technology and subscriptions to run daily ops. GAAP financials show over half of our new restaurant capital expenses on the P&L which is not a normal reflection of the companies profitability. Citizens as a business i... 4. **Hi Justin and Andrew, You already closed a raise earlier this year over on StartEngine. Why the need to open this round so soon after that last one? Thanks.** - Hi Sentiki, firstly thank you for the investment and your support! That’s a great question, and we appreciate you asking it. The round we closed earlier this year on StartEngine was a strong step forward, but it was a relatively small raise designed to give us momentum. Since then, our growth trajectory has only accelerated, launching Austins new market and securing multiple new sites for expansion. The scale of opportunities in front of us is bigger than ever. This current round is not about... 5. **I've been to the Houston location a few times since it's a few miles from the museum district and I live up in Jersey Village area. Every time I'm there, the food, service and vibes are great. From a business perspective, picking Houston was a great choice. Lower overhead cost...** - Mr Titus! Thank you so much for the support and kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you’ve enjoyed your visits to our Houston location—it’s been an amazing community to be a part of, and we couldn’t agree more about the opportunity here. Lower overhead, strong demographics, and a vibrant dining scene make Houston a perfect market for Citizens, and feedback like yours validates that decision. We’re especially grateful for your commitment to invest in this round—it means a lot to have both your ... ## Team - Justin Giuffrida (Co-founder & CEO) - Andrew Geisel (Co-founder & VP of Growth) - Nathan Brantley (Head of Investor Relations) ## Recent posts - The Final Phase of the Citizens Raise | 10 Days Left (2026-03-27T23:33:28Z) - Local Legends: Celebrating the Partners Powering Our Communities (2026-03-06T00:28:28Z) - Where Citizens Began, and Where We’re Headed (2026-01-20T22:13:53Z) - Citizens x DoorDash: Built for the Next Phase (2026-01-16T16:59:53Z) - A New Revenue Milestone (2026-01-13T18:05:50Z) - Australia invented the flat white — and the world fell in love with it. The flat white originated in Australia (and New Zealand, depending who you ask) in the 1980s, long before it hit American menus. It’s now one of the most exported café drinks globally. (2025-11-26T17:40:32Z) - 📣 Webinar Recap: KingsCrowd Invests + Major Growth Updates (2025-11-21T19:46:02Z) ## Q&A - Q: Hi Justin and Andrew, 2 questions for the two of you 1. Your income statement for the years 2023 and 2024 show roughly 2 million each year in other expenses, roughly 40% of revenue. Can you give some more detail on what these expenses are? 2. From a strategic perspective, can you guys share your thoughts on what led you to focus on growing from scratch in Texas versus continuing to grow in New York or the northeast more broadly? - A: Hi Drake, thanks for the question here. Other expenses include pretty much all other operating expenses beyond cost of goods sold and restaurant 4 wall labor. Some of the main categories here are new restaurant expansion expenses, rent, development and legal for real estate, technology and subscriptions to run daily ops. GAAP financials show over half of our new restaurant capital expenses on the P&L which is not a normal reflection of the companies profitability. Citizens as a business is very profitable restaurant level and company level which is unique for a high growth brand. Great Q re Texas - Citizens head of development Andrew studies new market expansions by focusing on Macro and Micro factors. Texas scores amongst the highest in both when considering, economic factors, operating costs, comparable concept volume studies and competition landscape. The development research has been incredibly successful for the business as both our Texas expansions have been record breaking in sales volumes & profit for the brand. - A: Our roadmap to national scale needs proof of portability beyond a unique market such as NY that is not a representation of the US normal market due to its high urban macro micro factors. The expansion to Texas was a direct pathway to 40 locations alongside NY growth while providing higher compounding profits to fuel our growth. Further, in the process of considering institutional level capital, prospecting firms need to see proof of portability, and thus Texas has been a critical part of proving out the CItizens model potential for whitespace expansions across the US market. - Q: Hi Justin and Andrew, You already closed a raise earlier this year over on StartEngine. Why the need to open this round so soon after that last one? Thanks. - A: Hi Sentiki, firstly thank you for the investment and your support! That’s a great question, and we appreciate you asking it. The round we closed earlier this year on StartEngine was a strong step forward, but it was a relatively small raise designed to give us momentum. Since then, our growth trajectory has only accelerated, launching Austins new market and securing multiple new sites for expansion. The scale of opportunities in front of us is bigger than ever. This current round is not about plugging short-term gaps—it’s about fueling Citizens’ next stage of expansion and ensuring we can execute on the big goals that drive both company value and investor