What Caffènation does

Caffènation is a Belgian specialty coffee roaster founded in 2003 by Robrecht Berghmans in Antwerp, operating as Belgium's first specialty coffee bar. The company operates an integrated specialty coffee business spanning green coffee sourcing, in-house roasting, capsule and drip bag manufacturing, e-commerce, wholesale distribution, and café retail across five owned bars in Antwerp and Amsterdam.

The product portfolio centers on 30+ rotating seasonal single-origin coffees and signature blends (Roast ED, Milk MAN, Brazil IAN, Super NOVA, Miss XX, Kenya KAY, FILTER FIL, NoCaf MO decaf) sold as whole beans or ground in 250g and 1kg formats. Caffènation differentiates through compostable plant-based Nespresso-compatible capsules (certified under The Green Ring standard, decomposing in approximately 12 weeks at industrial composting facilities), in-house drip bag manufacturing at the Antwerp factory using 14g fillings for 25cl brews, and a subscription platform managed via Joy. The company roasts and ships daily, with free shipping above €50 to Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.

The business model combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce, recurring coffee subscriptions (€28-52/month), B2B wholesale through caffenationpro.be (€20-22/kg for VAT-registered professional clients), and on-site café bar sales. Caffènation maintains direct trade relationships with producers across Colombia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Peru, Costa Rica, and Indonesia, and publishes annual Transparency Reports disclosing FOB prices, cupping scores, lot sizes, and farm-level traceability via The Pledge platform. The company is founder-owned, bootstrapped, and employs 11-50 people.

Name

Caffènation

Legal name

Caffenation

Website

https://caffenation.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Caffènation is an Antwerp-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 2003, operating five owned café bars in Antwerp and Amsterdam, an e-commerce platform shipping across Benelux and Germany, and a B2B wholesale portal. It sources 30+ rotating single-origin coffees through direct trade relationships and sells beans, compostable Nespresso-compatible capsules, in-house drip bags, subscriptions, and equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roasting

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Single-Serve Coffee (Pods, Capsules) (CRADAHAH), Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Direct trade coffee
• Coffee beans retail
• Compostable coffee capsules
• Specialty coffee subscription

Headquarters

HQ city

Antwerp

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee Bean Sales (E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer online sales of freshly roasted coffee beans across multiple formats (250g, 1kg), grind options, and product types (single origin, blends, decaf). Ships to Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and international customers with limited subscription options.
2. Specialty Coffee Beans — Single Origin & Blends: Sells approximately 30+ rotating single origin coffees and signature blends (Roast ED, Milk MAN, Brazil IAN, Super NOVA, Miss XX, Kenya KAY, Filter FIL) as whole beans or pre-ground, priced per 250g or 1kg bag.
3. Nespresso-Compatible Coffee Capsules: Fully compostable specialty coffee capsules sold in boxes of 10, with bulk discounts (11+1 free). Six flavors: Roast ED, Mister LGB, Miss XX, Brazil IAN, Super NOVA, NoCaf MO. Distributed via caffenation.be and homebarista.be.
4. Coffee Subscriptions: Recurring subscription products: FILTER or ESPRESSO ongoing subscription (€28–52/month), Roast ED Espresso Beans subscription (€198–370), Filter/Espresso Post Box subscriptions (Belgium only, €49–295). Free shipping for BE, NL & DE subscribers.
5. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including ceramic cups, filter coffee mugs, socks, soccer scarves, and caps sold alongside coffee products on the e-commerce store.
6. Equipment Sales: Sales of coffee brewing equipment including Hario V60 drippers, Aeropress, Chemex, Clever Dripper, Brewista scales, grinders, and accessories from the online equipment store.
7. Café Bar Sales: Five owned café bars in Antwerp (PAKT/roastery, CITY, BLUE, KOCO, ZUID) and Amsterdam serve coffee drinks, specialty beverages (iced matcha latte, nitro, batch-brewed filter), pastries, and cakes on-site. Free water, co-working space at ZUID location.
8. Wholesale / B2B (Pro Shop): Dedicated wholesale portal (caffenationpro.be) for VAT-registered professional clients including other cafés, restaurants, and offices. Wholesale pricing starts at €20–22 per kilo (excl. VAT) for core blends, with dedicated volume pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Caffènation roasts and sells specialty coffee across multiple formats (whole beans, ground, Nespresso-compatible compostable capsules, and single-serve drip bags), operates five café bars in Antwerp and Amsterdam serving espresso, filter, nitro and specialty beverages, and supplies wholesale specialty coffee to VAT-registered cafés, restaurants, and offices via caffenationpro.be. Recurring filter and espresso subscriptions ship freshly roasted coffee to consumers across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Product overview

