What Union Hand-Roasted Coffee does

Union Hand-Roasted Coffee is a UK-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1994 (originally as Revelation Coffee, with the roastery established in 2001 in East London) by brothers Jeremy and Steven Macatonia. The company roasts coffee to order by hand at its East London facility, sourcing green coffee directly from farmer cooperatives and estates in Rwanda, Colombia, Peru, Ethiopia, Brazil, Panama, Honduras, and Guatemala under its proprietary Union Direct Trade model. Its product portfolio spans house blends (e.g., Summer Blend, Revelation Signature Espresso, House Roast Original Blend, Natural Spirit Organic Blend), single origins and microlots (Los Lajones Catuai Panama, João Hamilton Brazil, Bobolink Brazil, Half Caff Blend), selection packs, and brewing equipment, complemented by a CoffeeClub subscription service. Quality is communicated through per-SKU SCA-style quality scores ranging from 84.0 to 87.0, and the company holds B Corp, ISO 14001, and two Queen's Awards for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.

The business operates three revenue streams: (1) direct-to-consumer e-commerce at unionroasted.com with UK-only delivery via Royal Mail and DPD (free over £30-£45), (2) a wholesale/trade channel supplying cafes, restaurants, and contract caterers (including BaxterStorey and Gail's Artisan Bakery) with dedicated account support, and (3) recurring CoffeeClub subscriptions. The trade channel is reinforced by an SCA-approved training center in East London offering Barista Skills, Sensory Skills, Brewing Skills, and Train the Trainer courses. Pricing on whole-bean coffee ranges from £7.95 to £14.25 per 200-250g bag (£34.95 for 1kg), positioning the brand in the mid-premium specialty tier. The company is private, founder/family-owned, and shows no disclosed funding, M&A, or international expansion activity.

Underlying technology is conventional for a specialty roaster: standard e-commerce storefront, Google Analytics, Feefo reviews, Mention Me referrals, and standard courier integrations. The proprietary 'moats' are Union Direct Trade sourcing, hand-roasting-to-order operations, sustainability certifications, and an integrated training/education ecosystem supporting wholesale customers. There is no evidence of AI/ML, proprietary software, mobile app, patents, or third-party platform dependencies beyond analytics and logistics.

Name

Union Hand-Roasted Coffee

Legal name

Union Hand-Roasted Coffee

Website

https://unionroasted.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Union Hand-Roasted Coffee is a UK-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1994, hand-roasting to order from an East London roastery and selling direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and subscription, plus a wholesale trade channel serving cafes, restaurants, and contract caterers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roastery

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasting & Grinding (AFAFADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Specialty coffee roasting
• Direct trade coffee
• Coffee subscription service
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Barista training courses

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Coffee Sales: Online retail sales of specialty coffee beans to individual consumers through e-commerce website, roasted fresh to order.
2. CoffeeClub Subscription: Recurring subscription service delivering curated specialty coffees to subscribers on a regular basis.
3. Wholesale Trade: B2B sales of coffee and training services to cafes, restaurants, and hospitality businesses through trade accounts.
4. Equipment Sales: Sales of coffee brewing equipment including V60 drippers, grinders, and accessories.
5. Training Courses: Professional barista and coffee training courses for existing trade customers, including SCA Diploma courses and in-house modules.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Union Hand-Roasted Coffee is an East London specialty coffee roastery that hand-roasts coffee fresh to order for direct-to-consumer online retail and B2B wholesale customers. It sells house blends, single origins, microlots, decaffeinated, and organic coffees via its e-commerce site and CoffeeClub subscription, with a wholesale trade channel supplying cafes, bakeries, and hospitality businesses alongside barista training courses and SCA Diploma courses.

Product overview

Union Hand-Roasted Coffee operates as a specialty coffee roastery offering a unified portfolio of products and services. The core offering comprises house blends (Summer Blend, Revelation Signature Espresso, House Roast Original Blend, Natural Spirit Organic Blend, Half Caff Blend), single origins (Los Lajones Catuai Panama, João Hamilton Brazil, Bobolink Brazil), and microlot coffees sourced through Union Direct Trade. Supporting products include the CoffeeClub subscription service, brewing equipment (V60 Hario Ceramic), and selection packs. Educational services include Wholesale Training Courses and SCA Diploma Courses for barista training. The company differentiates through direct trade sourcing, hand-roasting to order, and B Corp certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Blend

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with the sustainable organic farm in Brazil run by Silvia Barreto and Marcos Croce. FAF shares knowledge and expertise with network of farmers producing Bobolink coffee through sustainable practices.
• Graciano Cruz (Los Lajones and Emporium Farms)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovative coffee producer using natural and honey processing methods in Panama. Pioneered sustainable farming with bamboo-constructed raised beds for drying. Partner for Geisha and specialty microlot coffees.
• Alliance for Coffee Excellence (Cup of Excellence)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization establishing Cup of Excellence competitions to discover and promote the finest coffees. Union has participated as jury members and sourced winning lots.
• Cooperative Abahuzamugami ba Kawa (Maraba), RwandaStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership with Rwanda cooperative since 2003, one of Union's earliest direct trade relationships.
• Jodie WilliamsminorOthersGB athlete and coffee lover serving as brand ambassador for Union Hand-Roasted Coffee since 2021.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WatchHouse: UK specialty coffee operator combining roasting with cafe locations. Comparable premium positioning and growing DTC channel competing for similar UK specialty consumers.
• Pact Coffee: UK specialty coffee subscription brand with strong digital marketing. Comparable on direct-to-consumer subscription, ethically sourced beans, and UK-only fulfillment model.
• Workshop Coffee: London specialty roaster with cafes and a wholesale program. Directly comparable in third-wave roasting, B2B training, and premium DTC subscriptions.
• Hasbean Coffee: Staffordshire-based specialty roaster with strong online DTC and subscription presence. Highly comparable on direct-trade sourcing model, single-origin portfolio, and UK-focused e-commerce.
• Extract Coffee Roasters: Bristol-based specialty roaster with B2B and DTC channels. Comparable on wholesale supply, barista training, and UK specialty e-commerce competition.
• Origin Coffee: Cornwall-based specialty roaster with adjacent cafe operations and wholesale supply. Overlaps with Union on direct trade, SCA training, and ethical sourcing positioning.
• Square Mile Coffee Roasters: London-based specialty coffee roaster supplying wholesale accounts and competing in the same UK third-wave market. Direct overlap in B2B barista training, cafe supply, and premium DTC SKUs.
• Caravan Coffee Roasters: London specialty roaster and cafe group. Comparable in third-wave roasting, hospitality wholesale, and consumer-facing brand building in the UK.
• Dark Woods Coffee: Independent Yorkshire-based specialty roaster with wholesale and DTC channels. Comparable direct-trade, ethical-sourcing positioning and UK specialty e-commerce competition.

Broad incumbents

• Blue Bottle Coffee: Large global specialty coffee chain (Nestlé-owned) offering DTC subscriptions and cafes. Represents the broader incumbent competitor Union faces as premium coffee scales internationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unionroasted
• Facebookfacebook.com/unionroasted

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Union Hand-Roasted Coffee