IMF
IMF s.r.l. (IMF Roasters) is an Italian manufacturer of professional coffee roasting machines and turnkey plant solutions, serving specialty micro-roasters through large industrial coffee producers across more than 50 countries with patented vortex airflow and integrated afterburner technology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersOcchiobello, Italy
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What IMF does
IMF s.r.l. (trading as IMF Roasters) is an Italian manufacturer of professional coffee roasting machines and turnkey roasting plants, headquartered in Occhiobello, Italy, and founded around 1994. All equipment is designed and built domestically, with a portfolio spanning compact shop roasters (RM2, RM6, RM15 with 6–15 kg batches) through to large industrial units (RM30, RM60, RM240, RM480 with 30–480 kg per cycle and up to approximately 1,920 kg per hour on the flagship RM480). The product range is anchored by two registered patents — a vortex airflow system and a hot-air recirculation system — combined with an integrated afterburner architecture that delivers documented gas-consumption reductions of roughly 30% versus comparable equipment and up to 69% in specific customer deployments, alongside low-NOx emissions. Around the roasters, IMF sells a complete plant-solutions stack covering green coffee intake, conveying, cleaning, storage silos, blending, industrial grinding, ground-coffee conveying, degassing, packaging, and environmental systems including heat recovery, catalytic and thermal oxidizers, dust extraction, and green-coffee preheating.
The company monetizes primarily through one-off capital-equipment sales on a quote-based, non-publicly-disclosed pricing model, complemented by professional services (coffee roasting consultancy covering blend development, sensory profiling, and thermal-curve optimization; plant design consultancy; and preventive maintenance programs) plus coffee-lab instruments (LR 300 sample roaster, Lighttells CM100+ colorimeter, Lighttells MD500 moisture/density analyzer). Its go-to-market is consultative and direct: a multilingual website with configurator and quote-request forms, direct field sales for plant projects, and recurring presence at flagship industry events including the Paris Coffee Show, Hotelex Chengdu, and World of Coffee San Diego. Customer evidence spans specialty micro-roasters (Café Lauca, Bell Lane Coffee), mid-market operators (Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, Tall Order Coffee Roasters, Escape Cafe, JOCaffè Rösterei & Maschinen), startups (Celsius Roasters), and large enterprises (Caffè Borbone, Scott Rao/Prodigal), with active distribution across at least 50 countries in Europe, North America, and South Asia. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or parent entities, and has operated as a stable, founder-controlled manufacturer for more than three decades.
IMF firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IMF
- Legal name
- IMF s.r.l.
- Website
- https://imf-srl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- IMF s.r.l. (IMF Roasters) is an Italian manufacturer of professional coffee roasting machines and turnkey plant solutions, serving specialty micro-roasters through large industrial coffee producers across more than 50 countries with patented vortex airflow and integrated afterburner technology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IMF industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Coffee Roasting Equipment
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)
Keywords
Where IMF is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Occhiobello
- HQ country
- Italy
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
IMF business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Coffee Roasting Equipment Sales: Sale of professional coffee roasting machines ranging from small shop roasters (6-15 kg batches) to industrial roasters (30-480 kg per cycle). Equipment available in gas and electric versions.
- Complete Plant Solutions: Design and delivery of complete, tailored coffee roasting plants. Includes green coffee intake systems, conveyors, cleaning and sorting systems, storage silos, blending systems, grinding, and packaging solutions.
- Consultancy Services: Coffee roasting consultancy including blend development, roasting process optimization, sensory panel direction, and post-roast workflow optimization. Professional services for operational excellence.
- Coffee Lab Equipment: Sale of coffee laboratory equipment including sample roasters (LR 300), colorimeters (Lighttells CM100+), and moisture/density analyzers (Lighttells MD500).
- Environmental Solutions: Heat recovery systems, catalytic oxidizers, thermal oxidizers, dust extraction systems, and green coffee preheating systems for environmental compliance and energy efficiency.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
IMF product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IMF (IMF s.r.l.) designs, manufactures, and sells professional coffee roasting machines and complete turnkey roasting plants from its facility in Occhiobello, Italy. The product range spans shop roasters (6-15 kg batches) for specialty coffee shops and micro roasters, industrial roasters (30-480 kg per cycle) for large-scale operations, supporting plant solutions covering the entire production chain, and specialized lab equipment for quality control.
