Cafezal

What Cafezal does

Cafezal S.R.L. is a Milan-based specialty coffee roastery founded in 2017 by Brazilian engineer Carlos Bitencourt and registered in Italy as a società a responsabilità limitata (P.IVA 10181590968). The company operates an integrated specialty coffee platform combining in-house roasting with multi-channel distribution across Milan and an international e-commerce storefront (cafezal.it) supporting 30+ currencies. Its core product range includes whole-bean and ground coffees (priced $17-$41 per bag), Nespresso-compatible capsules ($7-$76), ready-to-drink cold brew in 200ml cans, single-serve drip bags, and curated bundles, all sourced through direct-trade relationships with farmers in Brazil, Ethiopia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda. The technical base is artisan roasting with detailed origin traceability and SCA-style quality scoring rather than proprietary technology, complemented by a Nespresso-compatible capsule product line.

Revenue is generated through six distinct streams: (i) retail coffee and accessory sales across six Milan locations, (ii) e-commerce with international shipping, (iii) recurring subscriptions for coffee bags, capsules, drip bags, and a Smeg machine-bundled subscription starting at €70/month, (iv) HoReCa B2B wholesale including equipment installation, (v) corporate office coffee supply contracts, and (vi) Milano Coffee Academy training programs ranging from €35 home-barista workshops to €700+ private corporate courses. Channel distribution is anchored by six owned physical locations in Milan — the original Brera store (Via Solferino, 2018), the 450-500 sqm Coffee Hub flagship at Viale Premuda (2022), the historic Magenta boutique (2023), Porta Venezia (with in-house bakery), the BiM Bicocca location inside the Pirelli 10 regeneration project, and the Technical Hub for equipment training — augmented by partnerships with Smeg (consumer subscriptions with machine transfer), Gaggia (home barista workshops and machine sales), and Victoria Arduino (HoReCa equipment installations).

The company is privately held by its founder, has 11-50 employees, discloses no institutional investors or external funding, and is preparing its first international expansion with a Lisbon retail location in Chiado planned for H2 2026. The customer base is fragmented across individual specialty coffee consumers, HoReCa, corporate offices, and training cohorts, with no individual customer concentration disclosed. Recognition includes editorial coverage in Vogue Italy, GQ Italia, Gambero Rosso, Vanity Fair, Corriere della Sera, Il Sole 24 Ore, Wallpaper, and the Financial Times.

Name

Cafezal

Legal name

Cafezal S.R.L.

Website

https://cafezal.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cafezal is a Milan-based specialty coffee roastery operating six retail locations, an international e-commerce platform, subscription services, B2B HoReCa and office supply, and the Milano Coffee Academy training brand, sourcing single-origin coffees via direct trade from eight producing countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Single-Serve Coffee (Pods, Capsules) (CRADAHAH)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Single origin coffee beans
• Coffee capsules retail
• Barista training academy
• HoReCa coffee supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee Sales: Sale of specialty coffee beans, capsules, cold brew, and coffee accessories through physical stores and e-commerce platform.
2. Subscription Services: Monthly subscription plans for coffee bags, capsules, drip bags, and Smeg machine subscriptions with included coffee deliveries.
3. Training and Education: Professional barista training courses, workshops, and corporate training programs through Milano Coffee Academy.
4. B2B Wholesale (HoReCa): Specialty coffee supply, equipment setup, training, and support services for hotels, restaurants, and cafes.
5. Office Coffee Supply: Specialty coffee supply and equipment services for corporate offices.
6. Events and Catering: Coffee catering services, equipment rental, and event space rental for corporate and private events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cafezal is a Milan-based specialty coffee roastery that roasts and sells single-origin and blended coffee (beans, Nespresso-compatible capsules, ready-to-drink cold brew, drip bags) sourced via direct trade with farmers in Brazil, Ethiopia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda. Distribution spans 6 retail stores in Milan, a multi-country e-commerce storefront, recurring coffee subscriptions, and B2B wholesale for HoReCa, corporate offices, and events, complemented by barista training through Milano Coffee Academy.

