Case Study

CUPS Launches B2B Marketplace Connecting Coffee Shops to Suppliers

CUPS needed an eCommerce platform that could power a B2B marketplace with a best-in-class B2C experience and handle the complexity of connecting a complex network of suppliers.

CUPS is a technology company dedicated to rethinking independent coffee shops operations.

They saw a major challenge hitting the independent coffee shop space. It’s hard to procure goods at affordable rates if you’re not part of a larger chain of coffee shops. 

CUPS saw this challenge as an opportunity.

They knew they could aggregate a community of independent coffee shops and create a network. From there, they could use the coffee shops’ combined purchasing power to get them access to suppliers. Their combined might would not only give them access to suppliers, but they’d get access to their goods at fair market prices.

Coffee shops need access to everything from coffee beans to milk, and from paper goods to electricity. The team at CUPS knew they could disrupt the coffee shop industry by making these products accessible in a one-stop-shop online.

“A paper goods or milk supplier is going to offer better prices to a group of almost 400 coffee shops than a single one. By negotiating on their behalf, we can give our partners access to those better deals, helping their bottom line.” 


CUPS set to work pooling a network of coffee shops and a network of suppliers together. They created a digital B2B marketplace capable of disrupting the entire coffee shop industry.

The great idea needed even better technology.

CUPS came to Four51 looking for an eCommerce platform that could support their vision. They needed technology that would allow them to build the B2B marketplace in the way they wanted. It had to have a best-in-class B2C experience for the independent coffee shops. And it needed to be able to handle the complexity of connecting a complex network of suppliers.

Because they were new to the marketplace development game, they also needed a partner. To make sure they built something future proof that could withstand the evolution of their business, they needed a partner to guide them through the development process.

CUPS Supply Store

Today, the CUPS Supply Store is a comprehensive B2B marketplace.

The CUPS Supply Store features:

  • A one-stop-shop for independent coffee shops to buy all the supplies they need to run their business.
  • The ability to shop products by category (coffee, tea, baked goods, paper products, etc.) or by specific suppliers.
  • Access to fair market rates aggregated by the size of the CUPS network.
  • A streamlined shopping experience for the coffee shops where they’re able to place a single order that includes products from multiple suppliers.
  • The ability for administrators to set supplier-specific minimum order requirements, shipping rules, fees, order cut-off times, notifications and more.
CUPS Supply Store Product Browse, Built on Four51 OrderCloud

The jolt of energy needed to help their business take off.

Four51 OrderCloud™ is a headless eCommerce platform, offering optimal flexibility and scalability. This platform enabled CUPS to execute on their vision for launch, and continue to evolve the experience over time.

The CUPS eMarketplace experience was designed and developed in three short months, ready to launch to their initial market.



Within the first eight months in production, sales grew by over 800%. The number of coffee shops placing orders each month has grown by over 280%. 

Independent cafes let the CUPS team know how much they love the supply store shopping experience, as well. Furthermore, the CUPS team continues to grow the number of coffee shops who are part of the CUPS Supply Store network.

The flexibility of the platform empowers the team at CUPS to continue to improve and evolve the ordering experience as feedback is provided and new opportunities present themselves.

Additionally, CUPS’ development team was able to take over the ongoing development and maintenance of the application after the initial launch. Using Four51’s development and support team for assistance as needed, they continue to adapt and evolve the experience themselves in a true client-owned commerce experience.