Caffènation is a specialty coffee roaster based in Antwerp, Belgium, operating since 2003 as the country's first specialty coffee bar. The company offers a diverse portfolio of coffee products centered around freshly roasted small batch beans, with multiple named product lines: core coffee beans (single origins and blends), Drip Bags (single-serve pour-over format), Coffee Capsules (Nespresso-compatible compostable), and Coffee Subscriptions. Key branded product lines include Roast ED (signature espresso blend), Brazil IAN (single origin Brazilian espresso), Super NOVA (rotating single origin espresso), Milk MAN (milk-optimized blend), Miss XX (natural processed coffees in pink bags), Kenya KAY (Kenyan filter coffee), FILTER FIL (washed filter coffees), NoCaf MO (sugar cane decaf), and the seasonal Cape Town Blend. Beyond coffee products, the offering extends to Caffènation Merchandise (cups, mugs, apparel), Coffee Equipment (Hario V60, Aeropress, Chemex, grinders), Chai Mixes, and physical café locations in Antwerp and Amsterdam. The company publishes annual Transparency Reports and operates a Direct Trade Program with producer partnerships. All products are available through the e-commerce platform with delivery across Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Caffenation Pro: B2B wholesale division for professional clients and VAT holders at caffenationpro.be
• The Green Ring

Products and services

• Coffee Beans (Single Origins & Blends) Freshly roasted small-batch specialty coffee beans available as whole bean or pre-ground, in 250g and 1kg formats, across approximately 30+ rotating single-origin coffees (Roast ED, Brazil IAN, Super NOVA, Milk MAN, Miss XX, Kenya KAY, FILTER FIL, NoCaf MO, Sugar Cane Decaf TUMBAGA, Cape Town Blend, Colombia Geisha, White Honey Wilder Lasso, and seasonal lots) from Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala, Peru, and Indonesia. Priced €8.40–€18 per 250g bag.
• Drip Bags Single-serve pour-over coffee bags for on-the-go brewing—tear, hang, add hot water. Sold in 10-pack boxes and discovery 3×5 packs. In-house manufactured at the Antwerp roastery with 14-gram fillings for 25-cl brews. Priced €18 per 10-pack (€2.00 per sachet) and €9.50 per discovery pack.
• Nespresso-Compatible Compostable Capsules Fully compostable, GMO-free plant-based plastic capsules compatible with Nespresso OriginalLine machines, certified under The Green Ring standard for industrial composting in approximately 12 weeks. Available in six colors/flavors (Roast ED, Mister LGB, Miss XX, Brazil IAN, Super NOVA, NoCaf MO). Boxes of 10 priced €5.00–€5.80, with 11+1 free volume discount. Sold via caffenation.be and homebarista.be, also compatible with Morning Machine systems.
• Coffee Subscriptions Recurring delivery of freshly roasted coffee, including FILTER or ESPRESSO ongoing subscriptions (€28–€52/delivery, free shipping BE/NL/DE), Roast ED Espresso Beans subscription (€198–€370 depending on frequency), and Post Box subscriptions for Belgium (€49–€295). Managed via Joy platform.
• Coffee Equipment Brewing equipment and accessories for home baristas: Hario V60 drippers, Aeropress and Aeropress GO, Chemex, Clever Dripper, Fellow Prismo, Brewista Smart Scale, Sage Smart Grinder Pro, and Joe Frex precision scales.
• Caffènation Merchandise Branded merchandise including 30cl ceramic cups, filter coffee mugs, 350ml camping mugs, 'One Drug One Nation' socks and scarves, and branded caps.
• Chai & Matcha Mixes Chai and matcha mixes including Masala Chai Powder (1kg) and Fonte Green Matcha Powder (50 servings).
• Caffènation Café Bars Five owned café bars: Antwerp PAKT/roastery HQ (Lamorinièrestraat 161, 2018), Antwerp CITY (Mechelsesteenweg 16), Antwerp BLUE (Mechelsesteenweg 127, opened 2023 with adjacent dedicated bakery, Alpro/BRITA sponsorship), Antwerp KOCO (Volkstraat 2 inside Eat Dust store), Antwerp ZUID flagship (2026, featuring La Marzocco Strada X, 3-TEMP batch brewer, iced matcha on tap, co-working with Wi-Fi and power), and Amsterdam (Warmondstraat 120). On-site service of espresso, batch-brewed filter, nitro, iced coffee, iced matcha latte, pastries and cakes. Cappuccino €4.20 per cup.
• Rare Coffee Series Limited offering line featuring unique, exceptional single-origin coffees deserving extra attention, including Papayo and Pink Bourbon varieties, sold under a dedicated series flag.
• Cape Town Blend (Summer Seasonal Espresso) Summer seasonal espresso blend featuring Kenya KARII Peaberry, Honduras CABALLERO Collective, and Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 2.
• Wholesale / Pro Shop Supply Dedicated wholesale program for VAT-registered professional clients (cafés, restaurants, offices) via caffenationpro.be. Wholesale pricing starts at €20–€22/kg (excl. VAT) for core blends (Roast ED €20/kg, Brazil IAN €21/kg, NoCaf MO €22/kg), with dedicated volume pricing. 30+ Single Origins available.

