Opening a coffee shop can be extremely profitable if you do it right. Here are some things to think about and questions to ask yourself.
Location, location, location
- You need great footfall for your location.
- Who will be your potential customers?
- Will it be a neighbourhood café attracting those working from home, local business and parents?
- Or will it be a on the way to work destination?
- When selecting a location, make it close and convenient for the types of customers your coffee shop will attract (map it out) . Obviously most central locations have higher rent and not great for your outgoings but would be higher footfall and greater returns. Do you need think about accessibility and parking?
- How many people will be able to sit in (this is super important for working out your daily sales) and what is the sit in v takeaways potential.
- When you think about an amazing coffee shop, what is it that made you go “wow” and how do you replicate this in your location and for your customers?
Consistency and fabulousness
With so much competition out there, what makes you stand out? How are you meeting your customers daily coffee needs? How do you become part of their daily routine? What affordable luxuries are you going to be offering them? How are you going to become the treat element of their daily routine? How will you consistently serve quality coffee with amazing customer service? What processes will you put in place to achieve consistency and fabulousness?
Carnival Coffee Roasters’ Top tips
- Invest in high quality equipment.
- Well trained Baristas.
- Great and consistent Customers service, how will you make people feel?
- Keep up with all new trends in the industry.
- What pastries and snacks will you serve to up each customers spend?
- Can you offer a mix of on trend drinks, popular coffees, and a unique creation?
Decide on your brand and vision and customer services strategy.
These three things will be critical to the success of your café. How do you want customers to feel?
Floor plan and workflow
Where will you greet your customer, where will each step happen smoothly, what needs to be able to be reachable from your workstation.
What order will each step happen? Your workflow.
What equipment will help you serve quality coffees in an efficient and friendly way?
What else will you need for your workstation?
Milk jugs, espresso scales, clothes, tamp, till, dockets for orders, water filter.
One of the most important things you need to do when opening a new coffee is to choose a coffee supplier.
How to choose a coffee supplier? Consider what is important to you.
Brand synergy – roasting style – amazing tasting coffee - how they can help me with equipment and machines – how can they help me up my margins through further retails options – how can they help me promote my coffee shop through social media – their database and events in my location- Barista training – consider local – packaging – their coffee and cafe experience – and importantly whether you like them and think you can have a lovely working relationship with them.
Questions to ask your potential coffee supplier and roaster?
- Which coffee shops etc do they already supply?
- Do they offer Barista training?
- Will they be able to pop in if there is a problem with your machine?
- Can they provide you will a transparent story and sourcing journey of your coffee to share with your customers?
- Do they offer machine rental?
- Do they offer training? Is this included in the partnership or extra cost?
- How often do they deliver?
- Do they have a minimum order quantity?
- Do they offer engaging coffee events for your customers?
- What is their turn around from ordering coffee to receiving it?
- What is their sourcing policy?
- What is their sustainability and social responsibility policy?
- What is their price and discounts on bigger volumes? Remember pricing is often based on quality so keep that in mind!
- What is the coffee packaged in? and is there an option for package free delivery?
- Are they able to promote you on social media? And to their database or how else can they help grow your business?
- As well as your house espresso can they provide seasonal guest coffees for filter and espresso?
- How many days post roast will your coffee be delivered? It is important for your coffee to rest, and you ideally would like it ready to brew when it arrives with you.
Most importantly:
Can they arrange a tasting so you can try their coffee? (It’s best if possible to do this in person, so you can get a feel for the relationship and working together)
What we offer you at Carnival Coffee Roasters:
- Great ethically sourced and roasted speciality single origin coffee.
- Barista training (This is free for wholesale customers purchasing 3kg + a week)
- Opening day - we are there to help your team, pull coffees, trouble shoot and serve (whatever would be helpful).
- Tasting workshop for you to decide on your beans and recipe for your coffee menu - and then again if needed once your machinery is in place.
- You can choose the option of cutting out packaging completely with delivery of your coffee in reusable tubs.
- During the summer months we also offer cold brewing equipment on loan (where the coffee is just steeped in the fridge overnight) or bottled cold brew to sell on your menu as your iced coffee options on the hot days of the year.
- Lots of social media promotion to our followers and to our database of at home speciality coffee drinkers.
- ROI’s and profit predictability
- Cupping and tasting events for your customers.
- Equipment sourcing, machine rental and servicing.
- A partner in growing your awesome coffee business, we want you to succeed.
- Call outs and trouble shooting.
- Wholesale prices on retail coffee and equipment to add to your revenue.
- Option to design your own coffee brand, we will roast and deliver it fresh weekly for you.
- We don’t have a minimum order.
- We dispatch coffee daily, so you never run short of coffee even if you forget to get your order in!
- Plus loads more – book a call or tasting today with jayne@carnivalcoffee.co.uk
Our top tips for opening a successful coffee shop
- Plan for everything, budget and cash flow, ROI on each product and customer and upsells floor plan, workflow, machine, menu, costs, predicted foot fall, busy times, team cover, insurance, business rates,
- Develop a awesome brand, concept and marketing plan – what is the emotional connection? What is your opening marketing strategy, how are you hooking customers in to becoming habitual daily visitors to your location?
- Design a great floor plan that fits with in your brand and gives your customers a great experience as well as being practical and easy to deliver efficient drink preparation in.
- Customer service and experience is everything – make sure you have an easy way for customers to leave you great reviews
- Make sure all your processes are in place for everything you do that are easy for the team to follow and that everyone is trained in the way you want to serve your coffee.
- Book in events and specials – chat to Carnival Coffee Roasters
Got questions? Book in a call or a roastery visit with our Head of wholesale by emailing Jayne@carnivalcoffee.co.uk or calling 0203 326 9488.
