Acme Cupco

Name

Acme Cupco

Legal name

Acme Cupco Limited

Website

https://acmecups.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ceramic Tableware (Specialty Coffee Cups, Mugs, Saucers, Plates, Bowls, Cutlery)

NAICS

Pottery, Ceramics, and Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing (32711)

SIC

Pottery & Related Products (3260), Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Porcelain coffee cups
• Specialty coffee cups
• Ceramic tableware
• Porcelain mugs
• Hospitality cutlery

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellington

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Retail Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of porcelain tableware including coffee cups, mugs, saucers, plates, bowls, and cutlery through the acmecups.nz e-commerce platform. Products sold as one-time purchases with individual items or bundles. International shipping available with free NZ shipping over $90.
2. Wholesale/B2B Sales: Wholesale accounts for businesses in New Zealand providing access to wholesale pricing for cafes, restaurants, and other hospitality businesses. Trade sign-up required with proforma invoicing for pre-orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Acme Cupco designs and manufactures premium porcelain tableware, with a core focus on specialty-coffee cups, mugs, saucers, plates, bowls, and stainless-steel cutlery. Products are designed in Wellington, New Zealand and produced in collaboration with porcelain factories in China (Hebei and Guangdong Provinces) and Japan (Maruasa Porcelain Factory in Tajimi). The company sells to consumers directly via its e-commerce website and to businesses through wholesale channels, with international distribution via stockists in 40+ countries.

Product overview

Acme Cupco is a New Zealand-based tableware company offering a diverse portfolio of porcelain products designed primarily for the specialty coffee industry. Their core product lines include the Classic Range (their foundational coffee cup collection with latte art-friendly design), Roman Range (finer, lighter modern espresso cups), Bobby Mug (versatile straight-sided mug), Bibby Cup (elegant teacup inspired by early 20th-century design), Union Mug (nostalgic cafeteria-style mug), Taster Range (stackable professional tasting cups), and Tajimi Collection (Japanese-crafted porcelain drinkware for hot and cold beverages). The company also offers cutlery (Brushed and Polished Stainless), plates & bowls, the B-Range (sustainable imperfect cups), and collaborations including the Collective x Acme Range with Coffee Collective and Acme x Karen Walker Bobby Mugs. All products are designed in Wellington, NZ, and manufactured in China using high-temperature fired durable porcelain. The company emphasizes sustainability, durability, and thoughtful design that earns its place at the table for years to come.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Collective x Acme Range: A collaboration with award-winning Danish coffee roastery Coffee Collective, featuring cups with rounded base, tapered lip, and uniquely designed handle.
• Acme x Karen Walker

Products and services

• Classic Range A core coffee cup range beloved by baristas worldwide, featuring smooth inner gradients perfect for latte art, thick bases, and iconic handles. Available in multiple sizes (Mini 70ml, Small, Tulip, Medium, Large, Mighty, Tall Mighty) and colours. Designed for espresso-based drinks, flat white, cappuccino and other specialty coffee drinks.
• Roman Range A finer, lighter modern porcelain coffee cup collection designed for the modern espresso experience and specialty coffee. Available in Mini (110ml), Small (150ml), Medium (250ml) sizes with matching saucers in multiple colourways (Kokako, Kawakawa, Milk, etc.).
• Bobby Mug A versatile porcelain mug with straight sides and curved base, available in Mini, Medium, and Large sizes. Designed for filter coffee and tea with an easy-hold ergonomic handle.
• Bibby Cup Elegant porcelain teacup inspired by an early 20th-century design, featuring a wide rim for sipping at perfect temperature and a deep centre for heat retention. Available in Milk and Rose colours, also available as a wider rim style.
• Union Mug A nostalgic porcelain mug inspired by Aotearoa's classic cafeteria mug originally made by Crown Lynn Potteries in the 1950s, featuring a small sturdy foot so no saucer is needed. 230ml capacity, available in Dolphin, Kawakawa, Milk, Penguin, Weka, and Whale colourways.
• Taster Range Porcelain tasting cups initially designed for professional coffee tasting but popular in cafes. Space-saving stackability and versatility for cereal, desserts, and hot drinks. Available in Mini, Medium, Tall, and Large sizes.
• Tajimi Collection Japanese-crafted porcelain cups and tumblers made in collaboration with Maruasa Porcelain Factory in Tajimi, Japan. Includes Short Tumblers (240ml), Tall Tumblers (330ml), and Cups (300ml). Matte porcelain construction provides temperature retention for both hot and cold drinks.
• Collective x Acme Range A coffee cup collaboration with award-winning Danish coffee roastery Coffee Collective, featuring cups with rounded base, tapered lip, and a uniquely designed handle. Result of two years of development between Acme and Coffee Collective's coffee industry professionals.
• Greta Cup A modern, simply elegant porcelain teacup ideal for showcasing drinks that are lighter in flavour. A refined addition to Acme's teacup category, available with matching saucer.
• Cutlery Collection Hardened stainless steel cutlery in Brushed Stainless and Mirror Polished finishes. Includes forks, spoons, teaspoons, table knives, cake forks, long spoons, cupping spoons, and 24-piece sets. Compliant with Council of Europe Resolution CM/Res (2020) 9 for food contact materials.
• Plates & Bowls Porcelain plates and bowls extending the Classic and Roman ranges, crafted from durable high-temperature fired porcelain. Available in Small and Large sizes with various colour options.
• B-Range Cups Porcelain cups that don't meet visual standards due to minor blemishes or slight variations in volume, given a second life at coffee festivals to reduce waste. Approximately 5% lighter than commercial-grade cups. Designed for reuse at events to prevent single-use cup waste.
• Acme x Karen Walker Bobby Mug Limited-edition collaboration featuring Bobby mugs in Karen Walker's signature colour palette including Cameo Pink, Macadamia, and Black. Beautifully boxed and ready for gifting. Third range of the Acme-Karen Walker collaboration.
• Acme Branded Merchandise Clothing and branded merchandise including The Generous Tote, The Essential Acme Tote, AeroPress Champs Tote, Acme Larsson Cap, Set the Table Puzzle, and Limited Edition Tea Towel. The Generous Tote supports City Mission Social Supermarket, with essential items donated for every tote sold to fill grocery bags for families in need.

