SEND Coffee
SEND Coffee is a London-based non-profit specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator that runs a 48-week barista training programme for young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, funding the programme through three retail cafes, e-commerce bean sales, wholesale supply, and events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What SEND Coffee does
SEND Coffee is a UK non-profit organisation established in 2020 that operates specialty coffee shops in London as integrated training sites for young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The company runs three award-winning cafes — Clarnico Coffee (Leyton, E20), Curators Coffee Studio (City, EC3), and Kitchen Coffee (Fitzrovia, W1) — which serve both as walk-in retail outlets and as hands-on training environments for learners enrolled in The SEND Course, a 48-week programme combining SCA-aligned barista and hospitality skills with life-skills development and a second-year employment support structure. The underlying operational model relies on dedicated Q graders for cupping and quality control, SCA-accredited trainers with access to the Authorized Service Technician network, and single-origin/single-varietal sourcing from ethical suppliers including an Agr i Evolve partnership in Uganda.
Commercially, SEND Coffee generates revenue across multiple streams: in-cafe transactions, direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales of single-origin beans (Fazenda Recreio from Brazil, Katanda from Uganda, Yirgacheffe Decaf from Ethiopia at £15–£17 per 250g with a 10% subscription discount), B2B wholesale supply to offices and independent cafes including equipment sourcing and consultancy, mobile pop-up and event services, and donations routed through The Foundation for Persons with Disabilities in Coffee (Registered Charity No. 1214167), which was established in 2025 as a separate charitable entity to oversee the impact mission. Pricing for beans and gift cards (£25–£200 denominations) is publicly listed, while wholesale and events are quote-based. The company has been recognised by Ofsted twice as an Outstanding training provider (as of 2024) and was awarded Employer of the Year at the 2023 Mayor of London Working for Good Adult Learning awards. The founding team comprises industry veterans who have collectively launched more than 100 cafes globally, and SEND Coffee CIC functions as the trading arm with the Foundation operating as the charitable body, under a dual-entity structure that channels commercial proceeds into the SEND learner programme.
SEND Coffee firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SEND Coffee
- Legal name
- SEND Coffee CIC
- Website
- https://sendcoffee.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- SEND Coffee is a London-based non-profit specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator that runs a 48-week barista training programme for young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, funding the programme through three retail cafes, e-commerce bean sales, wholesale supply, and events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SEND Coffee industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee & Nonprofit Hospitality Training
- NAICS
- Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- 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), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI), Beverage Service (Coffee/Tea/Juice) & Refreshment Stations (HSACAGAJ)
Keywords
Where SEND Coffee is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
SEND Coffee business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Retail Coffee Shop Operations: Three specialty coffee shop locations in London (Clarnico Coffee, Curators Coffee Studio, Kitchen Coffee) serve customers directly. These cafes also function as training sites for learners in the SEND programme. All proceeds support the charitable mission.
- Coffee Bean Retail (E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer online sales of single origin coffee beans (Brazil, Uganda, Ethiopia) with prices ranging from £15.00-£17.00. Subscription model offering 10% discount. Gift cards available from £25.00.
- Wholesale Coffee & Equipment: Bustling wholesale team providing specialty quality coffee to offices, independent cafes, and retail sites. Services include specialty filter coffee, espresso beans, bean-to-cup blends, engineering solutions, equipment sourcing, and coffee consultancy. All proceeds go directly back into impact work for learners.
- Events & Pop-up Services: Mobile coffee cart and pop-up services for corporate events, team training, and educational events. Evening cocktail service featuring espresso martinis. All funds raised go straight into funding mentoring programmes.
- Donations: 100% of every donation supports the work done as part of the Foundation for Persons with Disabilities in Coffee (Registered Charity Number 1214167). Donations support the 1-to-1 year-long mentorship programme and second year support structure.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coffee beans starting from £15.00 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift cards from £25.00 |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Wholesale pricing - quote-based |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
SEND Coffee product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SEND Coffee is a non-profit specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator based in London. The company operates three award-winning retail coffee shops that double as training sites for young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). It sells single-origin coffee beans direct-to-consumer online and through wholesale to offices, cafes and retail sites, and provides mobile coffee event services. The flagship offering is a 48-week Ofsted-recognised barista training course that combines specialty coffee skills with life-skills education, funded by commercial coffee revenue and donations.
Product overview
SEND Coffee is a non-profit coffee roasting company operating a collection of award-winning cafes in London. The product portfolio comprises specialty coffee beans (Fazenda Recreio – Brazil, Yirgacheffe Decaf – Ethiopia, and Katanda – Uganda) sold through their online shop and wholesale channels, alongside The SEND Course, a 48-week barista training program with SCA certification curriculum. The company also offers wholesale coffee services (beans, equipment, consultancy), mobile pop-up coffee events, and gift cards. All proceeds fund their mentorship programme for young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fazenda Recreio - Brazil House espresso blend single-origin coffee sourced from Recreio Farm in São Sebastião da Grama, Brazil. Features notes of caramel, pecan, fig and chocolate with milk chocolate richness. Sold in 250g bags from £15.00.
- Yirgacheffe Decaf - Ethiopia Decaffeinated Ethiopian coffee from the Yirgacheffe micro-region, processed naturally at high altitude with sweet stone fruit acidity, silky body and floral finish. Available in 250g or 1kg bags from £17.00.
- Katanda - Uganda Ugandan single-origin coffee from the Rwenzori Mountains region with blackberry, apple and cola notes and a vibrant, sweet cup profile suitable as filter or espresso. Available in 250g or 1kg bags from £17.00.
- Gift Card Digital gift cards redeemable at any SEND Coffee shop location or online store, available in £25, £50, £100, £150 and £200 denominations.
