Motherland Coffee Company
Motherland Coffee Company is a privately held South African specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain operating 21 locations, sourcing Fairtrade certified African single origin and blended coffees directly from co-operatives in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, and the DRC and selling them to consumers via cafes, e-commerce, and Uber Eats.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Motherland Coffee Company does
Motherland Coffee Company is a privately held South African specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain headquartered in Rosebank, Gauteng, operating 21 cafe locations concentrated in Johannesburg and Pretoria with two Cape Town outposts (Woodstock and Cavendish Square). The company sources specialty grade African single origin and blended coffees through direct fair trade relationships with co-operatives and small farmers in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, roasting and selling them under Fairtrade certified labels including the Toil & Triumph, Original, Neighbourhood, and Ethiopian Sidamo Decaf blends, plus Yirgacheffe single origin.
The product portfolio spans whole bean and ground coffee (250g and 1kg SKUs), coffee pods in 10- and 50-pack formats, and Huskee reusable cups in three sizes, with pricing denominated in South African Rand. Distribution is omnichannel: 21 physical cafe/retail locations, an e-commerce website at motherlandcoffee.com offering free delivery, third-party delivery via Uber Eats, and a MotherRands loyalty program that issues a R50 voucher after R550 of in-store drink purchases.
The technology stack is conventional commerce infrastructure: WooCommerce-based e-commerce, PayFast and SnapScan payment integrations, and standard social media channels (Instagram, Facebook, X). The company positions itself around reclaiming Africa's coffee heritage and fair trade ethics; ownership is private with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or parent entity, and no M&A or leadership changes are on record.
Motherland Coffee Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Motherland Coffee Company
- Legal name
- Motherland Coffee Company (PTY) LTD.
- Website
- https://motherlandcoffee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Motherland Coffee Company is a privately held South African specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain operating 21 locations, sourcing Fairtrade certified African single origin and blended coffees directly from co-operatives in Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, and the DRC and selling them to consumers via cafes, e-commerce, and Uber Eats.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Motherland Coffee Company industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Retail
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192), 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
- Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Motherland Coffee Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices22 records
Markets served
Motherland Coffee Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- In-store cafe sales: Revenue from selling coffee beverages and food items at 21 physical cafe locations across South Africa. Customers earn MotherRands loyalty points on purchases.
- E-commerce product sales: Online sales of coffee beans (whole bean and ground), coffee pods, and accessories like HuskeeCup reusable cups. Products shipped to customer addresses with free delivery on all items.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee pods 10-pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee pods 50-pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HuskeeCup 6oz/175ml Small |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HuskeeCup 12oz/350ml MC |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HuskeeCup 8oz/235ml Tall |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Motherland Original Blend (Ethiopia + Rwanda) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Motherland Neighbourhood Blend (Burundi + Congo) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Motherland Ethiopian Sidamo Decaf |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Motherland Toil & Triumph Blend (Burundi + Ethiopia) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Motherland Coffee Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Motherland Coffee Company is a South African specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain that sources specialty grade African single origin and blended coffees through direct fair trade relationships with African coffee producing co-operatives and small farmers. It operates 21 cafe locations across South Africa (predominantly Gauteng, with sites in Cape Town) selling coffee beverages and food, and sells roasted coffee beans, coffee pods, and reusable Huskee cups via its e-commerce store.
Product overview
Motherland Coffee Company operates as a specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain offering specialty grade African single origin and blended coffees. The product portfolio includes four core coffee blends (Toil & Triumph, Original, Neighbourhood, and Neighbourhood) sourced from African origins (Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC), plus single origin offerings (Ethiopian Sidamo Decaf and Yirgacheffe). Additional products include coffee pods (10's and 50's packs) and Huskee reusable cups in three sizes. The company runs a network of 20+ cafe locations across South Africa with a loyalty program (MotherRands), and integrates with PayFast/SnapScan for payments and Uber Eats for delivery. All core coffee products are Fairtrade certified.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Motherland Toil & Triumph Blend Fairtrade certified specialty grade blended coffee combining Ethiopian Sidamo and Burundian beans, featuring notes of caramel and berry fruits with a soft, balanced finish; sold in 250g format at R142.50.
- Motherland Original Blend Fairtrade certified foundational blend of Rwandan and Ethiopian coffees offering rich chocolate notes with earthy body and a floral, citrus finish; available in 250g or 1kg and in beans, espresso, filter, or plunger grind formats at R142.50 to R492.50.
- Motherland Neighbourhood Blend Fairtrade certified specialty blend of DRC and Burundian coffee featuring caramel nut brittle and cocoa notes with a blackcurrant finish; sourced via direct fair trade; priced from R142.50 to R480.50 across weight and grind variants.
- Motherland Ethiopian Sidamo Decaf Decaffeinated Ethiopian single origin coffee offering light almond sweetness, blackberry fruit notes, and vanilla undertones with a clean, naturally sweet profile and soft nutty mouthfeel; priced R146.50 to R492.50.
- Motherland Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Single origin Ethiopian coffee processed using natural/sun drying method, featuring layered flavors of cocoa, blueberries, and plum jam with a rich cocoa-like mouth feel.
- Motherland Coffee Pods 10's Pack of 10 coffee pods featuring three curated signature blends offering a range of flavor profiles from smooth and balanced to bolder chocolate and caramel notes; priced at R99.00.
- Motherland Coffee Pods 50's Pack of 50 coffee pods featuring three thoughtfully curated signature blends, offering convenience with character and delivering premium African spirit coffee; priced at R520.00.
