What Clifton Coffee Roasters does

Clifton Coffee Roasters is a UK-based specialty coffee roaster and wholesale distributor founded in 2001 by James Fisher in Bristol. The company sources 90% of its coffee volume directly from origin through long-term partnerships (notably the E1 Project, launched in 2015 with Ricardo Lima's family in El Salvador, and additional relationships with COMUCAP in Honduras, Fazenda Pinhal in Brazil, and El Diviso in Colombia), paying producers an average 140% above Fairtrade prices. It operates an in-house production roastery (invested in 2013), the UK's only SCA Premier Training Campus outside London, and a diversified product portfolio spanning house espressos, single origins, capsules, tea and hot chocolate, branded merchandise, and professional and home brewing equipment distributed from brands including La Marzocco, Mahlkönig, Ceado, Modbar, and Fellow. Clifton serves three primary customer segments: individual home enthusiasts via a Shopify e-commerce store with subscription programmes (House Coffee at 20% savings, Single Origin, Office, and Capsules), independent specialty coffee shops and multi-site operators via wholesale field sales with free barista training and 50% SCA course discounts, and high-end hospitality venues including Michelin-starred restaurants and 5-star hotels. Revenue is generated across six streams: D2C coffee sales, recurring subscriptions, wholesale coffee supply, SCA-certified and home barista training courses, consumer equipment and merchandise, and wholesale equipment distribution. The company is privately held, B Corp certified since 2023, and operates with a headcount of 11-50 employees from its Bristol headquarters at Island Trade Park, Avonmouth.

Name

Clifton Coffee Roasters

Legal name

Clifton Coffee Roasters UK

Website

https://cliftoncoffee.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clifton Coffee Roasters is a UK specialty coffee roaster founded in 2001 in Bristol, sourcing 90% directly from origin and supplying wholesale coffee, equipment, and SCA-certified training to independent coffee shops, Michelin-starred restaurants, 5-star hotels, and home consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Direct trade coffee sourcing
• SCA certified barista training
• Specialty coffee equipment distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Coffee Sales: Online sales of specialty coffee through the e-commerce storefront. Products include house coffees, single origin coffees, Clifton capsules, and the Unparalleled Series. Coffee is roasted daily in-house and shipped to customers across the UK.
2. Subscription Revenue: Recurring subscription revenue from House Coffee Subscription (20% savings), Single Origin Subscription (monthly rotating exclusive coffees), Clifton Capsules Subscription, and Office Subscription (25% discount on house coffee for offices consuming 4-10kg/month).
3. Wholesale Coffee Supply: Wholesale coffee supply to independent specialty coffee shops, restaurants, and hotels. 90% of coffee volume sourced directly from origin. Wholesale customers receive free barista support training and discounted SCA course access.
4. Education and Training: Revenue from SCA-certified courses (Barista Skills Foundation £300, Intermediate £550, Professional £800; Brewing Foundation/Intermediate/Professional) and Home Barista Course (£85). All wholesale customers entitled to free Barista Support Training.
5. Brewing Equipment and Merchandise: Sales of home brewing equipment (V60, Fellow, AeroPress, Mahlkonig grinders, La Marzocco machines) and branded merchandise (tumblers, mugs, t-shirts, tote bags, coffee storage tins) through the online store.
6. Wholesale Equipment Distribution: Distribution of professional coffee equipment including La Marzocco espresso machines, Mahlkonig grinders, Ceado equipment, Modbar, Marco, and PUQPress to wholesale partners. Equipment is sourced from industry leading manufacturers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Clifton Coffee Roasters is a UK-based specialty coffee roaster that sources 90% of its green coffee directly from origin, roasts in-house daily at its Bristol roastery, and supplies roasted coffee via direct-to-consumer e-commerce/subscriptions, wholesale partnerships to independent coffee shops, restaurants and hotels, and SCA-certified barista/brewing education at its SCA Premier Training Campus. It also distributes professional and home brewing equipment from manufacturers including La Marzocco, Mahlkönig, Ceado, Fellow, and Hario.

Product overview

Clifton Coffee Roasters is a UK-based specialty coffee roaster and e-commerce company offering a comprehensive coffee ecosystem. Their product portfolio spans multiple categories: (1) Core coffee products including house espressos (Suspension, Village Organic, E1 Project, Cadence), filter coffees, single origins, capsules, and the Unparalleled Series of rare micro-lots; (2) Tea and hot chocolate beverages including Clifton Matcha, Chai, and Single Origin Hot Chocolate; (3) Professional and home brewing equipment including La Marzocco espresso machines, Mahlkonig grinders, and accessories from brands like Fellow, Hario, AeroPress, and Ceado; (4) Subscription services for single origin, house coffee, capsules, and office use with savings of 20-25%; (5) SCA-certified education and training programs at their Premier Training Campus; (6) B2B wholesale partnerships including coffee supply, equipment, and technical support; (7) Merchandise including apparel, drinkware, and accessories. Founded in 2001, they roast and ship specialty coffee daily from their Bristol HQ, with 90% of coffee sourced directly from origin through their own relationships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Clifton Capsules: Coffee capsules compatible with Original Nespresso machines
• Unparalleled Series
• E1 Project
• Origin Films

