What Coffee#1 does

Coffee#1 is a UK-based specialty coffee shop chain founded in 2001, operating 118 wholly-owned retail locations (no franchise model) across Wales, the Southwest, the South Coast, and parts of the Midlands. As of H1 2023/24, it ranked as the 4th largest coffee shop brand in the UK, employing approximately 1,000 staff and serving over 250,000 customers per week. Its positioning differentiates from competitors through comfort-led store design (soft furnishings, signature Chesterfields, custom Rob Amos murals depicting local history) and a 'time out' rather than grab-and-go experience. Core menu offerings include hand-crafted espresso-based beverages, plant-based milk alternatives, breakfast items, paninis, cakes, and rotating seasonal single-origin coffees.

The company's technology stack centers on the Coffee#1 mobile loyalty app, which drives 28% of all transactions via a 10-stamp-equals-free-drink mechanic, in-app payment card linking, and Click & Collect ordering. Supplementary digital products include physical gift cards (minimum £5 top-up, 18-month validity) and discount modules targeting students and NHS/healthcare workers through Health Service Discounts integration. Operationally, the company has built a Training Academy, a relaunched Store Manager development program, and the #1Flex flexible working platform (powered by Limber) for shift management. Delivery is enabled through an UberEats partnership live at 82 of 118 locations.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through in-store food and beverage transactions, with peak weekly sales of £1.37M recorded in December 2023. Half-year sales (June-November 2023) reached £29.5M, representing 18.8% year-over-year growth and 8.7% like-for-like growth, with the company trading at 120% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels during the Christmas period. The business is privately held and entirely self-funded — no external venture or private equity capital has been disclosed — with growth financed through operational cash flow and organic new store openings.

Name

Coffee#1

Legal name

Coffee #1 Limited

Website

https://coffee1.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Coffee#1 is a UK-based specialty coffee shop chain operating 118 wholly-owned stores across Wales, the Southwest, the South Coast, and the Midlands, serving 250,000+ weekly customers with hand-crafted beverages, food, and seasonal single-origin coffees via a loyalty app-driven retail model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Shop Chain

NAICS

Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee chain
• Coffee shop retail
• Mobile loyalty program
• Gift card services
• Food and beverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. In-store Food & Beverage Sales: Sale of coffee drinks, food items, and seasonal products at company-owned retail locations across the UK
2. Gift Cards: Gift cards sold in-store with minimum £5 top-up, no maximum limit, valid for 18 months
3. Delivery via Uber Eats: Delivery partnership with Uber Eats at 82 locations, generating incremental revenue from home deliveries

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Coffee#1 operates a chain of more than 118 company-owned retail coffee shops across Wales, the Southwest, the South Coast and the Midlands, serving hand-crafted specialty coffee, food (baps, toasties, paninis, wraps, pastries, cakes, breakfast items), and seasonal beverages in a comfortable, community-focused setting. The retail offering is supported by a proprietary mobile loyalty app with stamp-based rewards, gift cards sold in-store, and home delivery through an Uber Eats partnership at 82 locations.

Product overview

Coffee#1 is a UK-based coffee shop chain operating as a single unified retail brand, not a multi-product platform. The core offering centers on brick-and-mortar coffee shops serving hand-crafted beverages and food, complemented by a digital loyalty ecosystem centered on the Coffee#1 App. The product portfolio includes physical store locations with in-store dining, the Coffee#1 Loyalty App for stamp-based rewards and mobile payment, Gift Cards for gifting, and supplementary discount programs (#1 Student Discount, Health Service Discount). The #1Flex flexible working module operates through Limber for staff scheduling. Seasonal Menus and the Take Five news hub provide content marketing and seasonal product promotion. The company operates 118+ stores across Wales, Southwest, South Coast, and Midlands regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coffee#1 Loyalty App Mobile loyalty application for iOS and Android enabling customers to earn stamps on each barista-made drink purchase (10 stamps = 1 free drink), collect bonus stamps, redeem exclusive promotional codes (e.g., new customer, student, healthcare, birthday and Refer-a-Friend vouchers), order ahead via Click & Collect, and make in-app payments. Targeted at individual consumers visiting Coffee#1 retail stores.
• Coffee#1 Gift Cards Physical gift cards sold in-store at Coffee#1 locations, redeemable in full or part payment for purchases at any Coffee#1 Ltd. store. Minimum top-up of £5, no maximum limit, valid for 18 months from the date of balance load. Available to individual consumers and gift purchasers.
• Coffee#1 Food Menu Core in-store food menu including savory items (baps, toasties, paninis, wraps), pastries, cakes, snacks, porridge and yogurt/granola options, served alongside full nutritional and allergen information. Sold to individual consumers at all Coffee#1 retail locations.
• Coffee#1 Drinks Menu Core in-store beverage menu including house-blend coffees, specialty drinks, hot chocolate, teas, smoothies and bottled drinks, with plant-based milk alternatives (soya, oat, coconut) available. Sold to individual consumers at Coffee#1 retail locations and via the Click & Collect mobile app.
• Coffee#1 Seasonal Menu Rotating limited-time seasonal food and beverage offerings including specialty coffees, iced beverages, seasonal cakes and savory items, refreshed periodically throughout the year. Sold to individual consumers at Coffee#1 retail locations.
• Coffee#1 Colombian Seasonal Coffee Seasonal single-origin Colombian coffee sourced from the Antioquia/Salgar region with flavor notes of green apple, pear, caramel and a hint of liquorice; Rainforest Alliance certified. Sold to individual consumers at Coffee#1 retail locations as part of the rotating seasonal coffee range.

