IzyCoffee started sustainably selling quality coffee from a vintage coffee truck under the bridge in front of Izegem’s train station, in Belgium, in 2018.
Its first equity crowdfunding campaign in 2019 raised €150,000, which enabled the chain to open two new locations. Subsequent campaigns, including €350,000 in 2021 and €500,000 in 2023, enabled opening coffee bars on the Meir in Antwerp and the Lange Munt in Ghent, as well as in other locations.
After six years, IzyCoffee had grown to 22 shops. It offers a forward-thinking approach to serving authentic specialty coffees and vegan pastries in a sustainable, waste-conscious way creating exquisite coffee experiences.
During this time, the Flemish chain had raised a total of over €3 million through crowdlending, angel investors and bank loans to support its rapid expansion and sustainability initiatives. These include supporting ethical farming practices to protect the environment, and fair wages for farmers.
In June 2024, IzyCoffee raised a further €314,568 from 140 backers through equity crowdfunding. This was more than double the €150,000 target, and its loyal customers and 30,000 social media followers had been prime potential investors. It used the Crowdcube platform and was able to accept investors from throughout the European Union.
Investors pledging €1,000 or more qualified to be a brand ambassador, ideally spreading valuable word-of-mouth support, and incentivised with tiered levels of free coffee and other rewards in line with their total level of investment. This is certainly a benefit of using crowdfunding that extends beyond simply raising money.
IzyCoffee aims to be one of the main coffee industry players in Belgium, and in December 2024 it launched a new round of crowdfunding. Its €3.3m target is to support expansion with 16 new stores by the end of 2025, both in Belgium and beyond with flagship stores in major European cities.
There is massive potential for investors to be part of: recent data shows Europe’s branded coffee shop market has surged 3.3% to +45k stores, fostering sustainable, high-quality experiences in the expanding vegan and eco-conscious sectors. Future new ambassadors outside of Belgium will be able to play a prominent role in helping to establish acceptance of IzyCoffee’s credentials.
