Tips for Starting and Growing Your Coffee Roaster Business – With the growth of the coffee industry, many coffee shop businesses are now available everywhere, and the growth in the number and spread of these coffee shops will surely make the coffee roasting (roastery) business also grow. Coffee shops will need roasteries that will help the coffee shops in providing the desired coffee beans. Most of us focus on marketing to grow our business. The key to the success of a coffee roasting business is determined by many aspects, not just from the quality, consistency of the roasted beans produced and meeting the needs of a barista, but also added value, sharing and communication, relationships and community, as well as marketing. Here are the aspects you need to pay attention to and do if you want to start and grow your coffee roaster business.
Aspects of Developing a Coffee Roaster Business
1. Quality
A. Material Stock
Choosing a Supplier
Choosing a supplier is the first step in starting a coffee roasting business. Determine the selection of a supplier with good quality green beans and one who can be established for repeat supply related to quantity with consistent quality, transparency, and trustworthy. Sometimes it’s also necessary to have and know some options for green bean suppliers.
Stock Management
Stock management will have a significant impact on your business. You must ensure how much green bean supply you need so that you will not have any surplus or shortage of green beans. Stock management should be done from the moment the green beans are bought, not just when they are to be processed. This aims to ensure the accuracy of stock inputs and outputs. This will also affect your readiness to fulfilling every order from customers.
Storage Room Conditions
Provide a space for storing coffee beans, both green beans and roast beans. Coffee beans should be kept as best as possible because this step is to keep the quality of your coffee beans.
B. Following Customer Needs
Coffee Beans Quantity
As a good and professional coffee roaster, you should provide the coffee beans that are needed by your customer. How much is the monthly requirement? Make sure coffee beans stock meets the customer demand so that you can process the customers’ orders as soon as possible.
Quality
Quality is also one of the important things to provide the best service to customers. For example, if there is a defect in the coffee, then Quality Control needs to be taken into account here. The quality of roasted beans is indeed influenced by green beans. But the roasting process also greatly affects the final result, so you need to pay attention to every process of your green beans to achieve the quality you want. The uniqueness and distinctiveness found in roasted beans can be an added point. Because the quality of your roasted beans will greatly affect your sales. The roasting result (notes) must also match the customer’s request.
Consistency
After obtaining the quality and following what the customer wants, you must be able to maintain your product level. The quality you have established must be maintained to have a stable taste and to prevent customers from losing interest in your roasted beans. Here, Beans Property, Roast Plan, and Cupping Evaluation need to be considered and monitored for any changes that occur.
Maintenance of Machine and Equipment Performance
Machines and equipment must be continuously maintained and cared for to maintain performance and machine lifespan, such as performing routine cleaning and maintenance. Maintenance is necessary because the performance of the machines and equipment is crucial in maintaining the quality of the roasted beans. Maintenance must be done regularly, and if there is an anomaly it must also be handled as soon as possible.
2. Added Value
A. Take a Roasting Course and Training
By Taking a trusted Coffee Roasting Course and Training, there will be many things that you can gain, such as new knowledge and experiences, both in theory and practice, which will surely be a big help when you explain technical things to potential customers. You will also receive a training certificate that is accountable and adds value.
B. Be Transparent in the process
Always respect your customers by being transparent about your information on roasted beans profile and notes. Provide accurate, clear, and accurate information about your roasted beans profile and QC Data so that you can earn the deserving trust of your customers. It is not necessary to share everything with your customer. Consider what they need to know and what they don’t. Occasionally invite customers to see the production process and cup evaluation together.
C. Welcome Customers
Continuously be open to all types of customer requests, whether they are new or old customers. Including custom blends and single origin for wholesale customers while still considering capacity, cost, and profit margins.
D. Create a Unique New Product
Dare to take risks in creating unique coffee profiles. Never compromise your skills for profit. But use your skills to create an extraordinary and unique result. Having your own product is one way to increase income, experience, and branding.
E. Free Samples and Special Prices
Offer free samples through your coffee shop partner. By offering cupping or giving free samples of your roasted beans brews. Other than that, you can give out special prices to wholesale customers.
3. Sharing and Communication
A. Understand Barista and Market needs
Communicating and directly understanding what type of coffee baristas need will make it easier for you to connect with the market. From there, you will also get information about market trends.
B. Share Information About Coffee
As a roaster, you can openly share information about the procedure and production process, from sourcing to tasting notes, or provide training places for baristas and cupping to introduce your business. Of course, not everything can be shared.
4. Relationships and Communities
A. Good Relationships with Customers
Forge strong bonds and relationships with your customers through trust and reliability. By that, you will reach your target.
B. Build Strong Relationships with Local Coffee Shop Owners
Build personal relationships with the coffee shop owner and manage your relationship. Provide feedback for the development of their coffee shop, as they are the ones who make decisions in the development of the coffee shops.
C. Cultivate Relationships with Small Coffee Shops and Grow Together with Them
Build relationships with small coffee shops to drive the growth of your partner coffee shops. In this growth, there will be a reciprocal benefit between the coffee shops and your business.
D. Establish Positive and Continuously Communication
Continuously checking in and sending samples to existing coffee shops will show the owners that you care and will help them improve sales or only talk about other things together in their place. This mutual feedback will give you new business opportunities.
E. Serve A Coffee to Your Local Communities
Being actively involved in the coffee community around you will be very beneficial. You can build connections and relationships from the community around you, starting from market trends, sources, technicalities, and others.
5. Marketing
A. Active in Find New Customers
Always be proactive in seeking out new places that need roasted beans. So you can gain a new customer who needs you. Provide a catalog or brochure, give a free sample to prospective customers, follow up, and build a personal connection with them.
B. Active in Social Media
Making your shop easy to access for a question and active on social media will help you to highlight your activities. Social media can also be a place for sharing and promotion and can also reach Home Brewers with your product.
C. Provide Price and Wholesale Information for Prospect
Communicate clear information about your prices, coffee, and other services offered. So that customers don’t have to trouble themselves in searching or asking for information on your services.
D. Customer Service
Providing excellent customer service is the key to success in sales. Showing your customers appreciation will lead to mutual respect and support.
E. Build a "One Stop Shop" Service
You must be proactive. Build a business service like a consultant on raw materials, installation, and equipment. Make your business a one-stop destination that provides comprehensive services to meet the various needs of customers.
There are many aspects to building and developing a coffee roaster business. You must be patient and consistent, and active in promoting your product. You can use the 5 core points of “Quality, Added Value, Sharing and Communication, Relationships and Community, and Marketing” and their elaboration to help you build your business. Good luck!
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