Every so often it is a good idea to take a critical look at your business’s floor plan. There is always the possibility that you might be missing out on a few extra opportunities to increase your revenue. Many design decisions are informed by efficiency and operations while others focus almost entirely on style and Read more about “Fast service and quiet moments”[…]

Coffee is everywhere, so very few operators have the freedom to charge whatever they want just because they are the only coffee operator for miles. Everyone’s pricing strategy begins with a cost-plus exercise or markup pricing but as you get to know your customers and their needs better, you develop a good sense of where Read more about Pricing for Needs vs Desire[…]

  You can buy and roast the best coffees around but if you aren’t working on creating an ‘emotional connection’ with your customers you’re missing an opportunity to gain a sustainable advantage. Research tells us customers who are emotionally connected to a brand or business are much more valuable, in terms of revenue and profitability, Read more about Making a big connection with your customers is good for business.[…]

  Coffee consumers’ concerns over the environment as well as the socio-economic conditions of coffee farmers, have made the sustainability conversation the leading trend in coffee over the last decade. Thanks to consumers, ethically sourced coffee is no longer a rarity but is commonly found in most supermarkets. Looking forward, where are consumer trends headed Read more about What’s trending in #coffee?[…]

Those of you who follow our regular market reports in The Weekly Grind will be aware that coffee prices have been in a ‘Bear Market’ for over a year now. ‘Coffee Futures’ have been in the 95 – 130c/LB range since October of last year. To understand the significance of those prices consider this: in Read more about Is the perfect storm brewing in coffee?[…]

At the beginning of the month we heard that Coca-Cola was buying the UK based Costa Coffee chain for $5Bn. While the demand for sugary soft drinks is on the decline globally, the acquisition of Costa Coffee gives Coca-Cola an immediate foothold into the growing popularity of coffee worldwide. While Coca-Cola has not had a Read more about These trends present an opportunity for smaller operators[…]