Product overview

Cafezal is a specialty coffee roaster based in Milano, Italy, offering a comprehensive coffee ecosystem. The core product portfolio centers on premium whole bean and ground coffees (Coffee Bags) from single-origin farms globally, complemented by Nespresso-compatible capsules, ready-to-drink Cold Brew, and single-serve Drip Bags. The company operates on a platform model where coffee products form the foundation, supported by add-on categories including Gaggia-branded espresso machines, professional and home brewing accessories (Fellow, Hario, SMEG, Weber), branded merchandise, and curated gift bundles. A key differentiator is the Milano Coffee Academy, offering professional barista certification and hobbyist courses, while Wholesale/B2B services extend the brand into HoReCa and office supply channels. Subscription services (Coffee Bags, Capsules, Drip Bags, Smeg with machine) drive recurring revenue, creating a full lifecycle from farm to cup.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Milano Coffee Academy: Coffee education and training division offering courses for home baristas, professionals, and corporate clients in Milan.

Products and services

• Coffee Bags (Whole Bean and Ground Coffee) Specialty single-origin and blended coffees in whole bean or ground form (espresso, moka, filter, French press), sold in bags typically ranging from 150g to 1kg, sourced directly from farms in Brazil, Ethiopia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda with detailed tasting notes and SCA quality scores. Sold to home consumers via retail stores and the cafezal.it e-commerce storefront, and via B2B wholesale.
• Nespresso-Compatible Coffee Capsules Specialty coffee capsules compatible with Nespresso machines, available in 8-piece and 100-piece packs, featuring single-origin varieties such as Aurora Bio (Ethiopia) and blends such as Garibaldi, plus a Black Lyon decaf option. Sold to home consumers via retail and e-commerce.
• Cold Brew (Ready-to-Drink) Ready-to-drink cold-extracted cold brew in 200ml cans, with zero sugars and no preservatives, featuring chocolate and dried fruit notes from Brazilian origins; available as single cans or in a 10-can pack. Sold to consumers via e-commerce and retail.
• Drip Bags Single-serve drip coffee bags for on-the-go brewing, featuring single-origin coffees such as Harmony (Kenya) and La Leona (Colombia), sold through the e-commerce storefront and available as a subscription line.
• Mate and Chai Beverages Yerba mate and chai products including Prana Chai and Mate Iguazù, offering traditional South American beverage alternatives alongside the core coffee range. Sold through the e-commerce storefront.
• Coffee Subscriptions (Bags, Capsules, Drip Bags, Smeg Machine Bundle) Monthly subscription plans including Coffee Bags Subscription, Capsules Subscription, Drip Bags Subscription, and the Smeg Coffee Subscription (which combines a Smeg coffee machine with monthly coffee deliveries and transfers machine ownership to the customer after 12 months of subscription). Pricing starts from €70 per month with home delivery in Italy.
• Milano Coffee Academy Training Courses Professional and hobbyist coffee education programs offered through Milano Coffee Academy, including Sensory Skills, Latte Art, Espresso, Brewing/Filter Coffee, Roasting foundations, and barista training, plus corporate and private group courses (e.g., Gaggia home barista workshop from $35; Latte Art & Espresso at $158; private group course for 10 people at $700). Delivered at the Technical Hub and Academy locations in Milan for individual students and corporate clients.
• HoReCa Wholesale and Supply (Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes) Specialty coffee supply, equipment setup (Victoria Arduino espresso machines), barista training, and ongoing support services for hotels, restaurants, and cafes. Sold to B2B HoReCa clients via direct sales through the [email protected] channel.
• Corporate Office Coffee Supply Specialty coffee supply, equipment provision, and maintenance services for corporate offices seeking to deliver quality coffee to employees and guests. Sold via direct sales.
• Coffee Catering, Equipment Rental, and Event Services Mobile coffee catering, espresso equipment rental, and event space rental for corporate and private events, leveraging Cafezal's specialty coffee program and trained baristas. Sold via direct sales.
• Gaggia Espresso Machines Specialty partnership offering Gaggia home espresso machines (Gaggia Classic Pro E24 at $641, Gaggia Classic GT at $1,982, Gaggia Espresso Evolution at $221) sold via the e-commerce storefront and bundled with Cafezal Academy home barista workshops.
• Coffee Accessories and Equipment Specialty coffee accessories including Fellow kettles (Stagg EKG Pro, Stagg Raven), Hario brewing kits, Hario Skerton and Weber Workshops Key Mk. II grinders, scales, SMEG espresso machines, AeroPress, Chemex, V60 drippers, Moka pots, and coffee servers. Sold to home consumers via the e-commerce storefront.
• Merchandise and Gift Cards Branded merchandise including espresso cups (from $10), tote bags ($10), t-shirts ($34), hoodies ($61), super cups ($24), and gift cards (from $29.16), sold through the e-commerce storefront.
• Coffee Bundles Pre-configured coffee product bundles such as Coffee Journey Bundle, Turbo Moka Bundle, French Press Starter Bundle, and V60 Prestige Brew Bundle, offering curated product combinations at bundle pricing. Sold through the e-commerce storefront.

