A1 COFFEE LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
04302428 · ltd · incorporated 2001-10-10
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
approaching window · 12-months
Approaching a transaction window — refinance or sale event plausible in the next 12 months.
- · Oldest live charge 20.5y old — refinance window within 12 months
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Dec 2025
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
82/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Other retail sale of food in specialised stores
Sector: Wholesale & retail
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 65-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 82/100 (exceptional), bankability 80/100. Strong seller-intent signal (63/100, director aged 65). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Discharge stale live charges. 1 live charge(s) created 15+ years ago — likely paid but undischarged. Clean register. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
2 live charges · oldest 20.5y
65/100
clean up first
Refinance viable after a tidy-up — address the highlighted items first.
- · Oldest live charge is 20.5 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · Single lender — cleanest path to refinance.
- · Legal-friction score 25/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (72/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
1 year of iXBRL accounts extracted (no YoY comparison) + narrative notes parsed
50
Lenders & charges
2 charges (2/2 with lender, 2/2 with type)
90
Directors & officers
7 officers (4 active, 7 linked, 3 with DOB)
79
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
3 connected companies via shared directors
54
Filing history
93 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
82/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
80
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Key financials
1 year extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
—
Current Assets
—
Current Liabilities
—
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · FRS 102| Metric | 2025-12-31 |
|---|---|
| Average employees | 15 |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
🔒Filing-note intelligence
2 signals detected in this company's narrative notes — going-concern language, audit opinion, contingent liabilities, related-party transactions.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Recent activity
Last 30 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 90 days
1
filing
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
5
filings
- • 2 capital
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 incorporation
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (35 events)Click to expand
- 2026-05-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-12-12📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2025-12-12📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2025-12-11📄capital-alter-shares-subdivisioncapital · SH02
- 2025-12-11📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2025-11-06📄change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortenedaccounts · AA01
- 2025-11-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2025-10-16📄cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC07
- 2025-01-13📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2025-01-13🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2024-11-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-11-29📄second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-dateconfirmation-statement · RP04CS01
- 2023-11-24📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-05-25📄appoint-person-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP03
- 2023-05-25📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-05-25📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2023-05-19📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2023-05-19📄memorandum-articlesincorporation · MA
- 2023-05-19📄resolutionresolution · RESOLUTIONS
- 2023-05-19📄capital-name-of-class-of-sharescapital · SH08
- 2023-05-18📄capital-variation-of-rights-attached-to-sharescapital · SH10
- 2023-05-03➕HUGGETT, Dominic appointedsecretary
- 2023-05-03➕HUGGETT, Jane Karen Anne appointeddirector
- 2023-05-03➖HUGGETT, Jane Karen Anne resignedsecretary
- 2022-11-25📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-fullaccounts · AA
- 2015-11-04🔒Charge registered #2Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2013-12-01➕HUGGETT, David appointeddirector
- 2005-11-28🔒Charge registered #1Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
- 2003-02-24➕HUGGETT, Steven Charles appointeddirector
- 2003-02-24➕HUGGETT, Jane Karen Anne appointedsecretary
- 2003-02-24➖KEY LEGAL SERVICES (SECRETARIAL) LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2003-02-24➖KEY LEGAL SERVICES (NOMINEES) LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2001-10-10🏢Company incorporatedAs A1 COFFEE LIMITED
- 2001-10-10➕KEY LEGAL SERVICES (SECRETARIAL) LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2001-10-10➕KEY LEGAL SERVICES (NOMINEES) LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
83/100
Critical — business is the founderThe business appears inseparable from the founder. Acquisition without a serious earn-out or meaningful transition period would likely destroy value.
FACTORS
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 23 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Founder age: Director aged approximately 65 — succession pressure is live.
- +Family involvement: Multiple officers share a surname — likely family business, which concentrates governance.
Succession & seller-readiness
80/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 65. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 23 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 25 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mr Steven Charles Huggett Individual · British · DOB 04/1961 · age 65 | 50–75% | 50–75% | 50-75% shares · 50-75% voting | 06/04/2016 |
1 historic (ceased) PSC
- Mr David Huggettceased 09/10/2025· significant influence
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
🔒Co-director network graph
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Similar companies
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2BY2 CLOTHING LIMITED→ 14369748 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| 2PR PRODUCTIONS LIMITED→ 12744228 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| A & G FURNITURE LTD→ 11783306 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| A G COLLECTIBLES LTD→ 14468077 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| AANNERITAA LTD→ 15959389 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| AARIA RETAIL UK LTD→ 13119144 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| ABIGAIL'S COLLECTION LTD→ 08097233 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| ABRAHAMS J LIMITED→ 14120875 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| ACADEMY PERFORMANCE SUPPLIES AND PRODUCTIONS LIMITED→ 12300711 · est 2019 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 6y | — | — |
| ACCENT STATIONERS LTD→ 05720007 · est 2006 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 20y | — | — |
| ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE LTD→ 16265641 · est 2025 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| ACE CONSUMABLES LTD→ 15190425 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
7 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →🔒Advanced scoring suite
Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated2001-10-10
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC47290 — Other retail sale of food in specialised stores
Registered office
Milner Road
Chilton Road Industrial Estate
Sudbury
Suffolk
CO10 2XG
England
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-09-30
Last made up to: 2025-12-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2026-10-24
Last: 2025-10-10
Officers (4 active · 3 resigned)
Active
HUGGETT, David→
Activedirector · ~60y · appointed 2013-12-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HUGGETT, Jane Karen Anne→
Activedirector · ~63y · appointed 2023-05-03
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HUGGETT, Steven Charles→
Activedirector · ~65y · appointed 2003-02-24
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HUGGETT, Jane Karen Anne→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2003-02-24 · resigned 2023-05-03
KEY LEGAL SERVICES (SECRETARIAL) LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2001-10-10 · resigned 2003-02-24
KEY LEGAL SERVICES (NOMINEES) LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2001-10-10 · resigned 2003-02-24
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
2
Total charges
1
Outstanding
1
Active lenders
Status:Lender:2 of 2 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | A registered charge | 1 property | 04/11/2015 | 13/01/2025 | |
| outstanding | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Debenture | 1 property | 28/11/2005 | — |
Click column headers to sort. Use filters above to narrow by status and lender.
Recent filings (93 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2026-05-05
memorandum-articles
incorporation · MA
2025-12-12
resolution
resolution · RESOLUTIONS
2025-12-12
capital-alter-shares-subdivision
capital · SH02
2025-12-11
capital-name-of-class-of-shares
capital · SH08
2025-12-11
change-account-reference-date-company-current-shortened
accounts · AA01
2025-11-06
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2025-11-04
cessation-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC07
2025-10-16
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-10-15
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2025-01-13
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2024-11-27
confirmation-statement-with-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-10-30
second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-date
confirmation-statement · RP04CS01
2023-11-29
accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-full
accounts · AA
2023-11-24
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-10-11