What Manhattan Coffee Roasters does

Manhattan Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roastery and direct-to-consumer e-commerce business headquartered at Hongkongstraat 55, Rotterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 2017 by Esther Maasdam and organized under Dutch KvK 89729773, the company sources green coffee through direct relationships with producers in Rwanda (Muraho Trading, Kivubelt Coffee), Ethiopia (Sookoo Coffee, Daye Bensa), Colombia (Café Granja La Esperanza, El Vergel, Huver Castillo), Ecuador (Pepe and Jose Jijón), Peru (Rosa Dominguez), Tanzania (Acacia Hills), Brazil (Fazenda Jairo Soares), and Honduras (Fincas Mierisch, Cooperativa Capucas), then roasts on Typhoon equipment that the company differentiates from conventional gas-powered drum roasters.

The core product catalog is a five-tier system spanning Specialty (everyday workhorse coffees from €9.50/month or €10.50-€38 per 250g-1kg one-time), Rare, Competition, Exceptional, and World Class (premium limited lots up to €216 per kg). The model is split between auto-renewing monthly subscriptions and one-time purchases, augmented by a wholesale B2B channel, a co-branded Meraki X MCR espresso-optimized line, branded merchandise (ACME & MCR porcelain drinkware, T-shirts, gift cards, Dutch-language barista book), and free public cupping events held at the Rotterdam roastery. Beverages are roasted to order, hand-packed, and shipped within three business days via DHL eCommerce within Europe and DHL Express globally, with NL roastery pickup also available.

The customer base is composed of specialty coffee enthusiasts (DTC consumers, both casual and connoisseur), B2B wholesale buyers (cafes, restaurants, offices), coffee professionals and competition participants, and espresso-machine owners targeted via the Meraki line. The team is described as having 60+ years of combined industry experience, anchored by founder Esther Maasdam's five Dutch Latte Art titles and 5th-place World Latte Art Championship finish. The company is independently owned, with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or parent company, and operates a Dutch private limited entity with 11-50 employees.

Name

Manhattan Coffee Roasters

Legal name

Manhattan Coffee Roasters

Website

https://manhattancoffeeroasters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Manhattan Coffee Roasters is a Rotterdam-based specialty coffee roastery that operates a DTC e-commerce and wholesale business, sourcing single-origin coffees directly from producers in ten or more countries and selling them through a five-tier subscription and one-time purchase model, plus branded merchandise and public cupping events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roastery

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Single origin coffee
• Coffee bean subscriptions
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Direct trade coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Coffee Bean Sales (One-time): Direct-to-consumer sales of whole coffee beans across multiple quality tiers (Specialty, Rare, Exceptional, Competition, World Class). Available in bag sizes of 125g, 250g, and 1kg, roasted for either espresso or filter. One-time purchase model.
2. Coffee Subscriptions: Monthly recurring subscription plans across five tiers: Specialty (€9.50/month), Rare (€13.00/month), World Class (€26.00/month), Competition (€16.00/month), Exceptional (€17.50/month). Subscriptions auto-renew monthly. Also available for specific coffees like Brooklyn and Inacio Soares F2.
3. Meraki X MCR Products: Collaborative product line with Meraki featuring coffee beans optimized for espresso machines with specific pre-infusion recommendations (e.g., 4 bar for 10 sec for Shyira-Meraki). Includes Same coffee varieties as the main line but with machine-specific brewing guidance.
4. Merchandise & Gear: Sale of branded merchandise including ACME & MCR porcelain cups and mugs (€15.00 each), MCR Cotton T-shirts (€16.53), De Nieuwe Barista Dutch coffee book (€36.69), and digital gift cards (€10-100).
5. Trainings & Cuppings: Public cupping sessions hosted at the roastery, such as Public Cupping - July 18 at €0 per person. Educational events tasting through the full coffee catalog.
6. Wholesale B2B: B2B wholesale channel targeting cafes, restaurants, and offices. Wholesale inquiries directed to [email protected] with tailored pricing offers for business customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Manhattan Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roastery that sources green coffee directly from producers in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Tanzania, Brazil, and Honduras, then roasts and sells single-origin and blended coffees to consumers and wholesale customers. Products are organized into five quality tiers (Specialty, Rare, Exceptional, Competition, World Class) and sold as whole beans in 125g, 250g, or 1kg sizes with espresso or filter roast profiles, supported by monthly recurring subscription plans and a wholesale program for cafes, restaurants, and offices.