Quantifiable outcome

• Paying above Fair Trade minimums consistently across all green coffee purchases
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Green RingminorOthers · 1 January 2018Certification body for Caffènation's compostable Nespresso-compatible capsules. The Green Ring standard ensures capsules are fully compostable at industrial facilities within ~12 weeks. Caffènation capsules are among those certified on thegreenring.org.
• Kenyacof (Sucafina Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Caffènation's primary Kenyan green coffee supplier since 2016, a sister company of Sucafina. Works with cupping expert Cory Andreen. Caffènation visited Nairobi in March 2025, cupping 64 lots and selecting 10 different coffees totaling 136 bags. The relationship covers direct sourcing from washing stations in Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Kiambu, and Murang'a counties.
• Hacienda Sonora (Costa Rica)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Longest-standing sourcing relationship at Caffènation, purchasing from Sonora since 2015. Hacienda Sonora produces 250 tonnes of coffee annually, 95% naturally processed. Caffènation has purchased six consecutive natural-processed lots. Alberto Guardia built the farm; his son Diego now leads operations. Farm also works with Neumann Group.
• Tropiq / Nordic Approach / Neumann GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaffènation sources Ethiopian green coffee through Tropiq, a daughter company of Nordic Approach/Neumann Group. Adham manages local operations in Addis Ababa, including dry mill visits for selection, hulling, screening, polishing, and bagging. Caffènation visits annually to cup and purchase lots including Danche, Chelbesa, Buku, and Nano Challa.
• Café ImportsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImporter for Peruvian and some other origin coffees. Caffènation sourced Chirinos from Café Imports in 2017, which was a revelation for the company. Also listed as importer for the Super NOVA Indonesia Asman Gayo lot.
• AzaharcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColombian specialty coffee company founded on the belief that coffee can improve the livelihoods of producers. Works on full transparency with Caffènation, trading much closer to farmers than traditional intermediaries. Provides decafs and recently expanded to washed lots including AZAHAR RAINBOW DECAF and direct-trade Colombian purchases. Mathias (green coffee buyer) manages the relationship.
• Cultivar / LisanneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSourced Peru Cajamarca AMANCAY and other exceptional Peruvian lots through Cultivar, managed by Lisanne. Caffènation credits Lisanne's work since 2020 with bringing exceptional quality Peruvian coffees, including El Zorro and Norbil Perez lots.
• Asman Gayo Mill (Indonesia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSource of the Super NOVA Indonesia lot — a fully washed coffee from Asman Gayo Mill at 1400–1700 masl. All cherries handpicked, pulped with disc pulper, wet-fermented 12 hours, soaked 24 hours, dried on raised beds under covered patios. Noted as one of the cleanest cups from that side of the Indian Ocean since 2019.
• AlprominorOthersAlpro is a sponsor of the Caffènation BLUE bar, providing Alpro Coconut Barista for iced matcha latte preparation. Named as a main sponsor alongside BRITA at the Blue location.