- Huskee Cup with Lid 8oz/235ml Tall Award-winning reusable coffee cup (235ml) made from coffee husk waste, dishwasher safe, BPA-free with comfortable grip, part of Huskee's HuskeeLoop closed-loop recycling program; priced at R355.00.
- Huskee Cup with Lid 6oz/175ml Small Small reusable coffee cup (175ml) crafted from waste coffee husk with included lid, dishwasher safe and BPA-free, part of HuskeeLoop recycling program; priced at R316.00.
- Huskee Cup with Lid 12oz/350ml Reusable coffee cup (350ml) crafted from waste coffee husk, dishwasher safe, BPA-free, part of Huskee's closed-loop recycling program HuskeeLoop; priced at R393.00.
- Motherland Cafe Operations Specialty coffee beverages and food served across 21 Motherland cafe locations in Gauteng (Rosebank, Bedford, Benmore, Blubird, Blairgowrie, Crowthorne, Dunkeld West, Randpark Ridge, Groenkloof, Lynnwood, Bryanston, Edenburg, Pretoria/Mooikloof, Morningside, Pretoria/Olympus, Parktown North, Rivonia, Linksfield, Randburg) and Western Cape (Claremont/Cavendish, Woodstock); customers earn MotherRands loyalty points on purchases.
Companies that use Motherland Coffee Company
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Motherland Coffee Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Motherland Coffee Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HuskeecoreHuskee supplies the award-winning HuskeeCup - reusable cups crafted from waste coffee husk. The HuskeeCup is dishwasher safe, BPA-free, and part of Huskee's closed-loop recycling program HuskeeLoop where end-of-life cups are collected and turned into new products.
- African coffee producing co-operatives and small farmerscoreDirect trade relationships with African coffee producing co-operatives and small farmers. Coffee sourced from Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia, and Rwanda through fair trade principles, paying fair prices for quality coffee.
- Fair TradecoreFair Trade certification and partnership ensuring equitable trading conditions for producers and workers, sustainable development, and fair prices for coffee producers.
- Uber EatsminorThird-party food delivery platform integration allowing customers to order cafe menu items for delivery.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Motherland Coffee Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bootlegger Coffee Company: Specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain in South Africa with a multi-location Gauteng-based footprint. Comparable on cafe-plus-roaster model and premium positioning.
- Truth Coffee Roasting: Award-winning Cape Town specialty roaster and cafe. Directly comparable on single-origin and ethically sourced coffee positioning, though primarily Western Cape focused.
- Seattle Coffee Company: Established South African specialty coffee chain operating cafes plus packaged bean sales. Direct overlap on third-wave positioning and Gauteng-heavy footprint.
- Vida e Caffè: Largest specialty coffee chain in South Africa with a comparable cafe footprint and direct-to-consumer bean/pod sales. Most direct competitor on geography, product format, and target customer.
- Bean There Coffee Company: South Africa's first Fairtrade-certified coffee roaster. Highly comparable on Fair Trade certification, direct African sourcing, and specialty cafe/roaster model.
Broad incumbents
- Costa Coffee: UK-origin global coffee chain operating in South Africa. Comparable cafe-format competition with broader mainstream positioning rather than African single-origin specialty.
- Nespresso (Nestlé): Global pod-based coffee brand. Directly competes with Motherland's pod SKU range, but at a vastly larger scale with broader origin selection and brand recognition.
- Blue Bottle Coffee: US third-wave specialty coffee chain with cafe-plus-DTC model. Comparable on the specialty cafe-plus-e-commerce flywheel that Motherland is building, though at far larger scale.
- Starbucks: Global coffee incumbent with presence in South Africa. Competes for the same daily coffee occasion but with vastly broader scale, broader origin mix, and standard rather than specialty positioning.
Others
- Lavazza: Italian coffee manufacturer and brand. Comparable on packaged coffee and pod product formats; a B2B/B2C adjacency rather than a direct South African cafe competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Motherland Coffee Company social profiles
Digital presenceMotherland Coffee Company compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Motherland Coffee Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Motherland Coffee Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Motherland Coffee Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Motherland Coffee Company 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 Motherland Coffee Company
What does Motherland Coffee Company do?
Motherland Coffee Company is a South African specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain that sources specialty grade African single origin and blended coffees through direct fair trade relationships with African coffee producing co-operatives and small farmers. It operates 21 cafe locations across South Africa (predominantly Gauteng, with sites in Cape Town) selling coffee beverages and food, and sells roasted coffee beans, coffee pods, and reusable Huskee cups via its e-commerce store.
Is Motherland Coffee Company a public or private company?
Motherland Coffee Company is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Motherland Coffee Company founded?
Motherland Coffee Company was founded in -1. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Motherland Coffee Company based?
Motherland Coffee Company is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Motherland Coffee Company make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. In-store cafe sales are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce product sales.
Who are Motherland Coffee Company's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bootlegger Coffee Company, Truth Coffee Roasting, Seattle Coffee Company, Vida e Caffè and Bean There Coffee Company. Broad incumbents are Costa Coffee, Nespresso (Nestlé), Blue Bottle Coffee and Starbucks. Lavazza is listed as an others.
Does Motherland Coffee Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for Motherland Coffee Company.
What industry is Motherland Coffee Company in?
Motherland Coffee Company's product category is Specialty Coffee Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes), with a secondary code of CRADAHAG, Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean). Its NAICS code is 31192 and its SIC code is 5810.