The Freaky Bean Coffee Company

The Freaky Bean Coffee Company

Company type	Private
Industry	Coffee shop, Coffee roasting, Wholesale distribution
Founded	2005 (2005)
Founder	Andrew Kessler, Jonathan Stratton
Defunct	March 2009 (2009-03)
Fate	Bankruptcy and asset liquidation
Headquarters	Westbrook , United States
Area served	Southern Maine
Key people	Jonathan Stratton (President), Andrew Kessler (VP Marketing & E-commerce), Gary Woodworth (VP Logistics)
Products	Coffee beverages, hot chocolate, organic teas, blended iced coffee ("Freakazoid")

The Freaky Bean Coffee Company originated in Maine as a specialty coffee roaster and café, established in 2005 by entrepreneurs Andrew Kessler and Jonathan Stratton, a former member of the US Navy. The venture initially received microloan support from Accion USA and opened its inaugural store in Scarborough by June 2006. The business grew swiftly, eventually managing six retail outlets, a roasting operation, and wholesale partnerships throughout Southern Maine before discontinuing activities in March 2009.

History

Kessler and Stratton launched the enterprise with an emphasis on both retail coffee sales and roasting services. By mid-2007, The Freaky Bean had introduced a second retail shop alongside its main office, roasting plant, and distribution hub located in Westbrook. This facility also included a public coffee cupping area designed to attract both consumers and industry experts. In December 2007, the company expanded by acquiring Maine Roasters Coffee Company, which added retail locations in Yarmouth and Falmouth as well as wholesale operations, thereby increasing its market presence.

In May 2008, the fifth retail store was unveiled at the Scarborough Gateway shopping center. That same year, The Freaky Bean earned the distinction of being the Official Coffee supplier for The American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival, enhancing its international profile. The sixth store commenced operations in South Portland in July 2008. Financial setbacks led to forfeiture of the Maine Roasters assets in November 2008 due to loan defaults, shrinking Freaky Bean’s retail count from six to four.

By late 2008, the leadership team consisted of Jonathan Stratton as President, Andrew Kessler serving as Vice President of Marketing & E-commerce, and Gary Woodworth as Vice President of Logistics. The board of directors included Stratton along with industry veterans Jim Walsh, Jim Talbot, Jim McLaughlin, Jon Ricci, and Einar Seadler.

In early 2009, overwhelming debt caused creditors to initiate involuntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings against The Freaky Bean. This resulted in asset liquidation and abrupt shutdowns of key stores at Scarborough Gateway and Westbrook by March. Issues with unpaid vendors led to legal challenges faced by the company. Remaining locations in South Portland and Scarborough/Route 1 closed soon after, bringing the company’s operations to a close.

The business model integrated retail coffee sales with wholesale distribution and roasting services. Despite early expansion and strategic acquisitions aimed at broadening its influence within Maine’s coffee market, financial instability ultimately compromised its viability.

Logo

The round emblem for The Freaky Bean was created by Maine artist Arielle Walrath and draws inspiration from a Mayan temple sculpture. It depicts a figure juggling a coffee cup, coffee bean, and muffin. A simplified secondary logo featuring the company name alongside a steaming coffee cup was used for more limited spaces. Both designs were consistently applied throughout the brand’s marketing materials and storefronts.

Products

The Freaky Bean’s menu included various coffee beverages, hot chocolate, organic teas, along with their signature blended iced coffee known as the Freakazoid.