Volcano Coffee Works
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Volcano Coffee Works does
Volcano Coffee Works is a London-based specialty coffee roaster founded by Kurt Stewart around 2008, operating from a Brixton HQ and roastery (244 Ferndale Road, SW9 8FR) with a secondary café and roastery in West Norwood, and employing 45 people. The company's core technology is small-batch roasting with energy-efficient equipment and a chef-inspired blending approach derived from the founder's culinary background; it sources specialty-grade (80+ scoring) green coffee from origins including Colombia, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Brazil, Costa Rica, Peru and the DRC, paying farmers 50-180% above Fairtrade prices.
The product portfolio spans whole bean and ground coffee (Mount Blend, Firehouse, Fullsteam Espresso, The Brixton, Sombra, Rise Up, Hermosa Costa Rica, Kamavindi, Roaster's Choice), Nespresso-compatible home-compostable pods (OK Compost Home certified), cold brew concentrate, single-serve barista coffee bags, and a starter box. It also distributes partner equipment from Sage, Lelit, Baratza and 1Zpresso, often bundled with free coffee subscriptions, and offers in-person Home Barista Courses at the Brixton roastery under SCA-accredited instruction. Notable differentiators include pioneering UK specialty coffee in compostable pods, the Sombra agroforestry project with a Brazilian farm and a federal university, and B Corp certification placing it in the top 30% globally.
Commercially the business runs four revenue streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce with subscriptions (£21+ per 500g, Roaster's Choice £24/month, compostable pods from £6.50), wholesale B2B anchored by a 10-year WeWork partnership across 30 buildings and 29 barista stations and including clients such as Picturehouse Cinemas, barista training services (£25-£75 per course plus private group classes), and partner equipment sales (£320-£2,399). GTM is hybrid: product-led acquisition through a 20% first-order discount, taste guarantee, and subscriptions for consumers, paired with enterprise field sales plus WhatsApp/email outreach for wholesale. The company has shipped to 40,000+ customers, claims 19 million cups of Volcano coffee enjoyed annually, and discloses no external funding rounds.
Volcano Coffee Works firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Volcano Coffee Works
- Legal name
- Volcano Coffee Works
- Website
- https://volcanocoffeeworks.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Volcano Coffee Works industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Roasting
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing (AFAFADAD), Single-Serve Coffee (Pods, Capsules) (CRADAHAH), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Volcano Coffee Works is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Volcano Coffee Works business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Direct Coffee Sales: One-time and subscription purchases of specialty coffee beans, ground coffee, and compostable pods through e-commerce. Subscriptions offer 15% off first 3 orders with free shipping. Delivery every 2, 4, or 6 weeks with pause/cancel flexibility.
- Equipment and Accessories: Sales of home espresso machines (Sage, Lelit), grinders, brewing equipment (Aeropress, V60, cafetiere), and accessories. Machines bundled with free coffee subscriptions as acquisition incentive.
- Barista Training Services: In-person barista courses at Brixton roastery including espresso making, latte art, coffee tasting, and student barista programs. Private group classes available for up to 15 people.
- Wholesale Coffee: Supply of specialty coffee to hospitality businesses including cafes, restaurants, hotels, co-working spaces, and corporate offices. Includes machinery provision, technical support, barista staffing, and training services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee beans and ground coffee |
| Subscription | Monthly | Coffee subscriptions |
| Subscription | Monthly | Roaster's Choice Subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Gift subscriptions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barista courses |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Compostable coffee pods |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Barista coffee bags |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Home espresso machines |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Office coffee bulk orders |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cold brew concentrate |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Volcano Coffee Works product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Volcano Coffee Works is a London-based specialty coffee roaster that small-batch roasts single-origin and blended coffees, selling them through direct-to-consumer e-commerce with subscriptions, physical cafes, and B2B wholesale to hospitality and corporate clients. The company also offers accredited home barista training courses at its Brixton roastery and retails home espresso equipment from partner brands Sage and Lelit bundled with coffee subscriptions. Their range spans whole beans, ground coffee, home compostable Nespresso-compatible pods, cold brew concentrate, and barista coffee bags.