returns. We’re building a multi-location, multi state, nationally recognized brand, and that requires significant upfront capital for new site development, team building, and brand investments. Acting now, rather than waiting, allows us to lock in key sites, move quickly on proven markets, and compound the traction we’ve already created. In short: the earlier raise got us moving, this round ensures we can deliver on the full vision—accelerating growth in a way that maximizes upside for our investors. - Q: Hi Nathan, I sincerely appreciate your answers to my previous questions. I do understand some internal projections you cannot share. Can you share your 2025 revenue and net income or loss? I only see 2023 and 2024 and it was flat year over year. Do you have an approximate time frame when you can get to your 40 store pipeline? Id like to invest a small amount but I do want the potential for a good return as these companies are very risky. Id like to better understand your plan for growth and profitability. My apologies if these points have been previously addressed. - A: Thomas, appreciate the continued engagement. 2025 financials We are in the process of finalizing our 2025 financials, which typically takes ~60 days post year-end. Based on our September internal forecasts, we were tracking toward approximately ~$12M in revenue for 2025. We plan to share a preliminary operational update during our investor webinar later this month, with finalized figures to follow once completed. Growth to 40 locations Our plan remains to scale to 40 locations by the end of 2029. Expansion is paced deliberately, prioritizing strong unit economics and operational infrastructure over rapid growth. While 2023 to 2024 revenue was relatively flat at the consolidated level, that period focused on operational discipline and foundation-building rather than footprint expansion. Our strategy centers on replicating ~$3M+ per-location revenue with improving efficiency as we scale. We recognize hospitality carries risk, and our objective is to build long-term enterprise value through disciplined growth and margin progression. Happy to have you join the upcoming webinar for a deeper look at the roadmap. - Q: Just curious as far as the "Coffee for a year" goes. Being that I don't currently have a physical location near me am I able to wait until one opens up to begin redeeming or does the clock begin counting down at the end of funding? - A: Great question — and thanks for asking! For the Coffee for a Year perk, you’ll receive a loaded Citizens card with the full cash-equivalent value of your reward. That means you don’t need to start redeeming it right away — you’ll be able to use your balance whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for you, including at any future Citizens location once one opens near you. We wanted this perk to feel flexible, so you can enjoy it on your own schedule rather than being tied to a countdown. - Q: Hi Justin, do you plan on opening any locations in the DC area? If so, do you have a time frame? Thank you, Glenn - A: Hi Glenn, thanks for the question. I’m Nathan and I lead our Investor Relations for Citizens. Our growth ambitions are to transform Citizens into a national brand - which will require us to have regional coverage in every corner of the US. We have a pipeline of cities and states we are considering for new sites, but cannot confirm a specific timeline for expansion to Washington DC, yet. But rest assured we are considering sites across the Northeast and furthering our expansion westward as we source the right locations. - Q: Hello, I would like to clarify a few key aspects. As a potential investor, I'm particularly focused on communication and transparency. Could you please provide more information on the following: 1. Update Frequency: How often can investors expect updates on the cafe's performance and progress? 2. Possible returns: What are the plans for returns to investors through dividends? Are there any specific timelines or payout structures in place? 3. Lifetime Brunch: I'm intrigued by the concept of a lifetime brunch. How does this work? Is it applicable to all locations or specific ones? Are there any limitations or restrictions? I believe clear communication and transparency are essential for building trust with investors. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing back from you. 8/21/25 - A: Hi Edgar, thank you for reaching out! 1. Update Frequency We’re committed to keeping our investor community informed and engaged. At minimum, you can expect: Quarterly operational updates—sharing key milestones, growth metrics, new partnerships, and capital deployment. Formal annual reports, delivered within 120 days of our fiscal year-end (generally by April 30), containing comprehensive financials, board updates, and new developments, as required under Regulation Crowdfunding We already post updates on our Wefunder page—there are currently 8 updates published, with more on the way, covering everything from new launches to momentum in sales 2. Returns & Dividend Plans At present, Citizens Coffee is focused on profitable expansion—channeling free cash flow and strategic capital into growing our footprint, with a target of 40 locations and $100M in revenue by 2029. We do not currently distribute dividends, as we prioritize reinvestment and scale. Our aspiration is to follow in the path of successful public brands—potentially culminating in an IPO or strategic exit. Should such liquidity events materialize, investors may realize significant returns. 