Coffee Plant

What Coffee Plant does

Coffee Plant Ltd is a London-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer founded in 1983 by Ian Henshall. The company operates a flagship retail coffee shop at 180 Portobello Road in Notting Hill, a roasting facility in Wembley, a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store serving the UK, and a wholesale division supplying independent coffee shops and catering businesses. Its core product range is dual-certified organic and Fairtrade coffee, with 21+ single-origin beans, multiple roast profiles (Continental through Italian), chemical-free CO2 decaffeination approved by the Soil Association, specialty items such as Gerson Medical Coffee, plus teas, chocolate, and sundries. Freshness is a central operational principle: beans are roasted at the Wembley facility and delivered to the Notting Hill shop twice weekly, with valve-pack packaging used to preserve quality through distribution.

The business makes money through three channels: in-store beverage and snack service at the Portobello shop, online and mail-order retail of roasted beans and tea with tiered volume discounts (5-15% at £50/£100/£200), and wholesale supply to other coffee shops and caterers across the UK. Unit pricing is competitive for the specialty segment (single origins £9.36-£11.37 per 225g-1kg). Distribution is entirely UK-domestic. Customer segments include walk-in individual consumers, mail-order repeat buyers (some located outside London), and a fragmented base of independent coffee shops and catering businesses. Marketing is conducted via the company blog, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email newsletters, and organic word-of-mouth including celebrity endorsement.

In April 2024, after more than 20 years of founder ownership, Ian Henshall stepped down as owner manager; new owners took over the Portobello Road shop while Henshall shifted to developing the wholesale side of the business. The company remains privately held with no external investment disclosed, employs approximately 11 people, and operates without subsidiaries, patents, or recognized funding rounds. Sustainability positioning is anchored in dual organic/Fairtrade certification, renewable electricity from Good Energy, spent-ground recycling with Bio-Bean, and direct producer premiums via the Fairtrade system.

Name

Coffee Plant

Legal name

Coffee Plant Ltd

Website

https://coffee.uk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Coffee Plant Ltd is a London-based specialty coffee roaster founded in 1983, operating a Notting Hill retail shop, a Wembley roastery, UK e-commerce, and wholesale supply of dual-certified organic and Fairtrade coffee to independent cafes and consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Roastery and Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAFADAB

Coffee Roasting & Grinding

Agriculture & Food Production/Beverage Production/Coffee & Tea Processing (Roasting, Blending, RTD)

SECONDARYTHAFADAE

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes)

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Cafes & Coffee Shops

SECONDARYAFAFADAJ

Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing

Agriculture & Food Production/Beverage Production/Coffee & Tea Processing (Roasting, Blending, RTD)

SECONDARYCRADAHAG

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean)

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Non-Alcoholic Beverages (Coffee, Tea, Soft Drinks, Water)

SECONDARYCRAHAGAI

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

Consumer Products & Retail/Grocery & Food Retail/Specialty Food Stores (Deli, Cheese, Gourmet, Bakery)

Keywords

• Artisan coffee roasting
• Specialty coffee retail
• Organic fairtrade coffee
• Wholesale coffee supply
• Specialty tea products

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Coffee and Tea Sales: Direct sales of freshly roasted coffee beans, ground coffee in valve packs, teas, chocolate, and related products through the physical shop in Notting Hill and online e-commerce store. Products are sold in various weights (225g, 500g, 1kg) with volume discounts available.
2. Wholesale and Mail Order: Supply of roasted coffee beans to other coffee shops and catering businesses nationwide, plus mail order service for individual customers across the UK. Freshly roasted beans delivered twice weekly from the Wembley roastery.
3. In-Shop Beverage Service: Hot drinks, snacks, toasted sandwiches, and smoothies sold directly to consumers at the Portobello Road retail location.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Coffee Plant roasts and sells organic and Fairtrade certified coffee beans (whole, ground, green, and decaffeinated) alongside teas, chocolate, and related ancillary products, distributed through its Notting Hill retail coffee shop, a UK-wide e-commerce mail-order service, and a wholesale division supplying other coffee shops and catering businesses. Freshly roasted beans are produced at its Wembley roastery and delivered to the shop twice weekly, with a custom-blending service and specialty products such as Gerson Medical Coffee.