- The SEND Course 48-week (one academic year) comprehensive barista training programme for young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, drawing from SCA Certification, Competitions score sheets and insights from seasoned baristas. Combines technical barista and hospitality skills (food safety, stock management, customer service, cleaning) with life-skills training (independent travel, cooking, social skills, self-care, financial literacy). Includes second-year employment support with interview preparation, job trials and integration into work environments.
- Wholesale Coffee Services Specialty wholesale supply of filter coffee, espresso beans and bean-to-cup blends to offices, independent cafes and retail sites. Includes equipment sourcing, engineering solutions, coffee consultancy, manager training, and access to AST network trainers accredited by the SCA plus industry networking events. Pricing is quote-based by client and volume.
- Events and Pop-up Coffee Services Mobile coffee cart and pop-up event service for corporate events, team training sessions and educational events. Includes barista-crafted drinks, espresso martini cocktail experiences for evening events, home barista training, wholesale coffee training workshops, and talks/panels on accessibility. All funds raised fund mentoring programmes.
- Donations to The Foundation for Persons with Disabilities in Coffee Charitable donation programme supporting the 1-to-1 year-long mentorship programme and second-year support structure through The Foundation for Persons with Disabilities in Coffee (Registered Charity No. 1214167). 100% of every donation funds the charitable work.
Quantifiable outcome
- Recognised by Ofsted twice as an outstanding provider for their training course as of 2024.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SEND Coffee
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SEND Coffee technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SEND Coffee partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Agr i EvolvecoreAgr i Evolve is a partner in Uganda that has assisted with grants (£2000 in 2021 and additional grant in 2022) from their ACE2030 fund for clean water supply installation at Katanda near the Rwenzori Mountains. They support farmers with agricultural development and sustainable practices, helping provide clean water and encouraging farmers to grow and plant trees.
- SCA (Specialty Coffee Association)coreSEND Coffee has access to the AST (Authorized Service Technician) network and trainers accredited by the SCA. Their training programme draws from SCA Certification, Competitions score sheets, and industry insights. They provide SCA-accredited training and certification for their wholesale clients.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SEND Coffee competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Large-scale specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator with global presence and direct-trade sourcing. Comparable on specialty single-origin positioning and cafe-plus-D2C model, but operates at materially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
Direct peers
- Change Please: UK social enterprise coffee company that trains people experiencing homelessness to become baristas and sells specialty coffee through cafes, wholesale, and e-commerce. Directly comparable social-mission model, customer base, and product mix to SEND Coffee.
- Notes Coffee: London specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator with multiple sites and a wholesale programme. Comparable on specialty roasting, multi-cafe London footprint, and single-origin sourcing.
- Origin Coffee: UK specialty coffee roaster operating cafes and wholesale with a strong direct-trade and farmer-relationship focus. Comparable on ethical sourcing narrative, specialty roasting, and cafe-plus-wholesale model.
- Caravan Coffee Roasters: London specialty roaster with multiple cafe-restaurant locations serving as both retail sites and training/experience venues. Comparable roastery-cafe operating model and London specialty positioning.
- Extract Coffee Roasters: Independent specialty coffee roaster with cafe and wholesale operations focused on single-origin sourcing and quality. Comparable on specialty roasting, B2B wholesale, and cafe retail model.
- Dark Arts Coffee: Independent specialty coffee roaster supplying wholesale and direct customers with a strong brand identity. Comparable on specialty single-origin roasting, wholesale channel, and London/UK market.
- Workshop Coffee: London specialty coffee roaster operating multiple cafe locations alongside wholesale distribution. Comparable on roastery-cafe model, London retail footprint, specialty positioning, and B2B wholesale channel.
- Moth Coffee: London specialty coffee roaster supplying wholesale accounts and direct customers with single-origin beans. Comparable on specialty roasting focus, London wholesale channel, and D2C e-commerce presence.
- Square Mile Coffee Roasters: London-based specialty coffee roaster supplying wholesale accounts, cafes, and direct customers with single-origin and blend offerings. Directly comparable on specialty roasting, Q-graded quality standards, and London B2B distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SEND Coffee social profiles
Digital presenceSEND Coffee financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SEND Coffee leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
SEND Coffee subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
SEND Coffee funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SEND Coffee 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 SEND Coffee
What does SEND Coffee do?
SEND Coffee is a non-profit specialty coffee roaster and cafe operator based in London. The company operates three award-winning retail coffee shops that double as training sites for young adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). It sells single-origin coffee beans direct-to-consumer online and through wholesale to offices, cafes and retail sites, and provides mobile coffee event services. The flagship offering is a 48-week Ofsted-recognised barista training course that combines specialty coffee skills with life-skills education, funded by commercial coffee revenue and donations.
Is SEND Coffee a public or private company?
SEND Coffee is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SEND Coffee founded?
SEND Coffee was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is SEND Coffee based?
SEND Coffee is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does SEND Coffee make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Coffee Shop Operations are the primary driver. The others are coffee Bean Retail (E-commerce), wholesale Coffee & Equipment, events & Pop-up Services and donations.
Who are SEND Coffee's main competitors?
Blue Bottle Coffee is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Change Please, Notes Coffee, Origin Coffee, Caravan Coffee Roasters, Extract Coffee Roasters, Dark Arts Coffee, Workshop Coffee, Moth Coffee and Square Mile Coffee Roasters.
Does SEND Coffee have an API?
No public API is recorded for SEND Coffee.
What industry is SEND Coffee in?
SEND Coffee's product category is Specialty Coffee & Nonprofit Hospitality Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes), with a secondary code of THAFADAA, Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave). Its NAICS code is 311920 and its SIC code is 2080.