3. The “Lifetime Brunch” Perk The concept of a “lifetime brunch” was featured among our highlights, serving as one of the unique perks for our community of supporters What it is: A special benefit granting you complimentary brunch(es) at Citizens locations—our way of saying thanks. Where it applies: It’s valid at our current locations (NYC, Houston, Austin and possibly others as we expand). The membership card is loaded with proportionate perk for our investors ot enjoy in restaurants across all locations. - Q: Hi there. A few questions 1. Do you have revenue and profitability projections for next 5 years? 2. How do you plan on getting investors a return? How time frame do you have in mind? 3. Can you commit to quarterly or semi-annual shareholder updates? Some of the companies on there go silent once ive invested. Thanks in advance for your time, Thomas - A: Thomas — thank you for the questions. I’m Nate, leading Investor Relations for Citizens. 1. Five-year projections We maintain internal multi-year financial models covering unit growth, revenue, and margin progression. As a Reg-CF issuer, we’re careful about publishing forward-looking projections publicly. What we can share is that current locations are operating at approximately $3M+ in annualized revenue per store, which underpins our expansion strategy. 2. Investor returns and timing Our objective is to build long-term enterprise value through disciplined, company-owned expansion and brand growth. Potential investor liquidity would typically come from a strategic acquisition, institutional recapitalization, or future financing events. Timing is execution- and market-dependent, and we do not make guarantees. 3. Investor updates Yes. We are committed to regular communication and intend to provide at least quarterly updates covering performance, expansion, and key milestones. Appreciate the thoughtful engagement. - Q: Hi Justin I see that you have Nathan as the head of investor relations now , so hi to you also , I have some questions the fundraising round was going to close on Jan 16 2026 , has the date been extended and if so why? Will I receive the perks soon or we have to wait until the round is closed? And when the time come will the membership card be mail out ? - A: Hi Sven — great to connect, and thanks for the questions. Yes, the campaign has been extended beyond the original January 16, 2026 date. Simply put, we realized we had the ability to extend the round and decided to do so to give ourselves additional flexibility as we continue to execute and bring in aligned investors. Perks are fulfilled once the round officially closes, and we’ll share clear updates ahead of fulfillment to the email in your investor profile. Appreciate your support and engagement, we’re grateful to have you as part of the Citizens investor community. - Q: I justin, I invested 100 US back in 2021 on republic. I was not expecting the success so congratulations. Since I dont live in the US I haven't been able to claim any perks but I still hope to come to the US one day . My question is does this round offer shares like the one on Republic ? is this deal still valid has stated on Republic :Citizens with Benefits - Invest $100, and you’ll receive five free coffees or cocktails, loaded onto your Citizens Green Card. + (Or) + A Personal mention on Citizens website + ? Can we roll past investment with the new one that I plan to do here on Wefunder? Or it is 2 separate deals under my name? Also I never got to use the 25 US gift certificate. Once again very much happy about the success even from a distance. Thank you for your time. Valerie - A: Hi there Valerie, Thank you so much for your support back in 2021 and for the kind words. We’re thrilled to have you back with us. To clarify a few points: • The current Wefunder round does offer shares, just like the Republic campaign. Each campaign is its own separate investment, so past investments can’t be “rolled” into the new one — they remain recorded under your name as two distinct investments. • Your original Republic perks are still valid. Your Citizens “Green Card” coffees/cocktails perk and the $25 gift certificate remain redeemable whenever you’re able to visit the U.S. We’ll make sure those are honored. If you decide to participate again in this round, we’d be grateful to have you with us for the next stage of growth. Thanks again for being part of the journey — even from afar! - Q: Great work on your momentum! It looks like you have been on average profitable the last three months, do you anticipate this to continue or any changes on your profitability ahead? Thank you! - A: Hi Jason, Thank you for the thoughtful question and for taking the time to review our financials! The audited financials attached to our WeFunder are GAAP financials, which by design include a substantial segment of our new restaurant opening expenses. While this is standard for GAAP reporting, it doesn’t fully reflect the ongoing profitability of our business. At the restaurant level, our EBITDA margin is very strong at 21%, and at the company level we are currently running at a 6% EBITDA profit and building. We view restaurant-level EBITDA as the key success indicator for a high-growth hospitality brand like ours. We are reinvesting much of our profit into corporate development and expansion, which is why the GAAP view shows additional expenses tied to growth. We’re confident in continuing and building profitability at both restaurant corporate level while remaining disciplined in balancing corp development and growth to hit our roadmap goals - Q: I've been to the Houston location a few times since it's a few miles from the museum district and I live up in Jersey Village area. Every time I'm there, the food, service and vibes are great. From a business perspective, picking Houston was a great choice. Lower overhead costs and lots of people with expendable income because of lower living costs. I'll be investing in this round too. Cheers. 