Product overview
Volcano Coffee Works is a specialty coffee roaster based in South London offering a comprehensive coffee ecosystem centered around their award-winning coffee products and supporting services. The core offering includes premium whole bean and ground coffees (The Mount Blend, Firehouse Blend, Fullsteam Espresso, The Brixton, Sombra, Rise Up Blend, Decaf Coffee) alongside single-origin selections from Costa Rica, Peru, Brazil, and rotating Roaster's Choice varieties. They pioneered specialty coffee in compostable pods for Nespresso original machines and offer convenient Barista Coffee Bags and Cold Brew Concentrate. The business operates on a subscription model for both coffee beans and pods, with free delivery on subscriptions. Equipment partnerships provide Sage and Lelit espresso machines and Baratza/Sage/1Zpresso grinders bundled with coffee. Supporting services include Home Barista Courses at their Brixton roastery, wholesale supply for hospitality venues, and corporate office coffee solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Mount Blend Signature blend and most popular coffee featuring notes of red grapes and caramel, with milk chocolate undertones. Award-winning 3-Star Great Taste winner and bestseller, available in 200g bags from £9.50 with 1kg volume discount.
- Firehouse Blend Sweet, fruity, and spicy dark roasted espresso with notes of milk chocolate, forest fruits, and dried orange. Bestseller available from £9.00 per 200g bag with up to 22% savings on 1kg.
- Fullsteam Espresso Espresso blend with chocolate, apricot, and nectarine notes. 1 Star Great Taste award winner.
- The Brixton Boldest and darkest roast named after the south London home of Volcano Coffee Works. Features cacao, orange rind, and liquorice notes. Used by Picturehouse Cinemas.
- Sombra Single-origin Brazilian coffee supporting the Sombra agroforestry project with toffee, dark chocolate, and plum notes. Sourced from Fazenda Mio pioneering agroforestry methods.
- Rise Up Blend Blend featuring raspberry candy notes, designed to support meaningful causes. Available in office coffee bulk format from £114.
- Hermosa - Costa Rica Single-origin Costa Rican coffee with honey, peach, and almond notes. Bestseller from £12.00 per 200g.
- Decaf Coffee Decaffeinated coffee option with maple syrup and green grape tasting notes.
- Roaster's Choice Monthly rotating single-origin coffee selected by Coffee Roasting Champion 2018 Claire Wallace, sourced from countries including Honduras, Nicaragua, Uganda, Kenya, and Guatemala. 3-Star Great Taste Award winner.
- Kamavindi Coffee Limited edition single-origin coffee with raspberry, red wine, and elderflower tasting notes. From £18.00 per 200g.
- Caramel Crunch Coffee Limited edition coffee inspired by nostalgic ice cream flavours with caramel, hazelnut, and milk chocolate notes. From £12.00.
- Raspberry Ripple Coffee Limited edition coffee with raspberry, strawberry, and vanilla notes. From £14.00.
- Crisis Coffee Blend Exclusive charity blend where 15% of every sale is donated directly to Crisis Charity to help people out of homelessness.
- Compostable Coffee Pods Nespresso-original-machine compatible coffee pods made from 100% biobased cellulose and vegetal oils. Fully home compostable, OK Compost Home certified, decomposing within 180 days at ambient temperature with 18-month shelf life. From £6.50 per box.
- Barista Coffee Bags Single-origin coffee in convenient tea-bag format sourced from Muungano Coffee Cooperative in DRC. Ready in 30 seconds using stir-steep-squeeze method. 1 box (10 bags) £6.00, 2 boxes £11.00.
- Cold Brew Concentrate 3-litre carton concentrate making 60 servings for iced coffees, nitro coffee, and cocktails. Uses single-origin Brazilian Sombra coffee. £50.00 (£47.50 sale).
- Speciality Coffee Starter Box 600g starter pack containing 3x200g bags of bestselling coffees plus a Volcano coffee tin. Perfect introduction to specialty coffee for coffee-curious customers. From £30.00 with 20% first-order discount.
