Cuppa Coffee

What Cuppa Coffee does

Cuppa Coffee (legally Cuppa Coffee Studios) is a Toronto-based, privately held animation and production studio founded by Adam Shaheen in 1992. The company operates a four-pillar service model: Animation Series (proprietary and work-for-hire television series, with a core specialization in stop motion animation), Live Action (film and limited-series production anchored by Cuppa Coffee USA in Los Angeles, opened in 2018), Titles (film title sequence design, with a long-standing collaboration with director David Cronenberg across six films), and Branding (commercial and broadcast design work mixing live action with animation for government and corporate clients). Cuppa Coffee's production slate includes 10 original series and 21 work-for-hire series (Celebrity Deathmatch, Glenn Martin DDS, Ugly Americans, The Other Side, Bruno and the Banana Bunch, Life's a Zoo.tv, among others), more than 400 commercials, 22 TV channel redesigns, and recent live-action projects Step Aside (Amazon, 2022), Game of Lies (2023, 2026 shoot), The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew (2024 commission, 2026 shoot), and Johannes (co-developed with Latitude Media).

The company's underlying technology is rooted in stop motion animation combined with a distinctive mixed-media visual approach incorporating photography, oil paints, and ephemera, augmented by CGI integration on select projects. Production economics leverage Canadian federal and provincial film tax credits, and Adam Shaheen personally develops and finances projects. Cuppa Coffee serves enterprise broadcasting customers (Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, HBO, CBS, MTV, ABC, Comedy Central), film directors (David Cronenberg), streaming platforms (Amazon), and government/corporate clients (Service Ontario, Liberal Party of Canada, Sesame Street, Holland Bloorview). Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees across animation production, commercial work, title sequence creation, IP licensing/merchandising, and live-action film and limited-series financing and distribution.

The studio has grown from five employees at founding to over 450 within 30 years and is the recipient of more than 150 international TV design and programming awards plus three Gemini Awards. Ownership appears concentrated with founder Adam Shaheen, with no disclosed institutional investors, parent entity, or public listing. Notable gaps include absence of disclosed revenue, headcount trajectory since 2018, employee base for the LA operation specifically, and details of any external capital structure.

Name

Cuppa Coffee

Legal name

Cuppa Coffee Studios

Website

https://cuppacoffee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cuppa Coffee Studios is a Toronto-based animation and production house founded in 1992 by Adam Shaheen, specializing in stop motion animation, live-action film and series, title sequence design, and branding work for major US TV networks, streaming platforms, film directors, and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. TV Series Production: Producing television series for international networks - creating proprietary series and work-for-hire productions for Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, HBO, CBS, MTV, ABC, Comedy Central. Includes leveraging federal and provincial tax credits.
2. Commercial Production: Broadcast design and commercial studio producing commercials for network branding. Over 400 commercials produced.
3. Film Title Sequences: Creating title sequences for feature films, notably long-standing partnership with David Cronenberg for films including eXistenZ, Spider, Eastern Promises, Maps to the Stars, Cosmopolis, and A Dangerous Method.
4. IP Creation and Licensing: Creating and managing original IP with third party merchandising and licensing companies. 10 original series created and 21 series produced.
5. Live Action Film Production and Financing: Executive producing and financing feature films and limited series. Recent projects include Step Aside (teen comedy), Game of Lies (6x1hr limited series), The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew (feature film), and Johannes (bio-pic).
6. Branding and Design Work: Award winning branding work mixing live action and animation for government, healthcare, and corporate clients.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Cuppa Coffee Studios is a Toronto-based animation and production studio producing stop-motion animated television series, live action films and series, title sequences for feature films, and mixed-media branding/commercials. The studio serves as an end-to-end production house developing both proprietary and work-for-hire content for major TV networks (Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, HBO, CBS, MTV, ABC, Comedy Central) and filmmakers (notably David Cronenberg), leveraging federal and provincial tax credits.