Quantifiable outcome

• 118 stores, making it the 4th largest coffee shop brand in the UK
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Maybe (Southwest Mental Health Charity)coreOthers · 1 January 2024Current charity partnership with independent mental health charity supporting adults and children. Coffee#1 dedicates in-store fundraising activities to Maybe and supports team well-being. Maybe matches clients to therapists offering suitable therapy styles including Psychotherapy and Art therapy.
• Uber EatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 February 2023Delivery partnership enabling Coffee#1 customers to order barista-made coffee and food for home delivery. Successfully rolled out at 82 locations following a pilot period, increasing the brand's availability through delivery.
• Health Service DiscountscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Healthcare worker discount program enabling NHS and healthcare sector workers to claim 15% off drinks and food via the Health Service Discounts website with promo codes applied through the Coffee#1 app.
• SamaritansminorOthers · 1 January 2019Previous 2-year charity partnership (2019-2021) to combat mental health issues in the workplace and wider community. Included Brew Monday fundraising initiatives and workplace well-being programs for Coffee#1 teams.
• RNLI (Yellow Welly Campaign)minorOthers · 1 August 2018Previous charity partnership where proceeds from Gingerbread Man sales (August-October 2018) were donated to RNLI's Yellow Welly Campaign for saving lives at sea and water safety education. Raised £7,624.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AMT Coffee: UK specialty coffee chain with strong transport-hub and city-center presence. Comparable to Coffee#1 in independently-owned positioning, premium coffee credentials and high-street/commuter targeting.
• Black Sheep Coffee: UK specialty coffee chain (~70 stores) with a strong barista and specialty-coffee positioning. Comparable to Coffee#1 in third-wave coffee credentials, urban/suburban store formats and digital loyalty approach.
• Caffè Nero: UK-founded Italian-style coffee chain with ~700+ UK stores. Closest direct competitor to Coffee#1 in terms of size tier, premium positioning, loyalty program (Nero Card) and store format targeting neighborhood and high-street locations.
• 200 Degrees Coffee: Mid-sized UK specialty coffee roaster and chain (~25 stores) headquartered in Nottingham. Comparable regional coffee chain with similar premium positioning, in-house roasting and neighborhood café format; potential direct competitor as Coffee#1 expands into the Midlands.
• Costa Coffee: The UK's largest coffee chain with 2,400+ stores. Directly comparable to Coffee#1 as a UK high-street coffee chain serving similar customers with barista-made drinks, food and loyalty programs; both compete for the same retail pitches and consumer occasions.
• Boston Tea Party: UK independent specialty coffee chain (~30+ stores) operating primarily in the Southwest and Bristol region. Highly comparable to Coffee#1 in premium positioning, regional Southwest focus, comfort-led interiors and focus on ethical sourcing.
• Starbucks UK: Global coffee chain operating ~1,000 stores in the UK. Direct competitor to Coffee#1 in the branded coffee shop category with comparable product range, loyalty app (Starbucks Rewards) and high-street retail presence.

Emerging players

• Harris + Hoole: UK specialty coffee chain (Tesco-backed) focused on fresh, ethical coffee in neighborhood locations. Comparable in mid-market premium positioning and café experience but smaller scale and weaker brand recognition than Coffee#1.
• Greggs: UK bakery-on-the-go chain with 2,500+ stores increasingly competing in the value coffee and breakfast occasion. Not a direct barista competitor but competes for the same daily morning coffee spend, particularly with price-sensitive customers.

Broad incumbents

• Pret a Manger: UK sandwich and coffee chain with ~400+ UK stores and a strong subscription (Club Pret) offering. Overlaps with Coffee#1 in morning coffee and food occasions; broader food-led menu and value subscription model differentiate it.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coffeenumber1
• Facebookfacebook.com/coffeenumber1
• Instagraminstagram.com/coffeenumber1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coffee-1-ltd-

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 Coffee#1