LAP Coffee
LAP Coffee is a Berlin-founded automated specialty coffee chain operating 26 grab-and-go micro-stores across six German cities, serving budget-conscious urban adults with app-based pre-ordering, loyalty stamps and a prepaid digital wallet.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What LAP Coffee does
LAP Coffee operates a technology-enabled specialty coffee chain in Germany under the legal entity Micro Retail Technologies MRT GmbH. Founded in Berlin in 2023 by CEO Ralph Hage and co-founder Tonalli Arreola, the company runs 26 grab-and-go micro-stores across six German cities (Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt and a forthcoming Düsseldorf location), with each location built around Eversys automated espresso machines and Übermilk milk-frothing technology that eliminate the need for on-site baristas. Menu pricing spans €1.50 for espresso to €6.00 for premium signature drinks, anchored by a €2.50 cappuccino offered at roughly 70% below traditional specialty cafes and without plant-milk surcharges.
Revenue is generated primarily through direct beverage sales (€1.50–€6.00 per drink) complemented by digital gift cards and prepaid LAP Card wallet top-ups that create deferred, app-mediated purchases and a recurring stamp-based loyalty program redeemable for drinks, pastries and merchandise. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer via owned micro-stores and a proprietary iOS/Android mobile app for pre-ordering and pickup; back-office infrastructure runs on Lightspeed Restaurant POS, Stripe payments and Ashby for hiring. Customers are urban adults aged 18–35 seeking affordable specialty coffee and a community-oriented lifestyle brand, with marketing driven by collaborations with fashion, sportswear and dating brands (Uniqlo, adidas, Puma, lululemon, Hinge, Bumble, Highsnobiety), community programming (running clubs, padel, yoga, panel talks) and curated Spotify playlists under the 'Life Among People' positioning. Capital partners include Insight Partners (~15% stake), HV Capital and Foodlabas.
LAP Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LAP Coffee
- Legal name
- Micro Retail Technologies MRT GmbH
- Website
- https://lap.coffee
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- LAP Coffee is a Berlin-founded automated specialty coffee chain operating 26 grab-and-go micro-stores across six German cities, serving budget-conscious urban adults with app-based pre-ordering, loyalty stamps and a prepaid digital wallet.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LAP Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Retail
- NAICS
- Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA)
Keywords
Where LAP Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
LAP Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Beverage Sales: Direct sales of coffee and specialty drinks at micro-store locations. Customers order via app and pick up in-store. Core revenue driver with menu spanning classics (Espresso €1.50 to Latte €3.00) and signatures/seasonals (€3.50-€6.00).
- Digital Gift Cards: Sale of digital gift cards with varying cash values that can be redeemed in-app or at store locations for beverages and merchandise.
- LAP Card Wallet Top-ups: Prepaid digital wallet system where customers load funds for future purchases at LAP locations, creating recurring in-app revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Classic beverages (Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino, Latte) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Signature and seasonal specialty drinks |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Loyalty Stamp Program |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Bring Your Own Cup Discount |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | RECUP Reusable Cup Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
LAP Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LAP Coffee operates a network of compact, grab-and-go micro-stores across Germany where specialty coffee beverages are prepared by fully automated Eversys espresso machines and Übermilk milk frothers, sold at €1.50–€6.00 per drink without plant-milk surcharges. Customers pre-order through the LAP mobile app, accumulate digital loyalty stamps via the LAP Card wallet, and pick up at the nearest store, combining low-cost automation with a community-focused lifestyle brand.
Product overview
LAP Coffee operates a micro-retail specialty coffee chain with a tech-enabled business model. The core offering consists of automated espresso beverage service across compact physical locations, complemented by a digital ecosystem including a mobile app for pre-ordering, digital wallet (LAP Card), loyalty stamp program, and gift card functionality. The product portfolio comprises classic and signature coffee drinks (€1.50-€6), seasonal limited offerings, a pre-order/pickup service, and sustainable packaging options including reusable cup programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LAP Coffee Mobile App Proprietary iOS/Android application that allows LAP Coffee customers to pre-order beverages, collect digital loyalty stamps, top up their LAP Card digital wallet, send coffee as gifts to friends, and pick up at any LAP micro-store location.
- Classic Coffee Beverages Core everyday coffee menu including Espresso (€1.50), Americano (€2.00), Filter (€2.50), Cappuccino (€2.50), Latte (€3.00), Flat White (€3.00), Cold Brew (€3.00), Chai Latte (€4.00), Matcha Latte (€4.00), and Hot Chocolate (€3.50), served via automated Eversys machines at all LAP micro-stores.
- Signature & Seasonal Specialty Drinks Premium signature drinks such as Coconut Latte (€4.50), Blue Spirulina Cloud Matcha (€4.50), Guava Chia Matcha (€4.50), Blueberry Lemonade (€3.50), Protein Latte and Protein Matcha (€5.50 each), and Power Foam Latte and Power Foam Matcha (€6.00 each), with limited-time seasonal additions.
