Before The Roasting Business Starts
Specialty coffee has steadily been gaining more interest in the past few years, and increasingly more places are starting to roast their own coffee beans. In this article, we will go over some things coffee roasters and business owners need to do before the roasting business starts and strategies on how to differentiate your specialty roast from your competitors.
1. Find out what motivates you
There are many reasons that motivate people to start roasting their own coffee, one of the main reasons is to gain full control of the production from start to finish. Specialty roasters can select their own bean and develop their own unique coffee roast in any way they desire. Before you jump into the coffee roasting business, you need to know why and what goals you want to achieve.
2. Find the right green coffee beans, from the right supplier
The goal is to select the best green coffee beans to roast, from a sustainable supplier, with consistent quality and availability. Whether it is arabica coffee or robusta coffee, you don’t want green beans that differ in quality because that will affect the consistency of your end product. It is also recommended to choose a supplier with dependable supply and a good rapport with their clients. In our previous blog, we shared tips on how to choose green coffee beans.
3. Find the right coffee roaster machine
There are so many roasting machines available in the market, with different features, design, sizes and costs. Selecting the right one for your business can be a daunting task, even for experienced roasters. Read our blog to learn how to select the right coffee roasting machine.
4. Understand the roasting process
It is very important to understand the coffee roasting process before going into the business. Every roaster should master the roaster machine and develop the necessary skills in order to maintain the quality of their roast. We have written a blog about what coffee roasters actually do and the many hats they are wearing in this business.
Shifting Your Business Forward
As we are still in the ongoing pandemic, business owners need to be one step ahead and adjust their strategies to overcome this difficult time. As customer behavior changes, we need to adapt and accommodate as much as possible, keep ourselves updated with the current situation, and also create new opportunities to generate more business. Below are some insights to implement in your coffee business.
Increase social media presence
Social media is a powerful tool at the moment, it can have a positive impact in your business in terms of marketing and building relationships with your customers. Post updates regularly about your business and coffee-related topics, including simple education videos or even online courses.
Aim for wholesale
In addition to the regular retail business, make plans to sell wholesale. Coffee roasters can take the initiative and approach companies, hotels, restaurants and shops for contracts to supply roasted coffee beans.
Online marketplace
Next to selling coffee in your brick-and-mortar shop and web stores, you can also use online marketplaces to widen your customer base. You can join these platforms to showcase your specialty coffee blends and promote your products online for a small fee or possibly for free.
Retain customers with loyalty card and subscription plans
One of the ways to retain customer loyalty as well as to show appreciation to your customers for their support is by offering loyalty cards and subscription plans.
Adjust and adapt your space
Ensure your space can accommodate “new normal” events such as small-scale cupping sessions or training workshops (with some participants joining online), drive-through, pick-up stations, social distancing tables and chairs, etc.
By adapting with the current situation and shifting your business to accommodate your customers’ needs, you can win new customers, retain existing ones and even create new business opportunities. The sky’s the limit!
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