Product overview

Coffee Plant is a London-based specialty coffee roastery and retailer operating a physical coffee shop in Notting Hill (Portobello Road) and a roastery in Wembley. The business offers a comprehensive portfolio of coffee and tea products centered on organic and fairtrade certified beans. Coffee offerings include whole beans, ground coffee, and unroasted green beans across multiple roast profiles (Continental, Medium, Medium-Mild, Medium-Strong, Italian/Strong), with specialty lines including Gerson Medical Coffee, decaffeinated options (using CO2 process), and organic sample packs. The tea range encompasses black tea (bags and loose leaf), green tea, China tea, fruit infusions, and herbal teas. The company also supplies wholesale and mail order to retailers and businesses across the UK, with fresh roasted beans delivered to the shop twice weekly. Ancillary products include chocolate, sweets, and sundry coffee accessories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coffee Beans (whole bean, ground, and green/unroasted) Freshly roasted organic and Fairtrade coffee beans offered in multiple formats (whole bean, ground, green/unroasted) and across roast profiles including Continental, Medium, Medium-Mild, Medium-Strong, and Italian roasts, available in 225g, 500g, and 1kg pack sizes for retail and mail order customers.
• Gerson Medical Coffee Specialty organic Fairtrade coffee product associated with the Gerson Therapy health approach, sold in bulk quantities to customers following the therapy protocol.
• Decaffeinated Coffee Chemical-free decaffeinated coffee produced using the CO2 process approved by the Soil Association, available across multiple roasts including Medium, Continental, and Professional Espresso, in 225g to 1kg valve packs.
• Organic Coffee Sample Packs Curated multi-origin sample packs allowing customers to try several organic coffee varieties, including specialty offerings such as Monsooned Malabar, to discover new origins.
• Tea Products Range of teas including Black Tea (bags and loose leaf), Green Tea, China Tea, Fruit Infusion Tea, and Herbal Tea, with breakfast blends featuring Assam and Tanzanian teas.
• Chocolate and Sweets Confectionery products including chocolate bars and sweets offered as complementary items alongside the coffee and tea ranges, both in-store and online.
• Sundries Additional coffee-related items and accessories sold alongside the core coffee and tea range.
• Coffee Shop Service (Notting Hill) Physical coffee shop at 180 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London W11 2EB, serving hot drinks, snacks, toasted sandwiches, smoothies, and retail beans. Open seven days a week with freshly roasted beans delivered twice weekly from the Wembley roastery.
• Wholesale Coffee Supply Service B2B wholesale and mail-order service supplying freshly roasted coffee beans to other coffee shops, cafes, and catering businesses across the UK, with custom blending available and orders handled via the Wembley roastery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5-15% volume discounts for larger orders increasing customer loyalty and order value
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Good EnergyminorOthersGood Energy is Coffee Plant's electricity supplier. Their electricity is 100% renewable, allowing Coffee Plant to make verified environmental claims rather than bogus ones. This partnership supports Coffee Plant's sustainability positioning.
• Bio-BeanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBio-Bean takes away Coffee Plant's spent coffee grounds for recycling. The company has introduced new products from this waste material, supporting Coffee Plant's environmental sustainability initiatives.
• Soil AssociationcoreOthersThe Soil Association provides organic certification for Coffee Plant's products. Their CO2 decaffeination process is approved by the Soil Association, and Coffee Plant participates in their events like the UK's first Agroforestry Show.
• Fairtrade FoundationcoreOthersFairtrade Foundation provides Fairtrade certification ensuring guaranteed prices and long-term contracts for coffee farmers. Coffee Plant has raised over £12,000 for the Fairtrade Foundation through levies paid, with additional premiums going directly to producers.
• TREES (Peru Project)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwner Ian Henshall personally donates to TREES, a project in Peru researching agroforestry techniques to reclaim deforested land. Coffee Plant buys more coffee from Peru than anywhere else, using this as a personal carbon offset.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hasbean Coffee: Staffordshire-based specialty coffee roaster selling single-origin coffees direct-to-consumer and wholesale. Comparable as a UK independent craft roaster with a deep single-origin catalogue and strong direct-to-consumer e-commerce presence.
• Union Coffee: UK specialty coffee roaster offering direct-to-consumer subscription, wholesale supply to cafes and hotels, and an ethical sourcing programme. Comparable as a UK craft roaster with multi-channel distribution and B2C/B2B split.
• Workshop Coffee: London specialty coffee roaster with multiple cafe locations and a wholesale division. Comparable as a London craft roaster operating retail sites plus B2B supply with a focus on single-origin and seasonal coffees.
• Square Mile Coffee Roasters: East London specialty coffee roaster serving wholesale accounts across the UK and internationally. Comparable as a UK craft roaster focusing on single-origin coffees and B2B supply to cafes, with similar product portfolio and target customers.
• Origin Coffee: Cornwall-based specialty roaster with a cafe and strong direct-to-consumer and wholesale business. Comparable as a UK craft roaster emphasizing ethical sourcing, traceable supply chains, and specialty single-origin offerings.
• Ozone Coffee: UK specialty coffee roaster with direct-trade sourcing programme, cafe, and wholesale accounts across London and beyond. Comparable as an independent UK craft roaster focused on ethical direct-trade relationships and multi-channel sales.
• Pact Coffee: UK specialty coffee subscription service sourcing traceable, ethically-sourced beans and delivering direct to consumers. Comparable to Coffee Plant on the direct-to-consumer, ethically-sourced single-origin axis, though more digitally native.
• Monmouth Coffee: London-based specialty coffee roaster and retailer with own cafes in Borough Market and other locations. Directly comparable to Coffee Plant as a craft roaster selling freshly roasted single-origin coffee through both physical shops and wholesale channels in London.
• Caravan Coffee Roasters: London-based specialty roaster operating roastery cafes and supplying wholesale accounts. Comparable to Coffee Plant as a London roastery cafe combining craft roasting with a flagship retail experience.

Emerging players

• Grind (London): London-based specialty coffee brand operating cafes plus a direct-to-consumer subscription and compostable coffee pod business. Comparable as a London specialty coffee brand competing for similar ethically-minded, premium-segment consumers but with significantly more capital and a broader digital offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CoffeePlant_
• Facebookfacebook.com/coffeeplantuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coffee-plant
• Instagraminstagram.com/coffeeplantwembley

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Coffee Plant