We are a veteran and military-spouse co-owned and operated company dedicated to offering our customers amazing coffee, promoting the warrior lifestyle, providing the highest levels of service, and giving back to our military and veterans.
On Sept. 11, 2010, we were co-founded by LTC(R) Carl Churchill, a combat veteran with 21 years of service as both an enlisted soldier and officer, and his wife Lori Churchill, a military spouse and coffee lover. The company started out as Lock-n-Load Java, selling exclusively over the web. In 2016, the company rebranded to Alpha Coffee, selling both online and via other retailers. In 2017, Alpha opened their first coffee shop, staying close to home with their first location at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon in Cottonwood Heights, Utah.
From the start, Carl and Lori wanted to create a different kind of company guided by the principles they lived by.
Carl had just returned from a deployment to Central America in the mid ‘80s and was serving with 9th Infantry Division when he met Lori in Tacoma, Washington. They married a few years later in 1989 and have shared the journey that so many military couples encounter: multiple moves, challenging separations, deployments, and the pride of serving our great nation.
After Carl's retirement following 21 years of service, with Lori at his side, they sat down together over a cup of coffee, as they had so many times before, and discussed their future.
Together they discussed their passion for great coffee, their strong commitment to a warrior lifestyle, and their unwavering support for the military community. Alpha Coffee was born out of this passion, commitment, and drive to give back. That same strong motivation is visible in every cup of coffee Alpha Coffee sells and in the way we conduct business every day.
When the Director of the Pat Tillman Foundation invited our co-founders to participate in Pat’s Run, Alpha Coffee acted on the opportunity and is now an integral partner of the Salt Lake City Tillman Honor Run each year.
Alpha Coffee is proud of our support of nonprofits whose focus is on rehabilitating veterans with disabilities and PTSD by overcoming challenges and reconnecting with the outdoors.
We specifically promote the warrior mentality and ethos—the Alpha lifestyle. So, what does that mean?
Warriors are drawn to the service of others, whether that service is on the battlefield or in the local community. They know that the greater good outweighs their own personal needs. Protecting those in need, mentoring the ones who follow them, and always having their teammates’ backs are key to their success.
Warriors embrace adversity across all its forms. They see the challenges that the world throws their way as opportunities to attack life to the fullest. Some hardships are voluntarily taken, while others are thrust on them, but they don’t let any of those hardships define who they are.
Warriors embrace and hone their craft. They know their strengths and work to better them constantly. Living life to the fullest is their mission and being authentic makes them their best selves. They are constantly striving for excellence, staying physically and mentally sharp, connecting with the outdoors and our natural world, and drinking lots of awesome coffee!
Warriors live honorably and honestly, giving back and always doing the right thing. This lifestyle is both challenging and rewarding, and we would not have it any other way.
Team Alpha is made up of like-minded individuals who have embraced the warrior spirit and lifestyle. All have committed to being part of a company that consistently provides outstanding, top-grade, premium coffee and serves its community of customers, its employees, and its suppliers with professionalism, honor, dignity, respect, and integrity—always.
Alpha Coffee is on a mission to give back. Through both Coffee for Troops and Grounds for Good, giving back is what we do. As a veteran co-owned company, we know how a cup of coffee can help those deployed feel the love and support from home. With every purchase of Alpha Coffee, we donate over 10% of our proceeds to support our veterans, planet, and community.
We honor all those who have served in the military with a special 10% veteran and first responder discount on all coffee and cocoa products.
Carl with Coffee for Troops care packages ready to roll out
We sincerely appreciate those who have become customers—and in the process become part of Team Alpha. We welcome you to a community that embraces the warrior ethos and enjoys top-quality, no-compromise, premium coffee and cocoa. Thank you for your loyalty and continued support of our mission.
We welcome your feedback and love to hear about your experiences with our coffee and our company. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and we are committed to providing a level of service that is as outstanding as our products.