Product overview

Manhattan Coffee Roasters operates as a specialty coffee roastery and direct-to-consumer e-commerce business based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The product portfolio centers on single-origin specialty coffees organized into five quality tiers: Specialty (workhorse everyday coffees), Rare (unique processing-driven flavors), Exceptional (best harvest selections), Competition (exotic varieties with clear profiles), and World Class (pinnacle limited coffees). Beyond whole bean sales, the company offers multiple subscription tiers (Specialty at €9.50/month through Exceptional at €17.50/month) delivering curated coffees monthly with automatic renewal. Supporting products include coffee gear (ACME & MCR branded porcelain cups and mugs at €15), apparel (limited T-shirts at €16.53), gift cards (€10-100), and educational resources (Dutch-language barista book at €36.69). The company also conducts public cupping events for community engagement. All coffee products are sold as whole beans in 125g, 250g, and 1kg sizes, roasted for either espresso or filter brewing methods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shyira Coffee Single-origin Rwandan specialty coffee sourced through Muraho Trading Company. Washed Red Bourbon beans grown at 1,850-2,300 meters elevation in the Nyabihu region. Tasting notes of sweet orange, redcurrant, and rooibos with a juicy mouthfeel. Available in espresso and filter roast profiles.
• Jose Jijón Coffee Single-origin Ecuadorian coffee from Fincas del Putushio in Loja, featuring Typica Mejorado variety grown at 2,222 meters elevation. Tasting notes of clementine, white grapes, and rose. World Class tier offering.
• Acacia Hills Coffee Single-origin Tanzanian specialty coffee from Acacia Hills Coffee Estate in Karatu. Washed Geisha variety at elevations of 1,750-1,950 meters near Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Tasting notes of cloudberry, chamomile, and cane sugar.
• Rosa Dominguez Coffee Single-origin Peruvian specialty coffee from Cusco region at Sufaypata. Double-fermented washed Geisha grown at 2,050 meters under shade of Pisonay trees. Tasting notes of red apple, clementine, and fudge.
• Inacio Soares F2 Coffee Single-origin Brazilian specialty coffee from Fazenda Jairo Soares in Mata de Minas. Anaerobic honey processed Red and Yellow Catuai at 880 meters elevation. Tasting notes of white flowers, praline, and chocolate. Quality raised from sub-80 to 86+ points.
• Brooklyn Blend Year-round espresso blend combining 90% Brazil Inacio Soares F2 and 10% Panamanian Geisha from Finca Santa Teresa. Tasting notes of candied orange, cream with a juicy mouthfeel. Specialty tier.
• Kalila Kantengwa Coffee Single-origin Rwandan coffee from Kivubelt Coffee Ltd at Jarama estate in Nyamasheke District. Naturally processed Red Bourbon at 1,650-1,900 meters elevation. Tasting notes of granadilla, golden syrup, pomelo, and rose hips. First Rwandan coffee curated for the World Class category.
• Bombe Coffee Single-origin Ethiopian specialty coffee from Daye Bensa Coffee in Sidama's Bombe Mountains. Naturally processed with varieties 74110 and 74112 at 1,920-2,020 meters. Tasting notes of yellow raspberry, rose, and bergamot. Cherries sourced from over 1,000 smallholder farmers.
• Finca Soledad Coffee Single-origin Ecuadorian coffee from Pepe Jijón's farm in Imbabura. Washed Typica variety at 1,515 meters elevation. Tasting notes of apricot pie, elderflower, and clementine. Filter-only offering.
• Pepe Jijón Sidra Coffee Single-origin Ecuadorian coffee featuring innovative Wave Washed Sidra variety from Finca Soledad with controlled temperature fermentation cycles over 40 days. Elegant cup profile with silky mouthfeel.
• Huver Castillo Coffee Single-origin Colombian Geisha from El Paseo farm in Nariño's Buesaco region. Advanced anaerobic washed process with 20-hour pre-fermentation in cherry followed by 210 hours of anaerobic fermentation with beer hops and sugarcane juice at 1,750-1,950 meters elevation.
• Viani Coffee Single-origin Colombian coffee from Cundinamarca region, sourced from over 400 small farm holders. Cooperative-based Castillo variety producing old-world profile with big, rich flavors. Specialty tier.
