Cafedirect

What Cafedirect does

Cafédirect is a UK-based fair trade coffee company founded in 1991/1992 and structured as Cafedirect Plc, a public limited company registered in Scotland whose shares trade on the JP Jenkins matching platform under ticker CDR rather than on a recognised exchange. The company sources coffee directly from smallholder farmer cooperatives across Latin America and East Africa, including the Frontera, La Prosperidad de Chirinos, Union de Ejidos San Fernando, Norandino, and Gumutindo cooperatives, and operates a roastery in Meltham alongside general offices in London and a registered headquarters in Edinburgh.

The product line centres on single origin and blended coffees sold primarily through the company's own e-commerce storefront at cafedirect.co.uk, complemented by third-party distribution via the Grumpy Mule online shop and Co-op supermarkets across the UK market. The company is B Corp certified and holds Fairtrade and organic certifications, and it stands out for an unusual governance model in which producer cooperatives from countries including Kenya, Peru, and Tanzania hold shares and board representation, a structure reinforced by a Guardian Share arrangement designed to preserve the fair trade mission.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time sales of roasted coffee products at premium ethical-sourcing price points, with no disclosed pricing model, subscription tier, or recurring revenue mechanism in the source data. The business is supported by a wholly-owned sister charity, Producers Direct, established in 2009 to deliver farmer-led services across East Africa and Latin America and reported as reaching over one million smallholders, and by a 2014 acquisition of Kopi that extended the specialty coffee range.

Name

Cafedirect

Legal name

Cafedirect Plc

Website

https://cafedirect.co.uk

Company type

Public

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cafédirect is a UK fair trade coffee company that sources single origin and blended coffees directly from smallholder farmer cooperatives and sells them to UK conscious consumers through its e-commerce site, Co-op supermarkets, and third-party retailers, supported by a wholly-owned farmer-support charity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Specialty Food Retailers (4452)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAFADAC

Coffee Blending & Flavoring

Agriculture & Food Production/Beverage Production/Coffee & Tea Processing (Roasting, Blending, RTD)

SECONDARYCRAHAGAI

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

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Specialty Food Stores (Deli, Cheese, Gourmet, Bakery)

SECONDARYAFAIAGAD

Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Distribution & Wholesale/Beverage Wholesale (Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic)

Keywords

• Fair trade coffee
• Single origin coffee
• Specialty coffee
• Ethical sourcing
• Direct trade coffee

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coffee Product Sales: Cafédirect generates revenue through the sale of roasted coffee products directly to consumers via its e-commerce website and through third-party retail partnerships. The company specializes in single origin and blended coffee offerings, sourced directly from farmer cooperatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cafédirect sources, roasts, and sells fair trade coffee products directly from farmer cooperatives to UK consumers. Its core offerings include single origin coffees reflecting specific regional terroir and a broader all-collections range of blends and origins, distributed through its own e-commerce site, third-party retailers, and UK supermarket partnerships.

Product overview

Cafedirect operates as a coffee company offering two primary product lines: Single Origin coffees sourced directly from specific growing regions, and an All Collections range comprising the full coffee portfolio. The company focuses on direct relationships with coffee farmers, fair trade practices, and sustainable sourcing. Additional offerings include educational content through brewing guides, equipment guides, and a 'Building Better Business' podcast series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single Origin Coffee Range
• All Collections Coffee Range The complete portfolio of Cafédirect coffee products available for purchase, including blends and single origins, sold to UK consumers through the Cafédirect e-commerce site and third-party retailers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Living income goal by 2030
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Producers DirectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Producers Direct is a charity set up by Cafédirect in 2009 to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. The organization is led by farmers to design solutions to challenges faced by smallholder farmers worldwide, and has improved livelihoods for over 1 million farmers across East Africa and Latin America.
• Fairtrade FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFairtrade certification ensures farmers receive fair prices and better working conditions. Cafédirect works with Fairtrade certified cooperatives.
• Soil AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganic certification partner ensuring coffee products meet organic standards.
• Social Enterprise UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership organization representing social enterprises in the UK, promoting business as a force for good.
• B Lab UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerB Lab UK certifies B Corporations meeting rigorous social and environmental standards. Cafédirect is a certified B Corp.
• Co-opmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-op supermarket stocks and sells Cafédirect Fairtrade coffee products, providing retail distribution in the UK market.
• Grumpy MuleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized online retailer for Cafédirect coffee products.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Pact Coffee: UK direct-to-consumer specialty coffee company focused on freshly roasted, traceable beans delivered to subscribers; comparable in D2C model, single-origin focus, and UK conscious-consumer target.
• Percol Coffee: UK fair trade and organic coffee brand sold through grocery and online; comparable in ethical/fair trade positioning, UK retail distribution, and single-origin product mix.
• Trade Coffee: UK-founded direct-to-consumer specialty coffee subscription business; comparable in D2C subscription model, curated roaster marketplace, and UK/US consumer focus.
• Grumpy Mule Coffee: UK specialty coffee roaster and Cafedirect's online retail partner; comparable as a small UK direct-to-consumer roaster selling single origin and ethically sourced beans to conscious UK consumers.
• Union Coffee Roasters: UK specialty coffee roaster selling single origin and blended coffee direct to consumers and through grocery; closely comparable in product mix, UK D2C focus, and ethical positioning.
• Monmouth Coffee: UK specialty coffee roaster and retailer with strong direct trade sourcing and London cafe presence; comparable in single-origin focus and quality-led ethical positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Taylors of Harrogate: Established UK mainstream coffee and tea brand with significant grocery presence and Fairtrade lines; broader incumbent competing for similar UK grocery shelf space with overlapping ethical credentials.
• Matthew Algie Espresso Service: UK coffee roaster focused on foodservice and out-of-home channels; broader incumbent with comparable roasting capability and UK scale, though primarily B2B.
• Costa Coffee (The Coca-Cola Company): UK's largest coffee chain and branded coffee roaster owned by Coca-Cola; broader incumbent shaping UK coffee category expectations and competing in retail packaged coffee.
• Lavazza: Global Italian coffee roaster and brand with UK presence across retail and foodservice; broader incumbent providing direct competitive pressure on price and shelf in mainstream and premium tiers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cafedirect
• Facebookfacebook.com/cafedirect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/89451
• Instagraminstagram.com/cafedirect

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cafedirect