Cafedirect
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.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
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.
Cafedirect firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Cafedirect industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Specialty Food Retailers (4452)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Coffee, Tea & Cocoa Beverage Wholesale (AFAIAGAD)
Keywords
Where Cafedirect is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Cafedirect business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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
Cafedirect product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Cafedirect
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Cafedirect technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cafedirect partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Producers DirectcoreProducers 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 FoundationcoreFairtrade certification ensures farmers receive fair prices and better working conditions. Cafédirect works with Fairtrade certified cooperatives.
- Soil AssociationcoreOrganic certification partner ensuring coffee products meet organic standards.
- Social Enterprise UKcoreMembership organization representing social enterprises in the UK, promoting business as a force for good.
- B Lab UKcoreB Lab UK certifies B Corporations meeting rigorous social and environmental standards. Cafédirect is a certified B Corp.
- Co-opmajorCo-op supermarket stocks and sells Cafédirect Fairtrade coffee products, providing retail distribution in the UK market.
- Grumpy MuleminorAuthorized online retailer for Cafédirect coffee products.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cafedirect competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Cafedirect social profiles
Digital presenceCafedirect financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cafedirect leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Cafedirect subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Cafedirect funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cafedirect M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cafedirect
What does Cafedirect do?
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.
Is Cafedirect a public or private company?
Cafedirect is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Cafedirect founded?
Cafedirect was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cafedirect based?
Cafedirect is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cafedirect make money?
One revenue line is on record: coffee Product Sales.
Who are Cafedirect's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pact Coffee, Percol Coffee, Trade Coffee, Grumpy Mule Coffee, Union Coffee Roasters and Monmouth Coffee. Broad incumbents are Taylors of Harrogate, Matthew Algie Espresso Service, Costa Coffee (The Coca-Cola Company) and Lavazza.
Does Cafedirect have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cafedirect.
What industry is Cafedirect in?
Cafedirect's product category is Specialty Coffee. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFADAC, Coffee Blending & Flavoring, with a secondary code of CRAHAGAI, Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.