From the ethical considerations of selling coffee to every possible way your cafe could be improved, by way of interiors inspiration and a coffee shop in Mexico, these blog posts are crucial for any coffee shop owner who wants to have a killer summer.
Maja Jaworska also takes a look at the relationship between coffee and the environment for Caffeine in an article which asks why buying organic coffee often means compromising on quality. She finds that generally organic coffee is marketed for its certification alone, with the taste coming second or even being ignored.
However, she discovers that it’s not a straight-up trade-off: it’s possible to get results that “are incredible in the cup and as a [farming] model.” In that case, she asks, why is going organic not a popular option for farmers?
So, why is what you serve in your (non-plastic) coffee cup is so important for the environment?
If you prioritise organic coffee that tastes good enough to keep the customers coming back, perhaps organic farming will become more appealing to customers. As Jaworska finds, this is what will create ‘“ongoing improvements at farm level year on year, that benefit the soil and environs in which our coffee grows [...] trying to find the producers who are on board with this idea, and offering them support, is at the core of sustainability.”’.
European Coffee Trip recently made it onto our 2018 Top 100 Coffee Influencers [link] for its reviews of coffee shops throughout Europe that are organised into visually stunning city guides.
Their magazine also offers informative and unusual articles for industry insiders throughout the world.
Karolina Kumstova notes that not everyone likes coffee and key to keeping all of your customers happy is to ensure the rest of your menu is equally as exciting and varied as your coffee selection.
One of the key takeaways is the benefit of selling high quality teas, and gives a little information on the production process of several types, including Green and Oolong tea.
Want to learn more? The Ultimate Tea Guide will help you choose the best types of tea for your business. And of course you’re going to want to make sure the teas you choose are ethically sourced, in line with your organic coffee.
So now you know exactly which high quality, organic coffees and teas to sell, but who are you going to hire to serve them?
It’s no secret that employees are the key to customer satisfaction.
If you’re thinking about hiring, it’d be a wise choice to read this guide from Coffee Shop Startups which takes you through the essential qualities of a barista, and then provides useful interview questions to ensure you hire someone with a real passion for their craft. Your dream employee may be just around the corner!
Sometimes, through no fault of your own, business can be a little slow.
The smart coffee shop owner knows that this is no time for idleness: All Food Business explain that this is the perfect time to revamp your marketing and your menu, brush up on your hosting skills and get round to doing that big spring clean. It’s essential reading if you want to to take advantage of this quiet period and get your cafe in prime position for busier seasons.
And guess what?
It’s possible to take this even further...
So, you’re following the advice of the previous blog post and are doing a bit of soul searching about your cafe.
How can you take your business to the next level? What if you can’t find that much — if anything — to improve on?
Dial Project provide an extensive list of problems which the average cafe owner may not notice. After all, when you’ve poured your passion into your business how could it possibly not be perfect?
This checklist covers everything that could possibly be putting your customers off: we struggled to think of anything that it misses. Tick it all off and you’ll be sure to have customers queueing out of the door.
Well-Caffeinated Traveller is another blog that made it onto our Top 100 Coffee Influencers [link]. Lynne has travelled to some pretty amazing places and, within these, some pretty amazing coffee shops.
Toronto, in particular, is currently enjoying a rapidly developing coffee scene that shows no sign of slowing down.
Check this list of gorgeously designed cafes for some serious design and travel inspiration — perhaps in time for your next business plan...?
Following on from the last post, here’s a second hit of java-escapism for you (can you tell we’re suffering from winter blues?).
The Perfect Daily Grind offers some insight into making the daydream a reality. Kevin Mayberry interviews Kate Avansino, the founder of Cafebre in Oaxaca, Mexico, about the challenges and rewards of opening a coffee shop abroad.
What comes through in this interview is Kate’s passion for her work — you really get a sense that forming a connection with local producers and learning about differing expectations and attitudes to coffee makes every challenge (usually concerning supplies and repairs) worth it.
The team over at Food Truck Empire have created a multi-media case study to reveal how to start a coffee shop that works for you.
It's a super detailed conversation with Bryan Reynolds, the founder of the successful chain Anthem Coffee and Tea, making it perfect for anyone who's seriously considering, or has already started, setting up their dream coffee shop.
The best part? It's accompanied by a podcast and video content, which allows it to go more in-depth than other similar articles out there.
