Caffeo opened its first location at 405 Richmond Street West in September, bringing robotic coffee preparation to Toronto’s Fashion District. The specialty coffee shop uses La Marzocco espresso equipment operated by robotic systems to replicate traditional barista processes, targeting consistency in the city’s competitive third-wave coffee market.
CEO Samee Motiwala developed the concept to address what he sees as a persistent industry challenge. “You can find a coffee shop that you really enjoy, but the experience varies from day to day,” he said. “Given my background in robotics and automation, we saw an opportunity to solve this consistency issue while maintaining the quality standards of specialty coffee.”
The company was founded in 2023 by Motiwala and Co-founder Zubair Ahmed Sobani, who brings extensive investment experience in robotic food service technologies through his portfolio company ThinkVentures. Their approach emphasizes precision brewing using professional equipment rather than fully automated coffee machines.
The Coffee Experience
Customers can watch as the robotic system replicates every step a skilled barista would perform using the same Italian La Marzocco machines found in high-end specialty coffee shops worldwide. The equipment operates with mechanical precision to maintain exact parameters for temperature, pressure, and timing with each cup.
“Our mission is to deliver exceptional coffee consistency every day using premium beans sourced from local roasters,” Motiwala explained. “We’ve invested significant time in research and development to perfect our brewing parameters.”
The menu reflects this third-wave positioning with three signature blends: a house blend, single-origin Ethiopian, and decaf option. Caffeo deliberately limits customization, offering no sugar addition at point of sale, though self-service sweetening stations are available.
“We want customers to experience the true characteristics of our carefully sourced beans and precision brewing,” Motiwala said. “Many first-time customers discover they prefer the natural coffee flavors without added sweeteners. We’ve designed the experience to encourage customers to taste the beverage first, while still providing sweetening options through our automated dispensing stations.”
The precision becomes particularly important with medium and light roast beans typical of third-wave coffee. “When you get to these beans that are not roasted that dark, you have to be really careful with how they’re dialed in and maintain the fine details of how the drink is put together for you to actually taste those small minute notes,” Motiwala explained.
A mobile application with loyalty features is in final testing stages, designed to reward consistent purchasing and offer customization options.
Strategic Location in Fashion District
The Richmond Street West location emerged from an 18-month search process that involved analyzing foot traffic data for major intersections and targeting specific downtown areas. Motiwala and his team focused on the Financial District and Fashion District as top priorities for their flagship site.
“We knew we had to start in downtown Toronto because we have to go where the market knows third-wave coffee,” Motiwala said. The comprehensive site selection process involved working with real estate companies to introduce the innovative concept to property owners. “We were very picky about where we wanted to be. We wanted to be somewhere where we see the traffic potential, where our flagship location is really going to fit, where we’re going to showcase this to as many people as possible.”
The Fashion District location offers proximity to the creative community centered around 401 Richmond, which houses numerous galleries and arts organizations. “The Fashion District offers a unique community atmosphere despite being in downtown Toronto,” Motiwala said. “Local businesses build genuine relationships with their customers – neighboring establishments like Mama’s Pizza and CJ’s Lunch Box have regulars who visit daily, creating personal connections with staff who know them by name.”
This community dynamic has translated to early success for Caffeo. “The creative professionals from 401 Richmond and surrounding businesses have embraced our concept,” Motiwala said. “Within our first month, we’ve established a base of repeat customers, which validates that we’re delivering on our quality promise.”
The Fashion District has evolved from its garment manufacturing origins into a hub of converted warehouses, creative businesses, and restaurants. The neighbourhood’s small-community atmosphere despite its downtown location has facilitated early customer relationship building.
Industry Context and Technology Trends
Robotics in the food and beverage sector has seen significant expansion globally, with companies developing specialized solutions across multiple categories. The Tipsy Robot in Las Vegas has gained attention for its robotic bartending system, creating cocktails with precision and entertainment value. CaliExpress by Flippy, operated by Miso Robotics in California, showcases fully autonomous restaurant operations with robotic arms managing burger and fry preparation. Meanwhile, Blendid has deployed autonomous smoothie kiosks across college campuses and retail locations, using AI and machine learning to create customized beverages.