Product overview
IMF Roasters is an Italian manufacturer of professional coffee roasting machines and complete turnkey roasting plants with over 30 years of experience. The product portfolio includes two main categories: Shop Roasters (RM2, RM6, RM15) designed for small roasteries and specialty coffee shops with capacities from 6 kg to 15 kg batches; and Industrial Roasters (RM30, RM60, RM240, RM480) for medium and large-scale operations with capacities ranging from 30 kg to 480 kg per cycle. Supporting the roasters, IMF offers comprehensive Plant Solutions covering the entire production chain from green coffee intake through storage, conveying, cleaning, roasting, cooling, grinding, ground coffee handling, degassing, blending, and packaging. This includes specialized subsystems for green and roasted coffee storage silos, various conveyor types, blending systems, and industrial grinders. The Environmental Solutions portfolio provides heat recovery systems, catalytic and thermal oxidizers, dust extraction, and green coffee preheating systems. IMF also offers Coffee Lab Equipment including the LR 300 sample roaster, Lighttells CM100+ colorimeter, and Lighttells MD500 moisture/density analyzer. Additional services include roasting consultancy, plant design consultancy, and preventive maintenance programs. All equipment is manufactured 100% in Italy and features patented Vortex airflow technology and integrated afterburner systems for energy efficiency.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RM2 Coffee Roaster
- RM6 Coffee Roaster
- RM15 Coffee Roaster
- RM30 Coffee Roaster
- RM60 Coffee Roaster
- RM240 Coffee Roaster
- RM480 Coffee Roaster
- LR 300 Sample Roaster
- Lighttells CM100+ Colorimeter
- Lighttells MD500 Moisture & Density Analyzer
- Complete Plant Solutions
- Environmental Roasting Solutions
- Coffee Roasting Consultancy
- Plant Design Consultancy
- Preventive Maintenance Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- 69% reduction in natural gas consumption per kilogram (from 0.25 to 0.078 cubic metres)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use IMF
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
IMF technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
IMF partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)minorIMF is a member of the Specialty Coffee Association, demonstrating commitment to the specialty coffee industry and access to industry standards and networking opportunities.
- GITC (Gruppo Italiano Torrefattori Caffè)minorIMF is a member of the Italian Coffee Roasters Group, an industry association supporting Italian coffee roasting standards and practices.
- Garbin Coffee TrademinorIMF provides a link to Garbin Coffee Trade for green coffee supply, suggesting a partnership for complete coffee solutions from green bean sourcing through roasting.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
IMF competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Loring Smart Roast: US-based manufacturer of energy-efficient coffee roasters known for their patented single-drum hot-air roasting technology that eliminates the need for an afterburner. Directly competes with IMF in the specialty and mid-market roaster segments with a similar energy-efficiency value proposition.
- Probat: German-based global leader in coffee processing and roasting equipment, manufacturing industrial and shop roasters, grinders, and complete plants. Directly competes with IMF across the full spectrum from small specialty roasters to large industrial installations.
- Diedrich Manufacturing: US-based specialty coffee roaster manufacturer producing IR-series roasters and aftermarket afterburners, serving the North American specialty coffee market. Directly competes with IMF for specialty roaster customers in the US and Canada.
- Toper: Turkish coffee roasting equipment manufacturer with a global footprint, offering small to medium-capacity roasters. Directly competes with IMF in emerging market segments and mid-tier specialty roaster categories.
- Giesen Coffee Roasters: Dutch premium coffee roasting equipment manufacturer offering a full range from sample roasters to industrial-capacity machines. Directly competes with IMF across European specialty roaster channels and complete plant solutions.
- Joper: Brazilian coffee roasting equipment manufacturer producing roasters and complete plants, dominant in Latin American coffee-producing markets. Directly competes with IMF for industrial roaster customers in South America.
- Petroncini: Italian manufacturer of industrial coffee roasting plants, grinding equipment, and complete turnkey processing facilities. Closely comparable as a fellow Italian-made, full-plant-solution provider competing for the same industrial customers as IMF.
- Mill City Roasters: US-based specialty roaster manufacturer focused on small to mid-capacity roasters for craft coffee shops and micro-roasters. Directly competes with IMF's shop roaster line, particularly in the North American specialty market.
- Has Garanti Roasters: Turkish manufacturer of coffee roasting machines ranging from small sample roasters to large industrial capacities. Directly competes with IMF in price-sensitive specialty and industrial roaster markets globally.
Broad incumbents
- Bühler Group: Swiss global plant engineering and equipment manufacturer serving food processing including coffee, with much broader industrial scope. Competes with IMF at the high end of industrial coffee plant solutions as part of its wider food processing portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
IMF social profiles
Digital presenceIMF financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IMF leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
IMF funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IMF 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 IMF
What does IMF do?
IMF (IMF s.r.l.) designs, manufactures, and sells professional coffee roasting machines and complete turnkey roasting plants from its facility in Occhiobello, Italy. The product range spans shop roasters (6-15 kg batches) for specialty coffee shops and micro roasters, industrial roasters (30-480 kg per cycle) for large-scale operations, supporting plant solutions covering the entire production chain, and specialized lab equipment for quality control.
Is IMF a public or private company?
IMF is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was IMF founded?
IMF was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is IMF based?
IMF is headquartered in Occhiobello, Italy, in the Europe region.
How does IMF make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Coffee Roasting Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are complete Plant Solutions, consultancy Services, coffee Lab Equipment and environmental Solutions.
Who are IMF's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Loring Smart Roast, Probat, Diedrich Manufacturing, Toper, Giesen Coffee Roasters, Joper, Petroncini, Mill City Roasters and Has Garanti Roasters. Bühler Group is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does IMF have an API?
No public API is recorded for IMF.
What industry is IMF in?
IMF's product category is Coffee Roasting Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFADAB, Coffee Roasting & Grinding. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2090.