Presto has kicked off a £350k funding round as it pushes forward with its aim to premiumise the instant coffee market.
The business, which counts Caffè Nero co-founder Pablo Ettinger and Planet Organic former boss Peter Marsh as board members, is valuing itself at £4.5m as part of a round offering shares to existing backers, private investors and the crowd as part of a campaign on Crowdcube.
James Hagerty founded Presto in 2018 as a DTC business selling a range of coffee beans, ground coffee and coffee bags. It also supplied Amazon, wholesalers and foodservice.
However, the brand has taken off in the past 12 months after pivoting to the instant category with a “barista-quality” coffee made using premium arabica beans.
The B Corp leans heavily on its sustainability credentials, with the coffee Rainforest Alliance approved and the packaging made from 100% recyclable cardboard.
Presto’s instant coffee range launched in Waitrose in October 2025 and has since rapidly expanded across UK retail. It now supplies more than 1,000 stores across the country, including Tesco, Morrisons, Ocado, Booths, Holland & Barrett and Co-op, and rolled out in almost 500 Sprouts in the US.
Sales have ramped up as a result and are forecast to hit £1.1m in 2026 and £2.1m in 2027.
Funds from the current raise will be used to support this rapid expansion through investment in stock, production scaling, packaging & format development and marketing.
“Presto’s growth over the past 12 months shows how quickly consumer habits are changing,” Hagerty said. “More people are looking for coffee that delivers on quality, convenience and value, without compromising on sustainability.
“Instant coffee has been overlooked for too long, but we believe the category is ready for a proper upgrade. Presto is proving there is strong demand for premium instant coffee with sustainability built in from the start, not treated as an afterthought.
“Our Crowdcube campaign will help us accelerate that momentum, reach more customers in the UK and internationally, and continue building Presto into the leading name in better instant coffee.”
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