Solberg & Hansen
Solberg & Hansen is Norway's largest and oldest specialty coffee roaster, founded in 1879, supplying single-origin and blended coffees, tea, and accessories to offices, cafes, retailers, and consumers via B2B/B2C e-commerce, a concept store, and a retail network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1879
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Solberg & Hansen does
Solberg & Hansen AS is a privately held Norwegian specialty coffee roaster founded in 1879, headquartered at its Ryen roastery in Oslo, and self-described as Norway's largest and oldest specialty coffee roaster. The company develops in-house custom roasting profiles for each coffee variety, performs daily quality control on roasted coffee, and sources single-origin and blended coffees directly from farmers across Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Its core products span single-origin coffees, espresso blends (Franskbrent, Italienskbrent, Half & Half, Black Coffee), a tea selection, and complementary accessories including Michel Cluizel chocolate, Toddy Cold Brew systems, Wilfa grinders, and Honshu teapots.
The company operates a multi-channel distribution model: a B2C e-commerce storefront (shop.sh.no), a B2B portal (b2bshop.sh.no) serving office, retail, and hospitality customers, an international site (sh-coffee.com), a company-owned concept store at Mathallen Oslo, and a Norwegian retail partner network. Revenue is generated through product sales across B2C and B2B channels (including office coffee subscriptions), education revenue from barista and tea courses, and international shipping. Customer segments include enterprise office buyers, cafes and restaurants, retail resellers, and individual consumers, with no single anchor customer disclosed.
The company's strategic positioning rests on its 145-year brand heritage, its first lifetime membership in the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), its direct-trade farmer relationships, and a structured education program (Barista 1, Barista 2, Latte Art, tea and coffee courses) that builds customer ecosystem depth. Solberg & Hansen has no disclosed funding, no parent company, and no public listing; the company is independently owned and operates with 11-50 employees.
Solberg & Hansen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Solberg & Hansen
- Legal name
- Solberg & Hansen AS
- Website
- https://sh.no
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1879
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Solberg & Hansen is Norway's largest and oldest specialty coffee roaster, founded in 1879, supplying single-origin and blended coffees, tea, and accessories to offices, cafes, retailers, and consumers via B2B/B2C e-commerce, a concept store, and a retail network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Solberg & Hansen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Roasting
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale (AFAIAGAD), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Solberg & Hansen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Solberg & Hansen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales (B2C E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer online sales through shop.sh.no, offering coffee, tea, accessories, and equipment to individual customers in Norway and internationally.
- Product Sales (B2B): Business-to-business sales through b2bshop.sh.no, supplying offices, cafes, restaurants, and retailers with coffee, tea, equipment, and accessories. Includes dedicated sales channels for office coffee, retail shops, and serving/hospitality sector.
- Education and Training: Revenue from barista courses (Barista 1, Barista 2, Latte Art), tea courses, and tasting sessions held at the roastery and concept store. Targeted at both business customers and private individuals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard consumer pricing with free shipping threshold |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Barista 1 course for business customers and retailers |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Barista 2 course for experienced baristas |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Latte Art course for experienced baristas |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tea tasting at concept store |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee course at concept store |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels5 records
Solberg & Hansen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Solberg & Hansen roasts specialty coffee at its Ryen facility in Oslo, using custom-developed roasting profiles for each coffee origin, and supplies the resulting roasted coffee (single-origin lots and house/espresso blends), tea, brewing equipment, and accessories to Norwegian and international customers. Distribution runs through B2C and B2B online shops, an international shop, a Mathallen concept store in Oslo, and dedicated sales channels for offices, retail resellers, and the hospitality/serving sector. Educational courses (barista and tea) complete the offering.
Product overview
Solberg & Hansen is Norway's largest specialty coffee roaster founded in 1879, operating as a unified product-and-services company centered on premium coffee. Their core offering comprises single origin and blended coffees (including espresso blends Franskbrent, Italienskbrent, Half & Half, and Black Coffee), complemented by a tea selection. They operate three e-commerce platforms (B2B shop at b2bshop.sh.no, B2C shop at shop.sh.no, and international shop at sh-coffee.com) alongside a physical concept store in Mathallen Oslo. The product portfolio extends to accessories including brewing equipment (Toddy Cold Brew systems, Wilfa grinders, Honshu teapots), specialty beverages (Mama organic soft drinks, Oatly Barista Edition), and premium Michel Cluizel chocolate. Educational services include barista courses (Barista 1, Barista 2, Latte Art), tea courses (Tekurs, Tesmaking), and coffee courses held at their roastery and Mathallen location.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Single Origin Coffee
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 145 years in business as Norway's oldest specialty coffee roaster
Companies that use Solberg & Hansen
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Solberg & Hansen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
Solberg & Hansen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE)coreSolberg & Hansen was the first lifetime member of ACE (the organization behind Cup of Excellence). They participated in the inaugural Cup of Excellence competition in 1999 (then called Best of Brazil), purchasing 5 of 10 coffee lots in the first auction. ACE organizes competitions and auctions connecting quality-focused farmers with specialty roasters worldwide.
- Michel CluizelminorSolberg & Hansen carries Michel Cluizel chocolate products including plantation-specific chocolate (La Laguna from Guatemala, Riachuelo from Brazil), chocolate pellets, and pure cocoa powder. Both companies share focus on raw material quality, traceability, and ethical trade. Michel Cluizel has been exploring cocoa beans since 1948 with direct agreements with plantations since 1997.