• Shoondhisa Coffee Single-origin Ethiopian Guji coffee from Sookoo Coffee in Odo Shakiso. Natural processed with Gibirinna 74110 and Serto 74112 varieties at 2,173 meters elevation. Tasting notes of berry compote and strawberry.
• Kebena Decaf Coffee Single-origin Ethiopian decaf coffee from Limu Kossa at 1,865-2,090 meters elevation. EA Sugarcane decaffeination preserving grape, bramble, and caramelized almond notes.
• El Vergel Decaf Coffee Single-origin Colombian decaf from El Vergel Estate in Tolima. EA Sugarcane decaffeination process on Red and Yellow Caturra varieties at 1,450 meters. Tasting notes of sweet baked apple, prunes, and dark chocolate.
• Keramo Coffee Single-origin Ethiopian washed coffee from Keramo Adara Washing Station in Sidama's Bombe Mountains. JARC 74112 variety from approximately 1,500 smallholder farmers at 2,300+ meters elevation. Rare tier.
• Sweet Valley Coffee Single-origin Colombia varietal from Finca Potosi at Cafe Granja La Esperanza in Valle del Cauca. 15-hour controlled fermentation with candy apple, plum, and hibiscus notes. Exceptional tier.
• City Limits Blend Year-round espresso blend of 66% Brazil Inacio Soares F2 and 34% Cerro Azul from Fincas Mierisch in Honduras. Direct-relationship coffee designed for milk-based drinks. Specialty tier.
• World Class Coffee Subscription Monthly recurring subscription delivering 2-4 new limited World Class coffees each month with automatic renewal. Features pinnacle competition-grade coffees at a discount versus individual World Class purchases. Starting from €26/month.
• Rare Coffee Subscription Monthly recurring subscription delivering Rare category coffees featuring unique flavors driven by processing, variety, or general excellence. Automatic renewal. From €13/month.
• Exceptional Coffee Subscription Monthly recurring subscription delivering Exceptional coffees from partners and traders with clear flavor profiles and satisfying cups. Automatic renewal. From €17.50/month.
• Competition Coffee Subscription Monthly recurring subscription delivering Competition category coffees with extremely clear flavor profiles from masterful craftsmanship and exotic varieties. Automatic renewal. From €16/month.
• Specialty Coffee Subscription Everyday workhorse coffee subscription featuring Specialty category coffees that exhibit terroir with pronounced flavor experience. Automatic renewal. From €9.50/month.
• ACME & MCR 150 ml Flat White Cup Premium 150ml porcelain Flat White cup with saucer, featuring Acme's signature handle. Dishwasher safe. Priced at €15.00.
• ACME & MCR 170 ml Tulip Cup 170ml premium porcelain Tulip cup and saucer, suitable for americanos, long blacks, and smaller filter brews. Limited stock. Priced at €15.00.
• ACME & MCR 230 ml Union Mug 230ml premium porcelain Union Mug, ideal for filter coffees. Thick and high-end design keeps coffee warm. White porcelain with MCR logo. Priced at €15.00.
• MCR Cotton T-shirt Limited silk-screen printed 100% cotton T-shirt with original artwork by Elzeline Kooy. 220gsm weight. White with red print. Available in Small, Medium, Large. Priced at €16.53.
• Digital Gift Card Digital gift card redeemable online for any coffee lover. Available in €10, €25, €50, or €100 denominations.
• De Nieuwe Barista (Dutch Language) Book Comprehensive Dutch-language coffee book by Rose van Asten and Wendelien van Bunnik covering the bean to cup journey, brewing methods, and extraction. 256-page hardcover. Priced at €36.69.
• Public Cupping Sessions Public cupping session at Manhattan Coffee Roasters facility in Rotterdam allowing attendees to taste the full coffee catalog across origins, processes, and flavor profiles. 2-hour sessions hosted at the roastery, with min 5 and max 30 participants. Priced at €0 per person.
• Meraki X MCR Coffee Line Collaborative product line between Manhattan Coffee Roasters and Meraki featuring coffee beans optimized for espresso machines with specific pre-infusion recommendations (e.g., 4 bar for 10 sec for Shyira-Meraki). Includes Meraki variants of specialty, rare, exceptional, and world class coffees with machine-specific brewing guidance.
• B2B Wholesale Coffee Supply Wholesale supply of specialty coffee beans to cafes, restaurants, and offices with tailored pricing offers for business customers. Inquiries directed to [email protected].

