What Teapot - Tea or Coffee does

Teapot - Tea or Coffee Ltd. is a privately-held UK specialty tea and coffee retailer founded in 2016 and operating from a single physical stall (Cafe C) within Leeds Kirkgate Market, West Yorkshire, under the founder-operator Grzegorz DACKO. The company curates and sells loose leaf teas, whole bean and ground coffees, pure natural honey, herbs, and tea/coffee accessories through both a physical market presence and a direct-to-consumer e-commerce website at cafe-tea-aire.co.uk. Its catalogue spans 114 tea varieties (covering Black, Green, White, Pu-erh, Oolong, Yellow, Flowering, Rooibos, Fruit, Herbal and Yerba Mate), 37 coffee products (single origin, freshly blended/roasted, and flavoured), 12 herb products, and 10 honey varieties, with named flagship SKUs such as Mexico Altura Arabica, Vietnam Robusta, English Breakfast No.108, organic Matcha powder, and Dubai Chocolate Tea.

The underlying technology stack is non-proprietary: a WordPress/WooCommerce-style retail site with content marketing support, no AI/ML components, no API, and no mobile app. The business model is straightforward D2C product sales on a pay-as-you-go unit pricing basis, with individual SKUs priced between £2.00 and £59.25. Distribution is hybrid: UK customers receive orders via free Royal Mail 2nd-class postage, while Leeds-based buyers can opt for free local delivery (Mondays/Thursdays, no minimum order) or in-person pickup at the Kirkgate Market stall. Marketing relies on organic social channels (Facebook @TeapotLeeds, Instagram @teapotleeds), an evergreen proprietor-authored educational blog covering tea varieties, coffee origins, brewing techniques and health benefits, and SEO/Organic Search traffic to category and product pages.

Revenue mechanics are one-time product transactions with volume-based 'BIG DEAL' discounts on select SKUs (10% off at 125g, 20% off at 250g, 25% off at 1kg). The company serves individual tea and coffee enthusiasts seeking premium, ethically sourced loose leaf teas and single-origin coffees, with no enterprise or B2B customer relationships disclosed. Operations remain single-market (United Kingdom), with international orders handled only on a prior-contact, ad hoc basis. The firm has no external institutional investment, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and operates as a bootstrapped lifestyle retailer.

Name

Teapot - Tea or Coffee

Legal name

Teapot – Tea or Coffee Ltd.

Website

https://cafe-tea-aire.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Teapot - Tea or Coffee Ltd. is a UK-based specialty tea and coffee retailer, founded in 2016 and operated from a Leeds Kirkgate Market stall plus a D2C e-commerce site, selling loose leaf teas, single-origin and flavoured coffees, honey, herbs and accessories to individual UK consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Tea and Coffee Retail

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (7225)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Tea Shops (Loose-Leaf, Tea Bars) (THAFAKAD)

Keywords

• Loose leaf tea
• Specialty coffee retail
• Pure natural honey
• Tea brewing accessories
• Online tea shop

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct retail sales of loose leaf tea, whole bean or ground coffee, honey, herbs and accessories through their e-commerce website and physical market stall. Revenue is generated through individual product purchases at various price points with bulk discount options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Teapot - Tea or Coffee is a retailer of premium loose leaf teas, specialty coffees, pure natural honey, herbs, and tea/coffee accessories, sold both through an e-commerce website (cafe-tea-aire.co.uk) and a physical stall at Cafe C in Leeds Kirkgate Market. The product catalogue spans 114+ tea varieties (Black, Green, White, Pu-erh, Oolong, Yellow, Flowering, Rooibos, Fruit, Herbal, Yerba Mate), 37+ coffee products (single origin, blended/roasted, flavoured), 12 herb varieties, and 10 honey varieties. Orders are fulfilled via Royal Mail across the UK with free delivery and via free local Leeds courier routes.

