Black Sheep Coffee
Black Sheep Coffee is a London-founded specialty coffee chain operating company-owned and franchised cafés across the UK, US, and Gulf Cooperation Council, selling specialty grade robusta, ceremonial grade matcha, and functional beverages through retail locations, e-commerce subscriptions, and delivery platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Black Sheep Coffee does
Black Sheep Coffee is a London-headquartered specialty coffee chain founded in 2013, operating company-owned and franchised cafés across the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Gulf Cooperation Council region. Its core product is specialty-grade coffee — most notably a specialty grade robusta bean marketed as the world's first of its kind — alongside 100% ceremonial grade matcha signature drinks, Norwegian waffles, and a developing line of functional beverages built around mushrooms, collagen, fiber, and adaptogens. The company sells packaged coffee (Robusta Revival, Blue Volcano, Love Berries, Rebel Decaf) through its own Shopify e-commerce storefront and a subscribe-and-save coffee subscription at $13.49 per 250g, alongside in-store retail sales and third-party delivery through Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat.
The business operates a hybrid go-to-market combining directly operated cafés, franchise development agreements (most recently covering at least 60 new London sites, nine Devon & Cornwall branches, regional UK cities, Dallas in the US, and Dubai in the GCC), e-commerce packaged goods, and a cross-platform loyalty mobile app. Revenue mechanics are spread across retail café transactions, packaged coffee subscriptions and one-time e-commerce sales, third-party delivery commissions, and franchise fees and royalties. The company is privately held, co-founded by Anders Christian Wilhelmsen, Eirik Holth, and Gabriel Shohet (who serve as co-CEOs), with Ben Fenton as COO, and reports no disclosed institutional ownership or external investors beyond a 2019 equity round of approximately $16.3M. Its competitive positioning is built on premium product innovation and a brand narrative aimed at younger, higher-spending consumers shifting away from mass-market UK coffee chains.
Black Sheep Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Black Sheep Coffee
- Website
- https://leavetheherdbehind.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Black Sheep Coffee is a London-founded specialty coffee chain operating company-owned and franchised cafés across the UK, US, and Gulf Cooperation Council, selling specialty grade robusta, ceremonial grade matcha, and functional beverages through retail locations, e-commerce subscriptions, and delivery platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Black Sheep Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Chain
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)
- SIC
- Dairy Products (2020)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Espresso Bars & Coffee Bars (THAFADAD), Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Black Sheep Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
Black Sheep Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Retail Coffee Shop Sales: Revenue generated from owned and operated coffee shop locations selling beverages and food items including specialty coffee, matcha drinks, and Norwegian waffles.
- Coffee Bean Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from coffee bean deliveries in various formats (whole beans or ground), with flexible delivery scheduling and multiple product options.
- E-commerce Coffee Bean Sales: One-time purchases of specialty coffee beans through the company's online store, with products like Robusta Revival, Blue Volcano, Love Berries, and Rebel Decaf.
- Delivery Platform Commissions: Revenue from delivery orders through third-party platforms including Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat.
- Franchise Fees and Royalties: Revenue from franchise partnerships including development agreements and ongoing franchise royalties from operators across the UK, US, and GCC regions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee Bean Subscription - Subscribe & Save |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | One-time Coffee Bean Purchase |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Black Sheep Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Black Sheep Coffee operates a specialty coffee retail chain serving Robusta-based espresso, signature drinks, and Norwegian waffles through owned and franchised cafés in the UK, US, and UAE. The company also sells whole/ground specialty coffee beans direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and subscription plans, and partners with delivery platforms for at-home orders.
Product overview
Black Sheep Coffee is a London-based specialty coffee chain operating across the UK, US, and Middle East regions. The company offers a unified product portfolio consisting of specialty coffee beverages and food items served at cafe locations, complemented by an e-commerce operation selling whole bean and ground coffee products through subscriptions and one-time purchases. The product range centers on specialty grade coffee beans (notably pioneering the world's first specialty grade robusta beans), signature drinks including 100% ceremonial grade matcha, and Norwegian waffles. The company also operates a mobile application for loyalty rewards and facilitates online ordering through third-party delivery platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Specialty Coffee Beans
- Coffee Subscription
- Specialty Café Beverages and Food
- Black Sheep Coffee Loyalty Mobile App
- Coffee Shop Franchise Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 315% sales increase in matcha-based beverages
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Black Sheep Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Black Sheep Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Black Sheep Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Franchise Partners (UK Central London)coreSigned development agreement with franchise partners for at least 10 stores in central London areas including City of London, Tower Hamlets and Hackney, forming part of the 60 new site expansion plan.
