Code Black Coffee Roasters
Code Black Coffee Roasters is a Melbourne-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 2012 that sells signature blends and single-origin coffees through 8 owned cafes, a Shopify e-commerce and subscription storefront, and a B2B wholesale network across Australia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBrunswick, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Code Black Coffee Roasters does
Code Black Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee company founded in 2012 in Brunswick, Melbourne, that operates an integrated roastery, retail cafe chain, e-commerce storefront, B2B wholesale program, and training academy. The core business is roasting specialty coffee for distribution through three channels: direct-to-consumer via 8 owned cafes across Melbourne and a Shopify-powered online store; recurring subscriptions for home (10% off) and office (20% off) customers with flexible cadence; and B2B wholesale to cafes, offices, and hospitality businesses in Australia and overseas. The product portfolio centers on signature espresso blends (Ex-Wife, 3056 named after the Brunswick postcode, Seasonal, Home), a rotating selection of 21 single-origin coffees from Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, and Swiss Water and Sugarcane decaffeinated options. Adjacent offerings include Cocoa Jackson hot chocolate, curated coffee bundles, branded merchandise, and home brewing equipment (La Marzocco machines, AeroPress, Hario V60).
The company monetizes through six distinct revenue streams: unit-priced retail coffee sales, recurring subscriptions, B2B wholesale supply, paid barista training courses ($200-$220 per seat), hardware sales ranging from $79 AeroPress units to $8,999 La Marzocco Linea Mini machines, and branded merchandise. Operational technology is craft-based rather than software-driven: every batch is tasted by Q-Graders and award-winning roasters, and all coffee is roasted to order and shipped within 48 hours. Preferred-equipment partnerships with La Marzocco, Synesso, Victoria Arduino, Mazzer, and Mahlkönig are bundled into wholesale offerings alongside custom blends and training. Digital infrastructure is conventional Shopify plus Mailchimp, Judge.me, Calendly, and active Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook channels.
The company serves four primary customer segments: individual home brewers, corporate offices, cafes and hospitality venues, and coffee industry professionals seeking training. With 11-50 employees and 8 Melbourne cafe locations (plus a Cremorne location announced for July 2026), Code Black operates as an independent, privately held specialty roaster with no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and revenue figures that are not publicly disclosed.
Code Black Coffee Roasters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Code Black Coffee Roasters
- Legal name
- Code Black Coffee
- Website
- https://codeblackcoffee.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Code Black Coffee Roasters is a Melbourne-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 2012 that sells signature blends and single-origin coffees through 8 owned cafes, a Shopify e-commerce and subscription storefront, and a B2B wholesale network across Australia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Code Black Coffee Roasters industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Coffee, Espresso & Tea Appliances Retail (CRACADAC), Coffee, Tea & Cacao Experiences (Roastery Tours, Tastings) (THAJAGAH)
Keywords
Where Code Black Coffee Roasters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brunswick
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices9 records
Markets served
Code Black Coffee Roasters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Coffee Sales: Direct sales of specialty coffee beans to consumers through e-commerce website and physical cafe locations. Includes single origins, signature blends, and seasonal offerings.
- Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue with 10% home discount and 20% office discount. Flexible frequency options from fortnightly to 6-weekly deliveries.
- Wholesale Supply: B2B coffee supply to cafes, offices, and hospitality businesses. Includes custom blends, contract roasting, and retail programs.
- Training Facility: Barista education and training courses including Home Espresso Course ($200), Latte Art ($220), and Filter Brewing. Also industry professional courses.
- Equipment Sales: Sale of coffee machines (La Marzocco Linea Mini $8,999, Linea Micra $5,999), grinders, and brewing accessories.
- Merchandise: Branded apparel including hoodies ($90), t-shirts ($40), crewnecks, tote bags, mugs, and reusable cups.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Signature Blend Coffee - 3056 Espresso Blend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Signature Blend Coffee - Ex-Wife Espresso Blend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Seasonal Espresso Blend |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Origin Premium - Kenya Gathaithi AA Washed |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Single Origin Premium - Colombia Cerro Azul Honey Gesha |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Decaf Coffee - Colombia Swiss Water Decaf |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Home Espresso Coffee Course (Beginner) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Latte Art for Beginners Course |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | La Marzocco Coffee Machines |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Aeropress Coffee Makers |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Code Black Coffee Roasters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Code Black Coffee Roasters roasts specialty coffee in Melbourne and sells it directly to consumers through its e-commerce platform, 8 physical cafe locations across Melbourne, and a recurring home and office subscription service. The company also supplies coffee on a wholesale basis to other cafes, offices and hospitality businesses, and runs a barista training facility offering hands-on courses. All coffee is roasted to order, ground to the customer's chosen brew method, and shipped within 48 hours of roasting.