Quantifiable outcome

• Acme cups used in over 40 countries worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• World AeroPress ChampionshipsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016Official ceramics sponsor of the World AeroPress Championships since 2016. A grassroots event open to all that aligns with Acme's inclusive values. Champions those who see their future within hospitality.
• Coffee CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreated in collaboration with award-winning Danish coffee roastery Coffee Collective. The Collective x Acme Range features cups with rounded base, tapered lip, and uniquely designed handle, developed by true coffee industry professionals. Partnership took two years of development.
• Maruasa Porcelain FactorycoreTechnology or IntegrationJapanese porcelain factory in Tajimi run by Matsubara family for over 100 years. Produces Tajimi collection featuring durable high-quality porcelain with temperature retention properties. Represents over a century of ceramics expertise.
• NZ Specialty Coffee AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerProud members for 12 years. Co-owner Megan served 7 years volunteering on the board and 3 years as president. Founder Jeff Kennedy is a lifetime member.
• Nordic Coffee FestflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial sustainability partner. At this festival alone, B Range cups prevent approximately 4,000 single-use cups from becoming waste annually. Cups are borrowed, returned, washed, and reused repeatedly.
• Danish Coffee FestivalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerB Range cups used at festival to reduce single-use waste. Products donated for festival reuse rather than going to landfill.
• The Barista LeagueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner providing B Range cups to reduce single-use waste at events.
• Lexus New ZealandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Lexus New Zealand for the Lexus Design Awards. Acme mentors and supports emerging designers from Aotearoa as part of this partnership.
• Karen WalkercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird collection collaboration featuring limited-edition Bobby mugs in Karen Walker's color palette. Products boxed and ready for gifting. Third range of collaboration.
• City Mission Social SupermarketminorOthersFor every Generous Tote sold, Acme donates essential items to help fill a grocery bag for the City Mission Social Supermarket. Supports people and whanau across Wellington region who need extra help.
• European Coffee FestivalscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnerships with local coffee festivals across Europe to cut down on single-use waste. Donate B Range products that didn't meet visual standards for reuse at events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mud Australia: Australian porcelain tableware maker producing handcrafted mugs, bowls, plates, and serveware sold DTC and through global design stockists. Highly comparable in product, premium DTC positioning, and APAC/AU/NZ regional overlap with Acme.
• Robert Gordon Australia: Australian family-owned ceramics brand making mugs, dinnerware, and serveware for hospitality and home. Comparable to Acme in target customer (cafes, restaurants, home), material (high-fired porcelain/stoneware), and design-led brand positioning.
• Kinto: Japanese tableware and drinkware brand selling porcelain cups, tumblers, and tableware through design retailers and DTC worldwide. Closely comparable to Acme in material, aesthetic, and the coffee-and-tea serving accessory category, with similar premium price points.
• East Fork: US-based DTC ceramic tableware brand selling mugs, dinnerware, and serveware direct-to-consumer with strong brand storytelling. Closely comparable to Acme in go-to-market (DTC-first, design-led), customer (design-conscious home and hospitality buyers), and product mix (ceramic mugs, plates, bowls).
• Loveramics: Hong Kong-based ceramics brand that designs and sells specialty coffee cups, saucers, and tableware directly to cafes and home users globally. Direct competitor to Acme in the barista-grade porcelain cup category, often stocked side-by-side in specialty coffee shops.
• Heath Ceramics: California-based premium ceramic tableware manufacturer with showrooms and DTC sales of dinnerware, serveware, and tiles. Highly comparable to Acme in handcrafted-at-scale porcelain/durable ceramics positioning, premium pricing, and hospitality/restaurant customer segment.
• Hasami Porcelain: Japanese porcelain tableware brand known for minimalist, stackable mugs, bowls, and plates sold through design retailers and DTC. Comparable to Acme in material (porcelain), aesthetic (modern minimalist), distribution (design-led stockists globally), and price point.

Broad incumbents

• Fellow: US-based specialty coffee equipment brand (kettles, grinders, brew gear) with strong DTC brand and barista community. Adjacent rather than directly competitive: serves the same specialty coffee customer and cafe channel as Acme but focuses on equipment rather than ceramic serveware.
• Hario: Japanese manufacturer of specialty coffee equipment (V60 drippers, servers, scales, kettles) and heat-resistant glassware. Comparable to Acme in the specialty coffee professional/hobbyist channel and in Japanese craft manufacturing heritage, but with a much broader product range spanning equipment rather than ceramics.

Regional players

• Crown Lynn: Iconic New Zealand ceramics brand historically producing mugs, dinnerware, and tableware; Acme's Union Mug range is a direct homage to Crown Lynn's 1950s cafeteria mug. Comparable in product category and NZ market presence, but a different era and broader mass-market positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acmeandco
• Facebookfacebook.com/ACMEANDCO
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acme-cupco

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Acme Cupco