CARTE NOIRE

What CARTE NOIRE does

Carte Noire is a French premium coffee brand operated by CARTE NOIRE SAS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Italian Luigi Lavazza S.p.A. group. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, with roasting operations in Lavérune in southern France, the company manufactures and sells roasted coffee across multiple formats: whole beans (grains), ground coffee (moulu), aluminum capsules compatible with Nespresso Original machines, and compostable soft pods (dosettes souples). Products are organized into five collections — Secrets de Nature (rare, climate-resistant varieties), Les Classiques, Les Bios (organic), Les Origines (single-origin from Peru and Honduras), and Cuvée de Caractère (Arabica-Robusta blend) — using 100% Arabica blends sourced from Brazil, Mexico, Honduras, Peru, Ethiopia, and Southeast Asia. It serves French individual consumers seeking premium coffee for home preparation.

The business model centers on a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel through cartenoire.fr, selling coffee, third-party coffee machines (SMEG), and accessories (Bodum). Revenue is generated across three streams: one-time coffee product sales (e.g., 1kg beans at €22.49, capsules at ~€0.36/unit), hardware resale of SMEG machines (€199.99–€699), and recurring subscription programs offering up to 20% discounts on coffee and up to 40% off machines with delivery frequencies of every 2 to 16 weeks. Free delivery applies above €50, and a Carte Noire Plus loyalty program supports post-sale retention. Distribution is exclusively domestic; the website explicitly restricts commercialization to mainland France, excluding Corsica, DROM-COM, and international markets.

Differentiation rests on brand heritage, master-roaster expertise, and sustainability positioning — Rainforest Alliance certification, 1% for the Planet membership, carbon-neutrality claims, compostable pods (EN 13432:2000, TÜV Austria), and biodiversity projects. Marketing runs through a 3-year official partnership with the Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR), social media, influencer collaborations, content marketing, and the loyalty program. The legal entity holds a registered share capital of €103,830,406 (RCS Nanterre 813 978 038), with Lavazza acting as data controller.

Name

CARTE NOIRE

Legal name

CARTE NOIRE SAS

Website

https://cartenoire.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Carte Noire is a French premium coffee brand (Lavazza subsidiary) selling roasted beans, ground coffee, Nespresso-compatible capsules, and pods, plus SMEG machines and accessories, direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and subscriptions to individual consumers in France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Coffee Products

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Single-Serve Coffee (Pods, Capsules) (CRADAHAH), Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing (AFAFADAD)

Keywords

• Roasted coffee beans
• Coffee capsules
• Coffee subscriptions
• Espresso machines
• Organic coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulogne-billancourt

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee Product Sales: Direct sales of roasted coffee products including whole beans, ground coffee, compatible capsules (Nespresso Original), and soft pods to consumers in France through the e-commerce website.
2. Coffee Machine Sales: Sale of coffee machines (SMEG branded) including grinders, filter machines, and espresso machines with steam wand, either standalone or as part of subscription bundles.
3. Subscription Programs: Recurring subscription revenue from coffee delivery programs offering up to 20% discount and machine+coffee bundles offering up to 40% off machines. Customers choose delivery frequency (every 2, 4, 8, 12, or 16 weeks).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CARTE NOIRE manufactures and sells roasted coffee products — whole beans, ground coffee, Nespresso Original-compatible aluminum capsules, and EN 13432-certified compostable soft pods — through its French e-commerce website, complemented by SMEG coffee machines, BODUM accessories, and subscription delivery programs offering up to 20% off coffee and up to 40% off bundled machines. Master roasting is conducted in Lavérune, southern France, and the brand sells exclusively to consumers in France.

Product overview

Carte Noire is a French coffee brand offering a comprehensive coffee portfolio across multiple formats: whole beans (grains), ground coffee (moulu), Nespresso Original-compatible aluminum capsules, and compostable soft pods (dosettes souples). Products are organized into five main collections: Secrets de Nature (rare varieties), Les Classiques (balanced blends), Les Bios (organic), Les Origines (single-origin from Peru, Honduras), and Cuvée de Caractère (premium Arabica-Robusta blend). The brand also offers SMEG-branded coffee machines (bean-to-cup, filter, steam wand versions), BODUM accessories (grinders, French presses, pour-over, mugs), and subscription services with up to 20% discounts. The ecosystem is complemented by the Carte Noire Plus loyalty program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carte Noire Plus: Loyalty programme offering rewards and exclusive benefits for Carte Noire customers.
• Carte Noire Plus