- Local Hospitality Operator (Devon & Cornwall)coreFranchise agreement with local hospitality operator to open at least nine new branches across Devon and Cornwall, including locations in Exeter and Plymouth.
- Uber EatscoreDelivery partnership enabling customers to order Black Sheep Coffee products through the Uber Eats platform across UK locations.
- DeliveroocoreDelivery partnership enabling customers to order Black Sheep Coffee products through the Deliveroo platform across UK locations.
- Just EatcoreDelivery partnership enabling customers to order Black Sheep Coffee products through the Just Eat platform across UK locations.
- Black Sheep Coffee CollabminorIndustry expert Darleen Scherer founded Black Sheep Coffee Collab, providing industry insights and expertise on trends including matcha consumption patterns and Gen Z preferences.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Black Sheep Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tim Hortons: Canadian coffee and donut QSR chain with growing UK presence via franchise. Comparable as a multi-country franchise-led coffee chain, though mass-market positioning rather than premium.
- Pret a Manger: UK premium café/sandwich chain with strong coffee program. Comparable in premium positioning and urban UK locations, though broader food-led menu; represents the same customer wallet share.
- Starbucks: Global coffee incumbent with strong UK presence. Comparable in product category and customer overlap, but operates at vastly larger scale with commodity positioning; sets the benchmark BSC must beat on premium experience.
Direct peers
- Blue Bottle Coffee: US premium specialty coffee chain with international presence. Comparable on specialty-grade positioning, café experience focus, and direct-to-consumer coffee bean sales; relevant peer for BSC's US expansion thesis.
- % Arabica: Japan-origin specialty coffee chain with locations in the Middle East (Dubai/UAE) and globally. Highly comparable on specialty grade positioning, minimalist café design, and premium price architecture that targets the same consumer segment.
- Caffè Nero: UK-founded Italian-style coffee chain with ~700 UK stores. Closely comparable in store format, premium positioning, and target demographic; competes for the same high-street and commuter locations as Black Sheep Coffee.
- Costa Coffee: UK's largest coffee chain with thousands of stores, owned by Coca-Cola. Directly comparable as a UK coffee shop chain, though historically mass-market; recent premium repositioning makes it the most direct head-to-head competitor to Black Sheep Coffee.
- Joe & The Juice: Premium Scandinavian-origin coffee and juice chain expanding across UK and Europe. Directly comparable on premium positioning, signature beverage menu including matcha, and Gen Z customer targeting.
- Workshop Coffee: London-based specialty coffee roaster and café operator. Closely comparable on London specialty coffee positioning, own-roasted bean sales, and premium consumer targeting; direct competitor in the UK capital.
Emerging players
- Third Wave Coffee: India-origin specialty coffee chain expanding across South Asia. Comparable as a regional premium coffee chain with franchise-led growth model and own coffee bean e-commerce; useful benchmark for emerging-market franchise economics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Black Sheep Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceBlack Sheep Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Black Sheep Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Black Sheep Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Black Sheep Coffee M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Black Sheep Coffee
What does Black Sheep Coffee do?
Black Sheep Coffee operates a specialty coffee retail chain serving Robusta-based espresso, signature drinks, and Norwegian waffles through owned and franchised cafés in the UK, US, and UAE. The company also sells whole/ground specialty coffee beans direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and subscription plans, and partners with delivery platforms for at-home orders.
Is Black Sheep Coffee a public or private company?
Black Sheep Coffee is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Black Sheep Coffee founded?
Black Sheep Coffee was founded in 2013. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Black Sheep Coffee based?
Black Sheep Coffee is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Black Sheep Coffee make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Coffee Shop Sales are the primary driver. The others are coffee Bean Subscriptions, E-commerce Coffee Bean Sales, delivery Platform Commissions and franchise Fees and Royalties.
Who are Black Sheep Coffee's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tim Hortons, Pret a Manger and Starbucks. Direct peers are Blue Bottle Coffee, % Arabica, Caffè Nero, Costa Coffee, Joe & The Juice and Workshop Coffee. Third Wave Coffee is listed as an emerging player.
Does Black Sheep Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for Black Sheep Coffee.
What industry is Black Sheep Coffee in?
Black Sheep Coffee's product category is Specialty Coffee Chain. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAB, Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes, with a secondary code of THAFADAD, Espresso Bars & Coffee Bars. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2020.