Product overview

Teapot - Tea or Coffee is an online and physical retail store (Cafe C, Leeds Kirkgate Market) offering a curated selection of loose leaf teas, whole bean or ground coffees, honey, herbs, and accessories. The core product lines include Black, Green, White, Pu-erh, Oolong, Yellow, Flowering, Rooibos, Fruit, Herbal, and Yerba Mate loose leaf teas, as well as Single Origin, Blended/Roasted, and Flavoured coffees. Named products include specialty items like Mexico Altura Arabica coffee, Vietnam Robusta coffee, English Breakfast tea blends, organic Matcha powder, and flavoured varieties like Chocolate & Cherry coffee and Dubai Chocolate tea. The company also sells pure natural honey varieties and tea/coffee accessories. Products are offered in various sizes with discounts for larger quantities (BIG DEAL promotions).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Loose Leaf Tea Loose leaf teas across 11 categories — Black, Green, White, Pu-erh, Oolong, Yellow, Flowering, Rooibos, Fruit, Herbal, and Yerba Mate — sourced from multiple origins for individual tea enthusiasts and connoisseurs in the UK.
• Specialty Coffee (Single Origin, Blended/Roasted, Flavoured) Whole bean or ground coffee products including single-origin coffees, freshly blended/roasted coffees, and flavoured coffees (e.g., Fairtrade Mexico Altura Arabica, Vietnam Robusta, Tanzania Kilimanjaro Arabica, Nicaragua Maragogype, Chocolate & Cherry flavoured Arabica) for individual coffee enthusiasts.
• Pure Natural Honey 100% pure and natural honey varieties including Acacia, Linden, Goldenrod, Buckwheat, Wildflower, Sunflower, Rapeseed, Bean, and Raspberry honey, sold to individual consumers seeking unblended honey.
• Herbs and Spices Loose herbs and spices intended to complement teas and coffees for individual consumers.
• Tea and Coffee Accessories Tea and coffee accessories including teapots, mugs, and brewing equipment sold alongside teas and coffees to individual consumers.
• Belgian Dark Hot Chocolate (No.1330) Ground dark Belgian hot chocolate powder sold to individual consumers as a complementary beverage product, priced £2.25–£55.99.
• Crystallized Brown Sugar Candy Stick (No.1350) Crystallized brown sugar candy stick sold to individual consumers as an accompaniment for tea and coffee, priced £2.00–£6.00.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Tregothnan Tea: UK-grown single-origin tea producer selling direct to consumers online; comparable on premium loose-leaf tea positioning and origin-driven storytelling, though Teapot is a retailer/distributor rather than a grower.

Direct peers

• Bird & Blend Tea Co. UK-based DTC specialty tea brand with a wide loose-leaf assortment, strong content/social media presence, and physical tea bars; comparable on e-commerce-led specialty tea retail and brand-led marketing.
• Cartwright & Butler: UK premium tea, coffee, biscuit, and gift-food retailer selling online and through concessions; comparable on premium tea/coffee assortment, gift/hospitality angle, and UK DTC model.
• Whittard of Chelsea: Long-established UK specialty tea and coffee retailer operating its own e-commerce site and high-street stores, offering loose-leaf teas, single-origin coffees, and accessories — directly comparable in assortment, customer base, and channel mix.
• The Tea Makers of London: UK-based specialty loose-leaf tea brand with an e-commerce storefront, broad varietal assortment, and gift/hospitality focus; comparable on premium tea DTC model and UK customer base.
• Teapigs: UK premium tea brand selling loose-leaf and whole-leaf teas, herbal teas, and matcha online and through retailers; comparable on specialty tea positioning, UK DTC focus, and premium pricing architecture.
• Ringtons: UK family-owned tea and coffee company selling loose-leaf tea, coffee, and biscuits through traditional round-the-door delivery and online; comparable on UK specialty tea/coffee DTC retail and heritage family-owned positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Twinings: Global heritage tea brand with broad UK distribution and a DTC site covering loose-leaf, bagged, and specialty teas; comparable on UK tea retail and assortment breadth, but at vastly greater scale and with much wider distribution.
• Yorkshire Tea (Betley): One of the UK's best-known tea brands with strong supermarket and foodservice presence plus DTC; comparable on UK tea brand retailing, but operates at mass-market scale rather than specialty niche.
• Taylors of Harrogate: Established UK tea and coffee brand with broad retail distribution plus DTC; comparable on UK tea/coffee brand retailing but operates at substantially larger scale with supermarket listings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TeapotLeeds
• Instagraminstagram.com/teapotleeds
• Xx.com/TeapotLeeds

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 Teapot - Tea or Coffee