Products and services

• Café en Grains (Whole Coffee Beans) Whole roasted coffee beans in multiple collections and intensity profiles for home grinding and preparation, targeting French home-brewing coffee consumers.
• Café Moulu (Ground Coffee) Pre-ground roasted coffee in several blends and intensity profiles for French consumers using filter or cafetière brewing at home.
• Capsules Compatibles Nespresso Original Aluminum coffee capsules compatible with Nespresso Original machines, available in several intensity levels (e.g., Espresso Classique N°7, Espresso Intense N°9, Ristretto Puissant N°12) for French consumers who own Nespresso Original machines.
• Dosettes Souples (Soft Pods) EN 13432-certified industrial-compostable soft coffee pods in multiple intensity levels for French consumers using soft-pod brewing machines.
• SMEG Bean Coffee Machine SMEG branded bean-to-cup coffee machine with integrated grinder and 19 bar pump pressure, designed for use with Carte Noire whole beans and resold through the Carte Noire e-commerce site.
• SMEG Espresso Machine with Steam Wand SMEG bean-to-cup espresso machine with steam wand for milk frothing, 1350W power and 1.4L water reservoir, resold by Carte Noire for home espresso preparation.
• SMEG Filter Coffee Machine SMEG drip coffee maker with adjustable aroma intensity and 10-cup (1.25L) carafe, resold by Carte Noire for traditional filter coffee preparation.
• SMEG Coffee Grinder SMEG branded coffee bean grinder with retro-chic design sold by Carte Noire as an accessory for grinding whole beans at home.
• SMEG Milk Frother SMEG milk frother sold by Carte Noire for preparing milk-based coffee drinks such as cappuccinos, macchiatos, and lattes.
• Abonnement Café Carte Noire (Coffee Subscription) Recurring subscription service delivering Carte Noire coffee (beans, ground, or compatible capsules) to French consumers on a chosen cadence, with up to 20% discount and free shipping.
• Abonnement Machine + Café (Machine + Coffee Subscription) Combined subscription bundling a SMEG coffee machine (up to 40% off) with recurring Carte Noire coffee deliveries (up to 20% off), requiring a minimum of 8 orders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 20% discount on coffee products with subscription
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner of French Rugby teams for 3 years. Shared values and common commitment. Carte Noire is the official coffee of the French national rugby teams.
• Rainforest AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental certification partnership for sustainable coffee sourcing. Part of Carte Noire's commitment to responsible coffee production.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental commitment where Carte Noire contributes 1% of sales to environmental causes, supporting concrete actions for the planet.
• Linkee Entraide ÉtudianteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable partnership for the 'Solidaires' (Solidarity) coffee line. Redistributes unsold food products to students in need. Partnership with artist DFT for solidarity coffee products.
• SMEGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSMEG manufactures coffee machines (bean grinders, filter machines, espresso machines with steam wand, milk frothers, coffee grinders) that Carte Noire resells through its e-commerce platform, often as part of subscription bundles.
• AccessiwayminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDigital accessibility partner collaborating with CARTE NOIRE SAS for web accessibility compliance (RGAA 4.1.2) and EN 301 549 standards.
• BodumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBodum manufactures coffee accessories (Bistro electric grinders, Chemex filter coffee makers, Java piston coffee presses, Douro mugs, JoyCup travel mugs, Bistro milk frothers) sold through Carte Noire e-commerce.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Carte d'Or (Mondelez): A Mondelez-owned French coffee brand with similar name recognition and long-standing French grocery presence. Competes with Carte Noire at the branded-coffee shelf in French supermarkets and impulse-buy settings, though Carte d'Or leans more value/mass than Carte Noire's premium positioning.
• Segafredo Zanetti: Italian coffee major with multi-category presence (beans, ground, capsules incl. Nespresso-compatible, machines) and broad European distribution, including France. Overlaps with Carte Noire on capsules, beans, and ground coffee categories targeted at premium French consumers.
• Nespresso (Nestle): The original Nespresso Original capsule brand that Carte Noire's capsules are explicitly compatible with. The largest premium coffee-capsule ecosystem globally and Carte Noire's direct reference point; competing for the same French consumer with original-system capsules, machines, and a broader Nespresso Vertuo offering.

Direct peers

• Cafe Royal: Swiss coffee brand producing Nespresso-compatible capsules, coffee pods, and beans, with strong European retail and e-commerce presence. Competes with Carte Noire on capsule format, consumer occasion (espresso at home), and intensity-line architecture.
• Belmoca: Belgian capsule specialist focused almost exclusively on Nespresso-compatible aluminum capsules with a strong D2C and retail distribution in France. Direct competitor on capsule SKUs, intensity ranges, and pod pricing against Carte Noire's capsule line.
• Maison du Cafe: Long-standing French coffee heritage brand, now part of the Hill's / JDE portfolio, selling beans, ground coffee, capsules, and pods across France. Comparable to Carte Noire in French brand heritage, product breadth, and target consumer of premium at-home coffee.
• Lavazza: Carta Noire's parent company (Luigi Lavazza S.p.A.) and a direct competitor in the French coffee market. Lavazza sells its own Nespresso-compatible capsules, beans, and ground coffee in France, with very similar product positioning and an extensive capsule portfolio (A Modo Mio, Espresso Point).
• Malongo: French coffee roaster with a direct-to-consumer model, sustainability positioning (organic, fair trade), and a wide product line of beans, ground, capsules, and machines in France. Closely comparable to Carte Noire in terms of French heritage, premium DTC GTM, and sustainability claims.
• L'OR Espresso (JDE): JDE Peets' premium capsule brand, one of the leading Nespresso-compatible capsule lines in France. L'OR competes head-to-head with Carte Noire on capsules, blends, intensity ranges, and grocery/retail reach, with similar price architecture and machine-bundle offers.

Emerging players

• Terres de Cafe: French specialty coffee roaster with growing DTC and Paris cafe presence, focused on single-origin and high-quality arabicas. Competes for the premium French consumer segment Carte Noire targets, though at a more specialty/boutique positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cartenoire
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cartenoire
• Facebookfacebook.com/cartenoire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carte-noire
• Instagraminstagram.com/cartenoirefr

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 CARTE NOIRE