• BRITAminorOthersBRITA is a main sponsor of Caffènation BLUE and ZUID bars, providing water filtration (C-TAP system at ZUID) to ensure clean water for all hot and cold drink preparation. Their C-TAP dispenser at ZUID provides super-clean water for sparkling or still drinks.
• homebarista.beminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline platform partner for Caffènation capsule sales. Collaboration began following the launch of the Morning Machine-compatible capsule line in 2018, handling capsule distribution alongside the main caffenation.be storefront.
• OsitominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGreen coffee importer for Colombian David Dagua lot (Pink Bourbon from Planadas, Tolima). Caffènation sources specialty Colombian coffees through Osito.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• JDE Peet's: Global coffee and tea group (Jacobs Douwe Egberts/Peet's) operating across retail and foodservice; relevant incumbent with espresso/pod products competing directly with Caffènation's specialty retail and capsule lines across European markets.
• Illy: Global Italian coffee company producing roasted coffee, ESE pods, and capsules across retail and foodservice; comparable as an established espresso/coffee manufacturer competing with Caffènation's broader product portfolio at significantly greater scale.
• Blue Bottle Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster and café chain (owned by Nestlé) combining single-origin roasting, retail café bars, and DTC; structurally similar to Caffènation at much greater scale, with stronger capital and global reach.
• Lavazza: Italian global coffee brand with broad roasting operations across espresso, capsules, and foodservice; represents the much larger incumbent competitor in the segments where Caffènation operates (beans, capsules), with vastly greater capital and distribution.

Direct peers

• Cuperus Koffiebranderij: Amsterdam-based specialty coffee roaster with an adjacent bar and DTC/wholesale offering; comparable to Caffènation in serving the Benelux specialty market with similar retail roastery and B2B operations.
• Friedhats: Amsterdam-based specialty coffee roaster with a flagship café-bar and wholesale program; comparable to Caffènation in combining in-house roasting, a dedicated café experience in the Benelux specialty scene, and a strong focus on single-origin transparency.
• Bocca Coffee Roasters: Belgian specialty micro-roastery based in Gent focused on direct-trade sourcing and small-batch roasting; operates in the same Belgian specialty coffee niche as Caffènation with comparable single-origin transparency positioning.
• Manhattan Coffee Roasters: Belgian specialty roaster founded in Leuven with multiple café locations across Belgium; operates the same roastery-cafe model as Caffènation, with single-origin focus and DTC e-commerce, making it one of the closest domestic comparables.
• Black & White Coffee Roasters: Belgian specialty coffee roaster with cafés; comparable to Caffènation in combining small-batch direct-trade roasting, café operations, and DTC e-commerce in the Belgian market.
• BelCoffee: Belgian specialty coffee company combining roasting with a chain of coffee bars across Belgium; mirrors Caffènation's combination of branded retail bars, B2B wholesale, and an in-house specialty roasting operation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/caffenation_coffee
• Xx.com/caffenation
• Facebookfacebook.com/CaffenationCityCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caffenationcoffee

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Caffènation