Product overview

Cuppa Coffee Studios is a multi-faceted production house offering four core service areas: Animation Series (stop-motion and animated television content), Live Action (film and television production), Titles (title sequence design, notably for David Cronenberg films), and Branding (commercial and branding content mixing live action and animation). Founded in 1992 in Toronto, the studio has grown from 5 employees to over 450 staff, producing over 30 proprietary and work-for-hire television series including Celebrity Deathmatch, Ugly Americans, Glenn Martin DDS, Bruno and the Banana Bunch, and Life's a Zoo.tv. The studio also produces live action content including Step Aside, Game of Lies, Johannes, and The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew, and creates title sequences for David Cronenberg films such as Existenz, Eastern Promises, Maps to the Stars, Cosmopolis, A Dangerous Method, and Spider.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animation Series Proprietary and work-for-hire television series including stop-motion animation, producing animated content for major networks such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, HBO, CBS, MTV, ABC, and Comedy Central.
• Live Action Live action film and television production including teen comedies, dramas, and feature films produced and executive produced by Adam Shaheen.
• Title Sequences Title sequence and credits design for feature films, including a long-standing partnership with director David Cronenberg on films such as eXistenZ, Spider, Eastern Promises, Maps to the Stars, Cosmopolis, and A Dangerous Method.
• Branding and Commercials Award-winning branding and commercial work mixing live action and animation for government agencies, television networks, and corporate clients.
• Celebrity Deathmatch Stop-motion animated series featuring celebrity parodies fighting to the death, originally produced for MTV2 with 16 x 22 minute episodes.
• Glenn Martin DDS Stop-motion animated series produced in partnership with Michael Eisner and Eric Fogel for Nick at Nite, following a dentist and family on cross-country adventures in a toothbrush-topped dental mobile. 40 episodes delivered.
• The Other Side Futuristic police procedural series utilizing hyper-realistic armatured dolls mixed into both live action and CGI worlds.
• Bruno and the Banana Bunch 26 x 11 minute preschool series following a little monkey named Bruno and his animal friends exploring numeracy through imaginative play, with content commitment to Holland Bloorview Children's Rehabilitation Hospital.
• Ugly Americans Animated horror-comedy series for Comedy Central following social worker Mark Lilly helping supernatural creatures adapt to New York City life.
• Life's a Zoo.tv 20 x 22 minute animated comedy featuring animal contestants locked in a mansion competing in reality show-style challenges, with original music videos from indie bands.
• Step Aside Teen comedy mockumentary film satirizing competitive dance, distributed via Amazon streaming, starring Arden Myrin and filmed in Los Angeles with an all-American crew and cast. Executive produced and financed by Adam Shaheen.
• Game of Lies War drama limited series (6 x 1hr) created by Adam Shaheen, with script financed and green-lit for fall 2026 shooting schedule.
• Johannes Feature film bio-pic based on the life of Johannes Gutenberg, co-created with New York based Latitude Media.
• The Thwarting of Baron Bolligrew Feature film adaptation of Academy Award winner Robert Bolt's play, commissioned in 2024 and set to shoot in Los Angeles and Budapest summer 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grew from 5 employees to 450+ in 30 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Latitude MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York based Latitude Media is co-creator and producer with Cuppa Coffee on the bio-pic Johannes, based on the life of Johannes Gutenberg. This is a significant co-development partnership for a feature film project.
• David CronenbergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing creative partnership with legendary film director David Cronenberg. Cuppa Coffee has produced most of his title sequences in recent years including eXistenZ, Spider, Eastern Promises, Maps to the Stars, Cosmopolis, and A Dangerous Method.
• Michael EisnerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormer Disney head Michael Eisner partnered with Cuppa Coffee Studios and Eric Fogel to deliver 40 episodes of Glenn Martin DDS for Nick at Night.
• Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation HospitalminorOthersCuppa Coffee created Bruno and the Banana Bunch animations specifically for Holland Bloorview's ScreenPlay installation - a one-of-a-kind interactive projection wall with pressure-sensitive floor for children of all abilities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WildBrain: WildBrain is a Canadian animation studio and IP owner producing series for major networks (including Teletubbies, Peanuts), directly comparable to Cuppa Coffee as a Canadian-headquartered animation production house serving global networks.
• Titmouse Inc. Titmouse is a Los Angeles-based animation production studio producing series for adult and kids networks (Metalocalypse, Star Trek: Lower Decks), directly comparable as an independent animation production house serving major networks.
• Aardman Animations: Aardman is the world's leading stop-motion animation studio (Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep) and Cuppa Coffee's most direct global competitor in premium stop-motion TV production for major networks and brands.
• Floyd County Productions: Floyd County Productions is an Atlanta-based animation studio best known for producing FX's Archer, directly comparable as an independent animation production house producing long-running series for premium cable networks.
• Laika: Laika is a US-based stop-motion feature film and animation studio (Coraline, Kubo), directly comparable to Cuppa Coffee's stop-motion production capabilities and global prestige positioning in the animation category.
• Guru Studio: Guru Studio is a Toronto-based animation studio (Paw Patrol co-producer, Justin Time), directly comparable as a Canadian-headquartered animation production peer serving global broadcasters with original IP.
• ShadowMachine: ShadowMachine is a US stop-motion and animation production studio (BoJack Horseman, Robot Chicken), directly comparable as a stop-motion and mixed-media production house serving premium network and streaming clients.
• Atomic Cartoons: Atomic Cartoons is a Canadian animation studio (Last Kids on Earth, Corner Gas Animated) producing series for major networks, directly comparable as a Toronto/Vancouver-headquartered stop-motion and CG animation peer.
• Nelvana: Nelvana is a Toronto-based animation studio producing children's content for global broadcasters, directly comparable as a Canada-headquartered animation production peer competing for similar network commissions.

Broad incumbents

• Bento Box Entertainment: Bento Box Entertainment is an Atlanta-based animation studio (Bob's Burgers, The Simpsons) and broader incumbent in adult animation production for major US networks, comparable to Cuppa Coffee's animation series work but at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cuppa-coffee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 Cuppa Coffee