Product overview
Code Black Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee company established in 2012 in Brunswick, Melbourne. The company operates a unified product portfolio centered on specialty coffee products, including signature blends (Ex-Wife Espresso Blend, 3056 Espresso Blend, Seasonal Espresso Blend, Home Blend), rotating single-origin coffees, and decaf options via Swiss Water and Sugarcane processes. The offering extends through a flexible subscription service (home and office), curated coffee bundles, and Cocoa Jackson hot chocolate. Adjacent to core coffee products, Code Black offers brewing equipment (La Marzocco machines, grinders, AeroPress, Hario V60), branded merchandise, barista training courses, and wholesale supply services for cafes and businesses. The company operates multiple retail cafes across Melbourne and is powered by Shopify for e-commerce.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ex-Wife Espresso Blend Code Black's strongest espresso blend, designed for milk-based drinks with notes of roasted macadamia, amaretto, cocoa finish and dark chocolate caramel sweetness. Available in 500g and 1kg sizes from $22.00 to home brewers and wholesale partners.
- 3056 Espresso Blend Code Black's signature medium-roast espresso blend named after the roastery postcode, combining three single-origin lots from Ethiopia, Guatemala and Brazil. Tasting notes of stewed plum, citrus, peanut butter with vanilla malt, and milk chocolate. Available in 500g and 1kg sizes from $22.00.
- Seasonal Espresso Blend A rotating seasonal espresso blend that changes throughout the year to reflect the best coffees currently available, featuring rich, fruity and exotic flavours ideal for black coffee drinkers. Priced from $26.00.
- Home Blend A smooth, approachable everyday blend crafted for both espresso and filter brewing, featuring toffee, chocolate and nut notes with a hint of citrus. Sold in 500g bags for home brewers.
- Single Origin Coffees A rotating range of 21 single-origin specialty coffees sourced directly from producers in Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and other origins, available in both espresso and filter roast profiles. Premium examples include Kenya Gathaithi AA Washed ($29.50 for 250g) and Colombia Cerro Azul Honey Gesha ($95.00).
- Decaf Coffee Range Decaffeinated specialty coffees produced using natural Swiss Water or Sugarcane (EA) decaffeination processes, without chemical solvents. Includes Colombia Swiss Water Decaf Espresso and Colombia La Serrania Sugarcane Decaf, from $24.00.
- Coffee Subscriptions Flexible recurring coffee subscription for home (10% off) and office (20% off) customers, with free delivery and frequency options from fortnightly to 6-weekly. Subscribers can change, pause or skip orders through their online account and receive coffee roasted and shipped within 48 hours.
- Coffee Bundles Curated multi-bag bundles that combine popular Code Black coffees for gifting or sampling, including the Classic Bundle, Trio Bundle, and themed bundles pairing decaf with regular coffees and hot chocolate.
- Cocoa Jackson Hot Chocolate Premium Australian hot chocolate in 500g and 1kg sizes, sold standalone or as part of curated bundles paired with Code Black coffee.
- Coffee Machines and Equipment Curated selection of home coffee machines, grinders and brewing accessories from brands including La Marzocco, Mahlkönig, Mazzer, AeroPress and Hario. Featured products include the La Marzocco Linea Mini ($8,999) and Linea Micra ($5,999) espresso machines, plus AeroPress brewers priced from $79.
- Barista Training Facility Hands-on barista and brewing courses delivered at the Code Black Coffee Haus in North Melbourne. Offerings include the Home Espresso Coffee Course ($200, 2 hours, max 3 per class), Latte Art for Beginners ($220, 2 hours), Filter Brewing, and industry professional courses.
- Wholesale Coffee Supply End-to-end B2B wholesale coffee supply service for cafes, offices and hospitality businesses across Australia and overseas. Includes signature blends, single-origin coffees, decaf options, custom blend development, contract roasting, retail programs, hospitality consultancy, and equipment sourcing via partnerships with La Marzocco, Synesso, Victoria Arduino, Mazzer and Mahlkönig.
- Code Black Merchandise Code Black branded apparel and accessories including hoodies ($90), t-shirts ($40), crewnecks, tote bags, mugs and reusable cups, sold through the company e-commerce store.