Products and services

• Suspension Espresso A well-balanced house espresso roasted in-house at Bristol, sourced from Fazenda Pinhal in Brazil; sold to wholesale partners and direct-to-consumer customers in 250g and 2kg formats.
• Village Organic Espresso Single-origin organic house espresso from the COMUCAP cooperative in La Paz, Honduras; primary house espresso for wholesale and consumer customers.
• E1 Project Espresso Direct-trade espresso from Ahuachapán, El Salvador; flagship of Clifton's direct-origin sourcing model and sold to wholesale and consumer customers.
• Cadence Espresso Single-origin espresso from Nestor Lasso at El Diviso farm in Huilla, Colombia, processed using thermal shock and anaerobic fermentation.
• House Filter Coffee Filter roast coffee from Zambia at 2200 masl with notes of pecan, toffee apple, and milk chocolate; available via subscriptions and one-off orders.
• Sugarcane Decaf Decaf espresso from Nicaragua processed using sugarcane EA method, produced by Pedro Gabarra Teixeira.
• Clifton Capsules Roasted coffee capsules compatible with Original Nespresso machines, available in regular and decaf varieties.
• Single Origin Coffee Rotating selection of single-origin specialty coffees sourced globally from direct-trade producer partners.
• Unparalleled Series Limited-availability collection of rare single-origin coffees showcasing sought-after producers and unique processing methods.
• Clifton Matcha Ceremonial-grade matcha in 100g packaging, sold alongside coffee range.
• Clifton Chai Spiced organic black tea concentrate sold alongside coffee range.
• Single Origin Hot Chocolate 500g single-origin hot chocolate mix sold alongside coffee range.
• La Marzocco Linea Micra Home Espresso Machine Premium home espresso machine distributed by Clifton Coffee, priced at £2,940 and bundled with a 1-year coffee subscription.
• La Marzocco Commercial Espresso Machines Range of La Marzocco professional espresso machines (KB90, Linea PB, GS3, Linea Mini) distributed to wholesale partners and home users.
• Mahlkönig Coffee Grinders Range of Mahlkönig grinders (EK43, EK43 S, EK Omnia, E80s GbW, E65s GbW) distributed to wholesale partners and home users.
• Home Brewing Equipment Range Home brewing equipment distributed by Clifton Coffee including Fellow Atmos, Fellow Aiden Brewer, Fellow Stagg X Pour Over Set, Hario V60 Switch, Timemore Basic 2.0 Scales, Subminimal Subscale, Subminimal Flick WDT Pen, Ceado Hoop, Origami Air Dripper, AeroPress, and Hario Mini Mill Grinder.
• Coffee Storage Tin Clifton Coffee branded airtight metal coffee storage container in Black and Grey finishes, free with first House Subscription order.
• House Coffee Subscription Monthly subscription delivering house espresso, filter and decaf coffees with 20% savings and a free coffee tin on the first order.
• Single Origin Subscription Monthly subscription delivering exclusive subscriber-only single-origin coffees with brewing videos and origin insights, starting from £10 per delivery.
• Office Subscription Subscription service for small offices consuming 4-10kg of coffee per month, with 25% off house coffee and 10% off single origins, flexible pause/reschedule/cancel management.
• Clifton Capsules Subscription Recurring delivery of Clifton Coffee capsules for Nespresso-compatible machines with 20% subscription savings.
• Home Barista Course 2-hour in-person barista course at the Bristol SCA Premier Training Campus covering espresso recipes, grinder adjustments, puck preparation, extraction, and milk texturing; £85 per person.
• SCA Certified Training Courses SCA-certified Barista Skills and Brewing courses at the UK's only SCA Premier Training Campus outside London; Foundation £300, Intermediate £550, Professional £800; wholesale partners receive 50% discount.
• Wholesale Partnership Programme B2B coffee supply and equipment partnership for cafes, restaurants and hotels, including coffee supply, free barista training, equipment solutions, and technical support.
• Clifton Coffee Merchandise Branded merchandise including Graphic Organic T-Shirts, Organic Tote Bags, MiiR x Clifton Coffee tumblers and camp mugs, Barista Towel, and Indy Coffee Guide South No. 9.
• Digital Gift Card Digital gift cards in denominations of £15, £20, £35, £50, £100, £200, and £500, valid for 12 months across the Clifton Coffee online store.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140% higher than Fairtrade prices paid to producing farmers on average through direct-trade relationships
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• La MarzoccocoreTechnology or IntegrationIndustry-leading espresso machine manufacturer. Clifton Coffee distributes La Marzocco equipment (KB90, Linea PB, GS3, Linea Mini, Linea Micra) to wholesale partners and consumers. The Linea Micra (£2,940) is offered with a free 1-year coffee subscription as a bundle deal.
• MahlkönigcoreTechnology or IntegrationPremium coffee grinder manufacturer. Clifton Coffee stocks and distributes Mahlkönig products (EK43, EK43 S, EK Omnia, E65s GbW, E80s GbW) through their wholesale equipment catalogue.