🥂 - A: Mr Titus! Thank you so much for the support and kind words! We’re thrilled to hear you’ve enjoyed your visits to our Houston location—it’s been an amazing community to be a part of, and we couldn’t agree more about the opportunity here. Lower overhead, strong demographics, and a vibrant dining scene make Houston a perfect market for Citizens, and feedback like yours validates that decision. We’re especially grateful for your commitment to invest in this round—it means a lot to have both your confidence and your continued patronage. We can’t wait to keep delivering great food, service, and vibes as we grow Citizens together. 🥂 - Q: Any update for previous investors (2024 rolling close) as to when K-1 info for tax-year 2024 will become available? - A: Thank you for raising this important point. We’re currently working with Wefunder’s SVP platform on a K-1 distribution plan for 2025, which will ensure that K-1s are generated and distributed properly to investors. Looking ahead, we plan to roll Citizens into a C-Corp structure as we continue to scale. Once that transition is complete, we do not expect to issue K-1s to investors in the future. This step will simplify reporting and align with our long-term growth and capital-raising strategy. We’ll keep all investors updated along the way so expectations are clear and the process is seamless. - Q: What is the exit plan (acquisition, IPO, merger, etc.) in which investors will be able to see a ROI? - A: Hi Bugg, good question. At this stage, our focus is on building a strong, scalable business with durable unit economics and brand equity; as those are the foundations that ultimately create attractive exit opportunities. Over time, there are several potential paths to liquidity, including strategic acquisition, private equity recapitalization, or other transaction structures common in the hospitality and consumer sectors. An IPO is generally less typical for businesses at our current stage but could become a consideration at much larger scale. We don’t anchor the business to a single exit outcome today. Instead, our goal is to grow Citizens into a high-quality platform that creates multiple strategic options over time, allowing us to pursue the path that best maximizes long-term value for investors. As always, timing and structure of any liquidity event will depend on market conditions and company performance. - Q: Hi I have a few questions regarding some of the numbers shared during last monthly call. 1) is $1.9m the finalized number for 2026Q1? I am double checking because the deck says "2026 Q4" 2) Could you confirm the expected revenue is expected to surpass $20m this year? Is it due to all day operation mode increase? I remember the brand cross $250k/week before but $20m requires average 380k/week, probably 40% increase after averaging 3) for the timeline of series B on the slide , is 2027 the projected time? - A: Hi Hao, Great questions and happy to clarify. 1) Q1 FY26 revenue: Yes, ~$1.9M is the finalized revenue for Q1 FY26. The “Q4” label you saw on the slide was from a prior version of the deck that referenced FY25 Q4 — appreciate you flagging that. 2) FY26 revenue outlook (~$20M): Our expectation to surpass ~$20M this year is driven by a combination of factors: • New locations coming online at different points throughout the year and ramping toward normalized performance • Continued strength at existing locations • Incremental revenue from expanded offerings, including Citizens Deli and all-day/dinner extensions The $250K/week figure you referenced reflects peak performance periods at individual locations. As we scale, the revenue profile becomes a blend of mature sites and newly opened locations ramping over time, rather than a straight-line increase across all units. 3) Institutional round timing (Series B): 2027 is a tentative planning marker, aligned with our broader growth roadmap. We are currently exploring a structured institutional investment to support that next phase, but timing and structure will ultimately depend on company performance and market conditions. Appreciate you digging into the details! - Q: Thanks Nathan for your response to my questions. Quick followup, what would $50K investment bring in terms of advisory equity perks? - A: Hi Prakash! Investments of $50K+ opens the door to potential advisory equity, which we use selectively to align with investors who want to contribute strategically as we scale. Advisory equity is not automatic and is structured case-by-case, based on investment size (and in consideration of any relevant involvement). If you’re interested, you’re welcome to reach out directly at Nate@Citizens.coffee . Alternatively, for investments exceeding $50K, our team will proactively follow up with details and next steps after your investment.