- Coffee Bean Subscriptions Regular delivery of specialty coffee beans or ground coffee with 15% discount on first 3 orders using code DISCOVER15. Delivered every 2, 4, or 6 weeks with free shipping. From £21.00 per 500g. Roaster's Choice subscription from £24 per month (500g), with prepay pricing of £72/3 months, £144/6 months, £288/12 months.
- Coffee Pod Subscriptions Regular delivery of compostable coffee pods with free shipping. Subscription for 40 pods at £22 with free delivery. Delivered every 4, 6, or 8 weeks.
- Sage Espresso Machines Range of Sage home espresso machines bundled with free coffee subscription. Range from Sage Bambino at £320 to Oracle Dual Boiler at £2,399, including Barista Pro £750, Barista Express Impress £729, Barista Touch Impress £1,099, and Barista Dual Boiler £1,199. All include 5 months free coffee subscription.
- Lelit Espresso Machines Italian-crafted espresso machines including Lelit Victoria, Kate, and Anna models bundled with free 1kg bag of coffee. From £509.95.
- Coffee Grinders Range of manual and electric coffee grinders from Baratza (ESP Pro, Encore ESP, Sette 30, Sette 270), Sage (Smart Grinder Pro), 1Zpresso (Q), and Hario.
- Aeropress Coffee Makers Original, Travel, and XL Aeropress coffee makers for espresso-style coffee at home or on-the-go.
- Coffee Accessories Coffee accessories including coffee tins, bag clips, ceramic cups, coasters, V60 filter papers, and branded merchandise.
- Gift Cards E-gift cards and Roaster's Choice subscription gifts for coffee enthusiasts. Roaster's Choice Gift Subscription from £24 for 1 month.
- Coffee Gift Sets Curated sets of 6 specialty coffees and equipment gift bundles including Aeropress and V60 combos.
- Home Barista Courses In-person barista training at the Brixton roastery including Home Espresso Making Course £75, Sage Espresso Course (price varies), Coffee Tasting Class £25, Latte Art Class (price varies), Student Barista Course £65, and Private Coffee Class £50 per person for groups up to 15. Specialty Coffee Association accredited modules led by Head of Education Raquel Mezquita.
- Wholesale Coffee Service Specialty coffee supply for cafes, restaurants, hotels, cinemas, co-working spaces, and corporate offices. Includes machinery provision (partnerships with La Marzocco and Victoria Arduino), technical support, barista staffing, and training services. Dedicated wholesale team reachable via WhatsApp (+44 7534 161433) and email ([email protected]).
- Corporate Office Coffee Office coffee solutions from self-serve bean-to-cup machines to full barista stations for corporate environments. Includes bulk pricing (up to 25% off on 4kg, 6kg, 8kg quantities), team events, and client gifting. Mount Blend Office from £124, Rise Up Blend from £114, pods (200 units) from £105.
Quantifiable outcome
- Farmers paid 50-180% above Fairtrade prices
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Volcano Coffee Works
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Volcano Coffee Works technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Volcano Coffee Works partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- WeWorkcore10-year partnership providing specialty coffee across 30 buildings with 29 barista stations. Volcano supplies coffee, equipment, and barista staffing for WeWork co-working spaces across the UK.
- La MarzoccocorePartnership with La Marzocco, hand-built espresso machines from Florence. Trusted by leading coffee professionals worldwide with dual-boiler design and thermal stability.
- Victoria ArduinocorePartnership with Victoria Arduino combining heritage and innovation. Technologies improve consistency, energy efficiency, and temperature precision for professional performance.
- Crisis CharitycoreCrisis Coffee Blend partnership where 15% of every bag sale goes directly to helping people out of homelessness. Exclusive blend created for charity.
- Fazenda MiocoreGreen coffee partner for Sombra agroforestry project. Fazenda Mio is a Brazilian farm pioneering agroforestry methods to eliminate mono-crop culture.
- Universidade Federal do Espirito SantominorAcademic partner for Sombra agroforestry project, providing research and agricultural expertise for sustainable coffee farming.
- Ice Cream UnionminorCollaboration on Caramel Crunch Coffee ice cream flavor for summer promotion. Cross-brand marketing partnership.
