How to scale a coffee business that’s loved for being small

World Coffee Portal data shows more than 50 US independent coffee shops reached or exceeded five stores over the last year. In a high-cost environment where competition with scaled and well-funded operators is fierce, independents have long traded on authenticity, community and personalised experience – USPs that can quickly fade with growth. Pete Lawler finds out how San Francisco-based Blue Bottle Coffee, New Jersey’s Rook and Seattle’s Boon Boona are amplifying their independent ethos without distorting the message