The food robotics market is projected to reach $8.9 billion by 2033, growing at an 11.5% compound annual growth rate, driven by labor shortages, technological advancement, and demand for consistent quality.
Caffeo’s approach differs from other robotic food service models. “We have tremendous respect for different approaches in the robotic food service market,” Motiwala said. “Our model replicates the complete barista workflow using professional equipment, while other systems use fully automated machines where beverages are prepared internally.”
The La Marzocco equipment carries significant credibility in specialty coffee circles. The Italian manufacturer has supplied espresso machines to high-end coffee shops worldwide and previously equipped major coffee chains before they transitioned to super-automatic systems. Founded in 1927 in Florence, La Marzocco pioneered innovations including the first horizontal boiler espresso machine and dual-boiler systems that separate brewing from steam production.
Founding Team and Vision
Caffeo was founded in 2023 by Motiwala and co-founder Zubair Sobani, combining technical expertise with extensive investment experience in robotic food service technologies.
Motiwala brings a background in manufacturing engineering and robotic integrations from his work at Blue Giant Equipment Corporation, followed by commercial project management at Lutron Electronics, where he managed lighting control projects across Canada. His technical experience provided the foundation for understanding robotics applications in food service.
“You can find a coffee shop that you really enjoy, but the experience varies from day to day,” Motiwala said, describing the industry challenge that motivated the concept. “Given my background in robotics and automation, we saw an opportunity to solve this consistency issue while maintaining the quality standards of specialty coffee.”
Sobani brings extensive investment and operational experience through ThinkVentures, which he founded in 2014. His portfolio includes technology-focused investments and multiple companies across automotive consulting, digital marketing, and robotic technology sectors. Notably, his private equity investments include robotic food service companies like Miso Robotics (food services robot), Piestro (robotic pizza), and Blendid (robotic smoothie), demonstrating strategic focus on automation in food service.
The founding team’s approach emphasizes staying coffee-focused during initial expansion despite potential applications for their robotic technology in other food categories. “We need to establish ourselves as the player in robotic coffee before we start exploring more options,” Motiwala said. “We could have easily integrated pastries and other items, but we wanted to make sure we don’t lose focus from delivering the best coffee possible.”
The company name development involved an extensive process with family members and a branding agency, aimed at creating recognition without emphasizing the robotic aspect as the primary identifier. “We don’t want people to think of us as robot-first. We want people to think of us as coffee-first,” Motiwala explained.
Expansion Strategy and Growth Plans
Caffeo’s growth strategy centers on raising Series A funding before the end of 2025 to support expansion from one to five Toronto-area locations by late 2026. The company is leveraging relationships built during their initial location search, inviting real estate professionals to experience the concept firsthand.
“Our goal is by end of 2025, we have our Series A secured,” Motiwala said. “By end of 2026, we are operational at five locations. Sky’s the limit after that.”
The expansion will remain coffee-focused despite potential applications for the robotic technology in other food service areas. Motiwala’s business partner has expressed interest in exploring additional food and beverage applications, but the company plans to establish its position in robotic specialty coffee first.
Future growth considerations include potential franchise opportunities after establishing multiple corporate locations. The team sees significant potential for scaling the concept while maintaining quality standards through robotic precision.
The expansion strategy will focus on similar high-traffic downtown locations that can showcase the technology while serving customers who appreciate specialty coffee quality and consistency.
Dustin Fuhs is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail, Toronto’s premier source for retail and hospitality industry news. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication, Dustin brings over two decades of expertise spanning retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality sectors. His experience includes leadership roles with industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Recognized as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025, Dustin delivers insider perspectives on Toronto’s evolving retail landscape, from emerging brands to established players reshaping the city’s commercial districts.