- BringminorLogistics and shipping partner for product deliveries. Bring handles all shipments from Solberg & Hansen to customers.
- Truestory.nominorDigital course booking partner for public coffee and tea courses. Solberg & Hansen courses are booked through Truestory's platform.
- Skravlekopp (Mappeløs)minorSolberg & Hansen is distribution partner for Skravlekopp - a social initiative cup designed to facilitate conversations and combat loneliness. Skravlekopp is a concept by Venke Knutson. Proceeds go to Mappeløs which works on inclusion and reducing loneliness.
- La AmistadcoreCoffee producer association in Costa Rica that Solberg & Hansen works with. Finca El Placer is a member, practicing organic farming in harmony with the rainforest near La Amistad National Park.
- Finca El Placer (Family Ome)coreFamily-operated organic coffee farm in Colombia near San Augustin. Practices organic farming with no pesticides, chemicals, or synthetic fertilizers. Shadow trees protect coffee plants. Member of La Amistad. Won quality competition for La Amistad region.
- Costa Rican Coffee FarmerscoreLong-term relationships with multiple coffee farmers in Costa Rica. The country is noted for technical focus on farmer knowledge, small family-run farms with micro-mills, and honey processing expertise. Solberg & Hansen has multi-year cooperation with Costa Rican producers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Solberg & Hansen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Square Mile Coffee Roasters: London-based specialty coffee roaster with strong direct-trade farmer relationships, an education program, and B2B supply to cafes plus D2C e-commerce. Comparable model to Solberg & Hansen in specialty roasting and education-led customer development.
- Kaffebrenneriet: Norwegian specialty coffee roaster with multiple cafe locations and direct trade sourcing. Operates in the same Norwegian specialty coffee market with overlapping B2B (cafes/offices) and B2C channels as Solberg & Hansen.
- Counter Culture Coffee: US specialty coffee roaster known for direct trade relationships, sustainability programs, and educational offerings. Highly comparable business model — direct trade, light roasting, education-driven community — though operating in the US rather than Norway.
- Tim Wendelboe: Oslo-based specialty coffee roaster and cafe founded by World Barista Champion Tim Wendelboe. Competes directly with Solberg & Hansen in the Norwegian specialty coffee roaster market with similar direct-trade positioning and B2B/B2C distribution.
- Stockfleths: Historic Oslo-based specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain. Competes head-to-head with Solberg & Hansen for Norwegian cafe, office, and consumer specialty coffee accounts with a similar heritage-led positioning.
Broad incumbents
- illy: Italian premium coffee company with global D2C, foodservice, and office channels. Overlaps with Solberg & Hansen in specialty/premium espresso beans, cafe/hospitality supply, and educational content (Università del Caffè).
- Lavazza: Italian global coffee company with broad espresso and foodservice offerings. Comparable as a much larger coffee incumbent in the broader roasted coffee category competing for the same cafes, offices, and retail customers across Europe.
Others
- La Marzocco: Italian manufacturer of premium espresso machines featured in Solberg & Hansen's content and used by specialty cafes. Indirect peer as an ecosystem partner and equipment supplier rather than a competing coffee brand.
Regional players
- Löfbergs: Swedish family-owned coffee roaster with B2B, foodservice, and consumer reach across the Nordics. Comparable as a regional coffee specialist serving Scandinavian hospitality, office, and retail customers with broader geographic presence than S&H.
- Espresso House: Sweden-headquartered Scandinavian coffee chain with operations across the Nordics. Comparable as a regional coffee player serving the Scandinavian market through cafes and wholesale distribution, though at much larger scale than Solberg & Hansen.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Solberg & Hansen social profiles
Digital presenceSolberg & Hansen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Solberg & Hansen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Solberg & Hansen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Solberg & Hansen 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 Solberg & Hansen
What does Solberg & Hansen do?
Solberg & Hansen roasts specialty coffee at its Ryen facility in Oslo, using custom-developed roasting profiles for each coffee origin, and supplies the resulting roasted coffee (single-origin lots and house/espresso blends), tea, brewing equipment, and accessories to Norwegian and international customers. Distribution runs through B2C and B2B online shops, an international shop, a Mathallen concept store in Oslo, and dedicated sales channels for offices, retail resellers, and the hospitality/serving sector. Educational courses (barista and tea) complete the offering.
Is Solberg & Hansen a public or private company?
Solberg & Hansen is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Solberg & Hansen founded?
Solberg & Hansen was founded in 1879. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Solberg & Hansen based?
Solberg & Hansen is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Solberg & Hansen make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales (B2C E-commerce) is the primary driver. The others are product Sales (B2B) and education and Training.
Who are Solberg & Hansen's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Square Mile Coffee Roasters, Kaffebrenneriet, Counter Culture Coffee, Tim Wendelboe and Stockfleths. Broad incumbents are illy and Lavazza. La Marzocco is listed as an others. Regional players are Löfbergs and Espresso House.
Does Solberg & Hansen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Solberg & Hansen.
What industry is Solberg & Hansen in?
Solberg & Hansen's product category is Specialty Coffee Roasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFADAJ, Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing, with a secondary code of AFAIAGAD, Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 31192 and its SIC code is 2080.