- Too Good To GominorPartnership with food waste app to reduce environmental impact through surplus food redistribution.
- First MileminorSustainability partnership for recycling and waste reduction initiatives.
- Sage AppliancescoreRecommended home espresso machines with exclusive bundles including 5 months free coffee subscription. Range from Bambino (£320) to Oracle Dual Boiler (£2,399).
- LelitcoreItalian espresso machines including Victoria, Kate, and Anna models, each bundled with free 1kg coffee.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Volcano Coffee Works competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pact Coffee: UK specialty coffee subscription and B2B office coffee provider with strong DTC and wholesale motions — directly comparable business model and customer segments to Volcano.
- Extract Coffee Roasters: Bristol-based specialty roaster offering wholesale, subscription, and barista training — overlapping B2B and DTC channels with a similar multi-channel GTM to Volcano.
- Caravan Coffee Roasters: London specialty roaster with integrated cafe, restaurant, and wholesale businesses — directly comparable roastery-plus-cafe model and London-centric footprint to Volcano.
- Hasbean Coffee: UK specialty roaster focused on single-origin coffees with strong DTC and wholesale presence — comparable product catalogue and customer segments to Volcano's single-origin range.
- Origin Coffee: UK specialty roaster with subscription, wholesale hospitality, and barista training operations — overlapping offering and customer base with Volcano, particularly in the B2B and education categories.
- Square Mile Coffee Roasters: London-based specialty coffee roaster offering wholesale, subscription, and barista training — directly overlapping with Volcano's product set, customer base, and London HQ positioning.
- Notes Coffee: London specialty roaster and cafe operator with subscription and wholesale motions — directly comparable cafe-plus-roastery model and customer base to Volcano's Brixton/West Norwood operations.
- Union Hand-Roasted Coffee: UK specialty coffee roaster with strong wholesale, subscription, and ethical-sourcing credentials — comparable B2B wholesale scale and ESG positioning to Volcano.
Emerging players
- Dark Arts Coffee: Independent UK specialty roaster with subscription and wholesale operations, slightly smaller scale and younger brand — comparable product positioning and DTC/wholesale mix to Volcano.
Broad incumbents
- Costa Coffee: UK-headquartered mass-market coffee chain and CPG brand owned by Coca-Cola — broad incumbent competing in retail pods and cafe channels that overlap with Volcano's wholesale and pod subscription offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Volcano Coffee Works social profiles
Digital presenceVolcano Coffee Works compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Volcano Coffee Works financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Volcano Coffee Works leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Volcano Coffee Works funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Volcano Coffee Works 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 Volcano Coffee Works
What does Volcano Coffee Works do?
Volcano Coffee Works is a London-based specialty coffee roaster that small-batch roasts single-origin and blended coffees, selling them through direct-to-consumer e-commerce with subscriptions, physical cafes, and B2B wholesale to hospitality and corporate clients. The company also offers accredited home barista training courses at its Brixton roastery and retails home espresso equipment from partner brands Sage and Lelit bundled with coffee subscriptions. Their range spans whole beans, ground coffee, home compostable Nespresso-compatible pods, cold brew concentrate, and barista coffee bags.
Is Volcano Coffee Works a public or private company?
Volcano Coffee Works is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Volcano Coffee Works founded?
Volcano Coffee Works was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Volcano Coffee Works based?
Volcano Coffee Works is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Volcano Coffee Works make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct Coffee Sales are the primary driver. The others are equipment and Accessories, barista Training Services and wholesale Coffee.
Who are Volcano Coffee Works's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pact Coffee, Extract Coffee Roasters, Caravan Coffee Roasters, Hasbean Coffee, Origin Coffee, Square Mile Coffee Roasters, Notes Coffee and Union Hand-Roasted Coffee. Dark Arts Coffee is listed as an emerging player. Costa Coffee is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Volcano Coffee Works have an API?
No public API is recorded for Volcano Coffee Works.
What industry is Volcano Coffee Works in?
Volcano Coffee Works's product category is Specialty Coffee Roasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes), with a secondary code of AFAFADAD, Instant Coffee & Coffee Extract Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.