Bringing one of the UK’s leading DTC coffee brands into physical retail for the first time with a complete turnkey solution.

What we built

Experience-led market entry

CafePod, one of the UK’s most successful direct-to-consumer coffee brands, had never operated a physical store. After building a loyal online following and securing nationwide supermarket distribution, the brand wanted to create a first-of-its-kind retail space — not a traditional café, but an experience-led coffee shop dedicated to selling premium beans and home-brewing equipment, and to teaching customers how to make exceptional coffee at home.

Agile Retail partnered with CafePod to bring this vision to life, delivering a full turnkey solution. From finding the location to designing, building, staffing, and operating the store, we created a space that blends retail, experience and education. Visitors can explore brewing methods, join tasting sessions, and get hands-on with grinders, espresso machines, and pour-over kits — all while receiving guidance from trained coffee experts.

The result is a warm, contemporary store that serves as the home of coffee craftsmanship on Abbeville Road in Clapham, London – and an entirely new proposition in the UK coffee market. The store has enabled CafePod to connect with customers on a deeper level, driving sales both in-store and online, and demonstrates that experience-led retail is a powerful growth channel for DTC brands entering physical retail for the first time.

It was CafePod founder Peter’s dream to open this store, and it was our job to make it a reality.

CafePod's First Physical Retail Store

A Full
Turnkey Solution

A Unique
Coffee Destination

Created a
Community Hub

Solutions

What problems are we solving?

Unlike traditional coffee shops, CafePod’s first retail space wasn’t about serving drinks over the counter; it was about inspiring and enabling customers to create exceptional coffee at home. This required more than simply displaying products on shelves. Education, demonstration, and hands-on interaction were essential to help customers understand the differences between beans, brewing methods,
and equipment.

By designing a space where visitors could taste different blends, experiment with brewing techniques, and receive expert guidance, we transformed a shopping trip into an immersive coffee-learning experience. Customers leave not only with great products, but with the knowledge and confidence to use them.

Bringing a DTC Brand to Life - CafePod has seen huge success online but had no physical space to showcase its personality and expertise. We created a physical store that brought the brand to life, turning its digital identity into a tangible, immersive experience.

Creating a New Kind of Coffee Store - CafePod’s goal was to break away from the standard formats of cafés and coffee retailers. They wanted a destination that celebrated coffee as a craft. We delivered a concept that combined premium product presentation with immersive experiences, creating a retail environment unlike anything else in
the market.

Education and Retail in One Space - For CafePod, selling great coffee wasn’t enough; they wanted to empower customers to brew it perfectly at home. We built education into the store’s core, every visit became an opportunity to learn, ensuring customers left with the skills and confidence to get the best from their purchase.

Insights

What we learned

This project proved that for a DTC brand, physical retail can be far more than a sales channel, it can be a powerful extension of the brand’s story. By combining immersive design, hands-on education, and a carefully curated product range, we created a store that inspires customers to explore, learn, and return.

By managing every step — from concept and location sourcing to staffing and daily operations — we allowed CafePod to focus on what they do best: creating exceptional coffee products and sharing their passion with customers. The result is a store that not only drives sales but builds lasting brand loyalty and positions CafePod as a leader in experience-led retail.

Ready to bring your brand into the physical world? Whether you’re making your first move into retail or reinventing an existing presence, we can help you turn your vision into a space customers will love.

Seeing our very first CafePod store is very surreal & I have Agile Retail to thank for making a long-time dream of mine become a reality.

They treated the project as if it were their own & the team have been great to work with

Peter Grainger,
CEO and Co-Founder, CafePod

Retail Book Club

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