Quantifiable outcome

• First specialty coffee roastery in Milan (2018)

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Victoria ArduinocoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment partner for HoReCa installations providing espresso machines. Victoria Arduino is a market leader in design, technology and performance for professional coffee equipment.
• GaggiacoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for home barista workshops and Gaggia machine sales. Cafezal Academy offers workshops teaching home barista skills using Gaggia machines.
• SmegcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmeg Coffee Subscription program combining Smeg coffee machines with monthly Cafezal specialty coffee deliveries. After 12 months of subscription, the machine becomes the customer's property.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pact Coffee: UK-based specialty coffee subscription and wholesale roaster focused on direct trade with farmers. Direct peer in the coffee subscription + B2B wholesale model, with comparable scale and recurring-revenue focus.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: US-founded specialty coffee roaster with a global network of own cafés, e-commerce, subscriptions and direct-trade sourcing. Direct peer in operating model (roastery-cafés + DTC + subscription + HoReCa) at a larger scale, comparable to Cafezal's multi-channel approach.
• % Arabica: Japanese-founded specialty coffee chain expanding internationally with own cafés and a roastery. Direct peer in the roastery-café international expansion model, comparable in design-led positioning to Cafezal.
• Ditta Artigianale: Florence-founded specialty coffee roaster and multi-location café operator in Italy with a comparable direct-trade, third-wave positioning. Direct peer to Cafezal as a similarly sized Italian third-wave roaster running own cafés, subscriptions and training.
• Orso Nero Coffee Lab: Milan-based specialty coffee roaster operating cafés, an academy, and a roasting program with similar third-wave positioning. Direct peer competing for the same Milan specialty consumer and HoReCa account base as Cafezal.

Broad incumbents

• illycaffè: Premium Italian espresso brand with global retail, HoReCa and ESE pod distribution. Comparable as the benchmark premium Italian roaster against which Cafezal positions itself, with overlapping channels (specialty retail, capsules, HoReCa) but a much larger portfolio.
• Lavazza: Italy's largest coffee roaster and a globally dominant espresso brand covering retail capsules, beans, HoReCa and foodservice. Comparable to Cafezal as the most established incumbent in the same Italian coffee category, though operating at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• Nespresso: Global capsule coffee brand owned by Nestlé, dominating single-serve espresso. Comparable because Cafezal produces Nespresso-compatible capsules, putting it in direct channel overlap with Nespresso in the Italian single-serve category.

Emerging players

• Terres de Café: French specialty coffee roaster with cafés, online retail and training programs focused on single-origin transparency. Comparable as a similarly sized European specialty roaster running cafés, e-commerce and education, competing for the same premium European consumer.

Others

• La Marzocco: Italian premium espresso machine manufacturer closely tied to the specialty coffee and HoReCa ecosystem. Comparable as an Italian adjacent/ecosystem player that Cafezal's HoReCa and training business relies on, and whose equipment category Cafezal sells alongside coffee.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cafezal-specialty-coffee

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 Cafezal