- Digital Gift Cards
Quantifiable outcome
- Cappuccino pricing 70% below traditional specialty cafes at €2.50
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use LAP Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
LAP Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
LAP Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- EversyscoreSwiss manufacturer of commercial automated espresso machines powering LAP Coffee's coffee preparation. The Eversys system enables consistent, barista-quality espresso without human intervention.
- ÜbermilkcoreTechnology partner providing automated milk frothing systems for LAP Coffee's milk-based beverages, ensuring consistent quality and texture.
- 19gramscoreBerlin-based specialty coffee roaster supplying LAP Coffee's beans directly from Fazenda Sertão in Brazil. Provides locally roasted, high-quality coffee beans for all beverages.
- LightspeedcoreCloud-based POS and order management system (Lightspeed Restaurant) powering LAP Coffee's in-store ordering, menu management, and operational infrastructure.
- StripecorePayment processing partner handling secure online and in-app transactions for orders, gift card purchases, and wallet top-ups.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LAP Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Barn Coffee Roasters: Berlin specialty coffee roaster and café operator with strong third-wave credentials. Comparable as a Berlin-based specialty coffee competitor targeting similar urban, quality-focused consumers.
- Bonanza Coffee Roasters: Berlin-based specialty coffee roaster and café operator renowned in the German third-wave scene. Comparable to LAP as a Berlin specialty coffee operator with high-quality direct-trade coffee; differs by sit-down café format vs LAP's grab-and-go model.
- Coffee Fellows: German specialty coffee chain with dozens of locations across Germany, Austria, and neighboring countries, offering specialty coffee in a sit-down and grab-and-go format. Comparable to LAP as a German-rooted specialty chain targeting urban consumers at accessible price points.
- WatchHouse: UK specialty coffee chain and roaster with multiple London locations and a growing regional footprint. Comparable to LAP as a design-forward specialty coffee chain targeting urban consumers, though UK-focused rather than German.
- Black Sheep Coffee: UK-origin specialty coffee chain with multiple European locations, known for direct-trade specialty beans and a youthful lifestyle brand. Comparable to LAP's specialty-quality positioning and urban young-adult target market.
- Five Elephant Coffee: Berlin-based specialty coffee roaster and café with multiple Berlin locations plus wholesale distribution. Comparable to LAP as a Berlin specialty coffee brand competing for the same urban specialty consumer, though operating sit-down cafés rather than micro-grab-and-go stores.
- % Arabica: International minimalist specialty coffee chain founded in Kyoto with locations across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the US. Highly comparable to LAP in its focus on a single brand of specialty coffee, minimalist micro-café footprint, and lifestyle-driven brand identity.
- Bluestone Lane: Specialty coffee chain with locations across US cities focused on specialty-grade coffee in compact café formats with strong digital ordering. Comparable to LAP's tech-enabled, grab-and-go specialty positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Starbucks Germany: Global coffee chain with established German presence in major cities including Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg. Comparable as a coffee chain competing for the same urban consumer occasions, though operates full sit-down cafés at higher price points than LAP.
- Tchibo: Major German coffee retailer and roaster operating both grocery coffee products and Tchibo coffee shops nationwide. Comparable as a large-scale German coffee chain but with a broader grocery/CPG and sit-down café portfolio rather than LAP's pure micro-grab-and-go focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LAP Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceLAP Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LAP Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
LAP Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LAP Coffee M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LAP Coffee
What does LAP Coffee do?
LAP Coffee operates a network of compact, grab-and-go micro-stores across Germany where specialty coffee beverages are prepared by fully automated Eversys espresso machines and Übermilk milk frothers, sold at €1.50–€6.00 per drink without plant-milk surcharges. Customers pre-order through the LAP mobile app, accumulate digital loyalty stamps via the LAP Card wallet, and pick up at the nearest store, combining low-cost automation with a community-focused lifestyle brand.
Is LAP Coffee a public or private company?
LAP Coffee is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was LAP Coffee founded?
LAP Coffee was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is LAP Coffee based?
LAP Coffee is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does LAP Coffee make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Gift Cards and LAP Card Wallet Top-ups.
Who are LAP Coffee's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Barn Coffee Roasters, Bonanza Coffee Roasters, Coffee Fellows, WatchHouse, Black Sheep Coffee, Five Elephant Coffee, % Arabica and Bluestone Lane. Broad incumbents are Starbucks Germany and Tchibo.
Does LAP Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for LAP Coffee.
What industry is LAP Coffee in?
LAP Coffee's product category is Specialty Coffee Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAB, Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes, with a secondary code of THAFADAA, Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave). Its NAICS code is 722515 and its SIC code is 5810.