Quantifiable outcome

• Subscription plans starting at €9.50/month provide recurring revenue while offering customers savings vs. individual purchases
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Sookoo Coffee / Ture WajicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Sookoo Coffee is an Ethiopian specialty coffee company founded by Ture Waji and his brother Assefa in 2018 in Odo Shakiso, Oromia region. Manhattan Coffee Roasters sources the Shoondhisa coffee from the Shoondhisa Kebele, featuring Gibirinna 74110 and Serto 74112 varieties naturally dried on raised beds.
• Muraho Trading CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Muraho Trading Company is a Rwanda-based coffee trading company founded in 2016 by brothers Karthick and Gaudam. Manhattan Coffee Roasters sources multiple Rwandan coffees through this partnership, including the Shyira coffee from the highest washing station in Rwanda, located in Nyabihu district. Muraho has deepened investment in the challenging Nyabihu region, demonstrating resilience through community repairs of damaged processing equipment.
• Kivubelt Coffee LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Kivubelt Coffee Ltd is a Rwandan specialty coffee company founded in 2011 by Furaha Umwizeye Teuscher. The company owns 45+ hectares of coffee plantations and two washing stations (Jarama, Kamajumba, Nyaruzina) on the shores of Lake Kivu. Kalila Kantengwa is the Managing Director. Manhattan Coffee Roasters sources Kalila Kantengwa coffee from Jarama estate, ranked #2 in Best of Rwanda.
• Daye Bensa CoffeecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDaye Bensa is one of Ethiopia's most respected coffee producers, operated by Assefa and Mulugeta Dukamo. Sources Bombe and Keramo coffees from the Bombe Mountains of Sidama. Has earned repeated Cup of Excellence recognition including 2nd place in 2022. The Abore Station receives cherries from over 1,000 smallholder farmers.
• Café Granja La EsperanzacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColombian specialty coffee producer established in 1930, now managed by Rigoberto and Luis Correa. Known for competition-winning coffees including Geisha varieties. Source of Sweet Valley (Potosi farm) coffee. Four farms make up the company: Cerro Azul, Las Margaritas, La Esperanza, and Potosi. Has 188,725 trees over 52 hectares at Potosi.
• Meraki (Meraki X MCR)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerMeraki X MCR is a collaborative product line between Manhattan Coffee Roasters and Meraki. Products include espresso-optimized versions of MCR coffees with specific pre-infusion recommendations (e.g., 4 bar for 10 seconds for Shyira-Meraki). Includes Meraki variants of specialty, rare, exceptional, and world class coffees.
• DR Wakefield / RacafesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDR Wakefield and Racafe are long-term trading partners that have helped improve the Viani coffee quality through the use of GrainPro bags and agreed better sorting practices, resulting in reduced defects and increased income for smallholder farmers in Cundinamarca, Colombia.
• Fincas MierischcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFincas Mierisch is a Honduran coffee producer group that has been collaborating with Manhattan Coffee Roasters since 2017. Their Cerro Azul coffee from Finca El Salvador is featured in the City Limits espresso blend (66/34 combination with Brazil Inacio Soares F2).
• Cooperativa Cafetalera Capucas Limitada (Cocafcal)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCapucas is a Honduran cooperative that provides coffee for the City Limits blend. The cooperative encompasses many families who also maintain bee hives alongside coffee cultivation. Varieties include Catuai, Caturra, and Pacamara, processed using honey methods.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Onyx Coffee Lab: US-based specialty roaster focused on competition-grade and single-origin coffees with extensive direct-to-consumer subscriptions and a strong producer-story brand. Closely comparable to MCR on tiered subscription model, provenance storytelling, and competition-coffee positioning.
• Sey Coffee: Brooklyn specialty roaster with a curated tier system, strong producer relationships, and DTC focus. Comparable to MCR in audience (specialty enthusiasts), subscription model, and emphasis on competition-level lots.
• Heart Coffee Roasters: Portland-origin specialty roaster combining DTC e-commerce with wholesale to cafes. Comparable to MCR on multi-tier sourcing, transparency, and emphasis on light-roast single-origin lots.
• Verve Coffee Roasters: California-based specialty roaster with DTC subscriptions and cafe/wholesale channels. Comparable to MCR in combining DTC, wholesale, and education-driven content marketing.
• Counter Culture Coffee: Long-standing US specialty roaster focused on sustainability, transparency, and direct trade. Comparable to MCR on producer relationships, training/cupping events, and B2B wholesale.
• George Howell Coffee: Specialty roaster known for terroir-focused single-origin coffees and DTC subscriptions. Comparable to MCR on competition-grade pricing tiers and educational content around origin and processing.
• Square Mile Coffee Roasters: London-based specialty roaster with strong DTC and wholesale, world-champion barista pedigree, and producer relationships. Closely comparable to MCR on European market, championship credibility, and tiered subscription.
• Ruby Coffee Roasters: Wisconsin specialty roaster with tiered subscription model and a focus on transparent sourcing. Comparable to MCR on subscription structure and producer-story content.
• Saint Frank Coffee: San Francisco specialty roaster emphasizing single-origin coffees with detailed producer profiles. Comparable to MCR on DTC-first, content-rich, and competitive-coffee positioning.
• La Cabra Coffee: Danish specialty roaster with DTC focus, design-forward brand, and producer-focused storytelling. Comparable to MCR on European specialty DTC, competition-grade tier structure, and emphasis on modern processing methods.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Manhattancoffeeroasters
• Instagraminstagram.com/manhattancoffeeroasters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manhattan Coffee Roasters