• CeadocoreTechnology or IntegrationItalian coffee equipment manufacturer. Clifton Coffee distributes Ceado products including the Ceado Hoop (radial infusion brewer, winner of Best New Product Award) and Ceado Hoop Filter Papers.
• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal unified organization for specialty coffee professionals. Clifton Coffee operates the UK's only SCA Premier Training Campus, delivering authorized SCA-certified courses (Barista Skills, Brewing, Sensory Skills). Wholesale partners receive 50% discount on SCA courses.
• MiiRminorOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerDrinkware and hydration products manufacturer. Clifton Coffee collaborated with MiiR on branded tumblers (8oz Black Tumbler £22, 8oz Camp Mug Pink £21.50, 12oz Camp Mug Cream £24), sold through the online store.
• Zara Lily McDermottminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIllustrator and artist. Collaborated with Clifton Coffee on branded merchandise including Graphic Organic T-Shirts (£25) and Organic Tote Bags (£12.50), featuring illustrations celebrating Bristol's culture and iconic landmarks.
• Ricardo Lima and Family (El Salvador)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding direct-trade partner for the E1 Project (launched 2015). Ricardo Lima and family are pioneers in sustainable specialty coffee in El Salvador, working with local communities. This partnership became the foundation of Clifton's sourcing program.
• COMUCAP Cooperative (Coordinadora de Mujeres Campesinas de La Paz)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative of 200 female farmers in La Paz, Honduras. Produces Village Organic coffee through sustainable, fair trade practices. Clifton Coffee's newly developed organic supply chain partner, showcasing the farmers through marketing and origin films.
• Fazenda Pinhal / Gabarra Family (Brazil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-run 914-hectare coffee farm in Sul De Minas, Brazil. Grows Mundo Novo variety using pulped natural processing. Committed to sustainability with The Wings Project (bird rehabilitation), 100% solar energy, and 40%+ of farm reserved for natural ecosystems. Supplier of Suspension Espresso.
• Nestor Lasso / El Diviso Farm (Colombia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-generation coffee producer on an 18ha farm in Pitalito, Huilla, Colombia. Produces Cadence Espresso using thermal shock washed processing and anaerobic fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. Farm has 2ha of preserved forest.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Square Mile Coffee Roasters: London-based specialty coffee roaster focused on wholesale supply to independent cafes and direct-to-consumer sales, with strong emphasis on quality and education. Direct UK competitor with overlapping wholesale, D2C, and training business.
• Monmouth Coffee: Iconic London specialty roaster serving wholesale accounts and operating its own cafes with a strong direct-trade reputation. Closely comparable in positioning (specialty, direct-trade, hospitality-grade) and similar multi-revenue model.
• Pact Coffee: UK specialty roaster focused on direct-to-consumer subscriptions and B2B office supply, with direct-trade sourcing. Comparable subscription architecture (especially the Office subscription) and overlapping target segments.
• Hasbean Coffee: Staffordshire-based specialty micro-roaster focused on single-origin D2C e-commerce with strong direct-trade relationships. Comparable in single-origin catalog depth, D2C-first approach, and origin storytelling.
• Ozone Coffee Roasters: UK specialty roaster with New Zealand roots operating wholesale, cafes, and education programs including SCA training. Comparable vertical integration across roasting, training, and hospitality supply.
• Dark Woods Coffee: Yorkshire-based specialty roaster serving wholesale accounts and D2C with a focus on direct trade and quality. Similar UK specialty wholesale + D2C + subscription profile to Clifton.
• Extract Coffee Roasters: Bristol-based specialty coffee roaster serving wholesale and D2C with direct-trade sourcing. Same city as Clifton, making it the most direct local competitor with overlapping wholesale and e-commerce motions.
• Origin Coffee: Cornwall-based specialty roaster serving wholesale and hospitality with SCA-aligned training. Direct competitor in UK specialty wholesale, hospitality, and education categories.

Broad incumbents

• Allpress Espresso: New Zealand-founded specialty roaster with established UK wholesale and cafe operations. Larger and broader portfolio player than Clifton but overlapping on wholesale supply and equipment partnerships.
• Caravan Coffee: UK specialty operator with restaurant, roastery, and wholesale arms (part of Caravan group). Comparable wholesale/coffee-shop vertical integration and London/UK hospitality positioning, but at broader scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cliftoncoffee
• Facebookfacebook.com/cliftoncoffeeroasters
• Instagraminstagram.com/cliftoncoffee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/clifton-coffee-company-limited

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Clifton Coffee Roasters