- Code Black eGift Cards Digital Code Black gift cards with customisable denominations, redeemable online for coffee, equipment, merchandise and bundles.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4.77/5 stars from 1,224 verified subscription reviews
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Code Black Coffee Roasters
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Code Black Coffee Roasters technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Feature3 records
Code Black Coffee Roasters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- La MarzoccocoreDirect relationships with La Marzocco for premium espresso machine supply. Equipment can be test-driven at Code Black Coffee Haus. Partners for wholesale customer equipment needs.
- SynessocorePreferred equipment partner forSynesso espresso machines for wholesale customers.
- Victoria ArduinocorePreferred equipment partner for Victoria Arduino machines for wholesale customers.
- MazzercorePreferred equipment partner for Mazzer grinders for wholesale customers.
- MahlkönigcorePreferred equipment partner for Mahlkönig grinders for wholesale customers.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Code Black Coffee Roasters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Global specialty coffee chain with cafes, subscription, and wholesale. Operates a much wider footprint and is acquisition-backed (Nestlé majority), making it a broader incumbent peer rather than a direct Australian competitor.
Direct peers
- Single O: Sydney-based specialty roaster with cafes, subscription, and wholesale operations. Similar mix of signature blends, single origins, and B2B accounts targeting Australian cafes and offices.
- Padre Coffee: Melbourne specialty roaster with cafes, wholesale, and DTC e-commerce. Competes head-to-head with Code Black for the same home brewer, office, and cafe wholesale customers.
- Ona Coffee: Australian specialty roaster with HQ in Canberra, a flagship cafe, wholesale supply, and a strong training/cupping program — closely comparable on roastery-plus-cafe-plus-education offering.
- St Ali Coffee Roasters: Melbourne-based specialty roaster with its own cafes, wholesale, and subscription model — directly comparable to Code Black on origin sourcing, cafe count, and B2B wholesale motion.
- Market Lane Coffee: Melbourne specialty roaster operating multiple cafes and a wholesale program, focused on single-origin and transparency in sourcing — same customer profile and omnichannel model as Code Black.
- Industry Beans: Melbourne specialty roaster with flagship cafe, roastery tours, and wholesale. Overlaps with Code Black on specialty single origins, training experiences, and CBD cafe positioning.
- Campos Coffee: Long-established Australian specialty roaster with cafes, wholesale, and a national footprint. Compares to Code Black on cafe-led distribution, B2B supply, and barista training.
Others
- Starbucks: Global mass-market coffee chain with Australian stores. Not a direct quality competitor, but relevant as a broad incumbent defining category expectations around cafe experience and coffee subscription.
- La Marzocco: Premium espresso machine manufacturer and Code Black's core equipment partner. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than competitor — provides the hardware Code Black sells and bundles into wholesale offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Code Black Coffee Roasters social profiles
Digital presenceCode Black Coffee Roasters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Code Black Coffee Roasters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Code Black Coffee Roasters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Code Black Coffee Roasters M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Code Black Coffee Roasters
What does Code Black Coffee Roasters do?
Code Black Coffee Roasters roasts specialty coffee in Melbourne and sells it directly to consumers through its e-commerce platform, 8 physical cafe locations across Melbourne, and a recurring home and office subscription service. The company also supplies coffee on a wholesale basis to other cafes, offices and hospitality businesses, and runs a barista training facility offering hands-on courses. All coffee is roasted to order, ground to the customer's chosen brew method, and shipped within 48 hours of roasting.
Is Code Black Coffee Roasters a public or private company?
Code Black Coffee Roasters is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Code Black Coffee Roasters founded?
Code Black Coffee Roasters was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Code Black Coffee Roasters based?
Code Black Coffee Roasters is headquartered in Brunswick, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Code Black Coffee Roasters make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Retail Coffee Sales are the primary driver. The others are coffee Subscriptions, wholesale Supply, training Facility, equipment Sales and merchandise.
Who are Code Black Coffee Roasters's main competitors?
Blue Bottle Coffee is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Single O, Padre Coffee, Ona Coffee, St Ali Coffee Roasters, Market Lane Coffee, Industry Beans and Campos Coffee. Others are Starbucks and La Marzocco.
Does Code Black Coffee Roasters have an API?
No public API is recorded for Code Black Coffee Roasters.
What industry is Code Black Coffee Roasters in?
Code Black Coffee Roasters's product category is Specialty Coffee. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes), with a secondary code of AFAFADAB, Coffee Roasting & Grinding. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.