Photo by inhabitat
San Francisco’s Mission District opened it’s doors last year to another coffeehouse, Sightless Coffee, located on 20th street designed with reclaimed wood, natural plaster walls, and ceramic tiles, creating a cozy neighborhood ambience that contrasts with the industrial feel of the flagship store.
Photo by Munchies
Struggling with jetlag? Drinking a cup of ca phe sua da, a popular beverage in Vietnam, is an iced coffee made from Robusta beans brewed through a Vietnamese coffee filter and sweetened with condensed milk, might just do the trick. Munchies explains:
The coffee is served in an elegant manner that will remind you of a black and white cookie, with the sweetened condensed milk lining the bottom of the glass and the incredibly rich coffee on top. Then, after the drinker stirs the two together, they can enjoy the thick, full-bodied beverage. It should be sweet and bitter, generally carrying notes of nuttiness, depending on the bean.
It’s that time of year again: Thanksgiving & Holiday Season. This can only mean one thing: apple cider season is upon us. As always, we want you to get the most out of your cider season, so we’re here to offer our best advice.
Keep it Simple
For more than 25 years we have been making our Hot Spiced Apple Cider Concentrate to help solve the problems normally associated with serving cider. Our concentrate is 100% real cider that has been boiled down and perked up with traditional mulling spices. That’s it! Quit throwing away spoiled cider that takes up too much fridge space. Our jug sits nicely on the counter and serves up cup after delicious cup, without needing preservatives or artificial flavors.
Let People Know
Due to the seasonal nature of cider, customers must be informed of its availability as a menu option. A number of techniques can be used to get the word out, such as highlighting cider drinks as specials, putting up a counter sign and table tents, or even advertising. These promotional materials should not only bring awareness to the avid cider drinker but will also help tap into the nostalgic demand of regular coffee drinkers.
Make it Special
Rather than just handing over a basic mug of cider, it helps to add some ambiance to the preparation. Using the steam wand on an espresso machine to churn the mug of cider will not only make the cider frothier and release its aroma, but it will also make the drink more special for the customer. The more special a drink is, the more you can charge for it. Another nice value-adding touch is to top the mug with a dollop of whipped cream and a cinnamon stick.
As a specialty coffee and tea shop owner, you know it’s critical to your business that the beverage products you feature are the ones which will make you the most money.
As new products are introduced, and new “hot” trends develop, you need low-risk ways to market these new products to your customers. All this is critical to your profit margin and success.
At The Cappuccino Connection, we like to help our customer achieve the most profit possible for the effort they put into their shops. Here are some ideas you may not have considered, or just need to be reminded of again:
Tip#1: Flavored Syrups Sell More Drip Coffee – Pocket Up To $720 More Per Month
Flavoring added to coffee helps you sell more coffee. Almost 50% of ALL beverages sold include flavor. DaVinci brand flavored syrups have been shown to sell more drinks than other brands.
One simple marketing strategy using DaVinci flavored syrup can increase your profits by $720 each month. That is: Provide the flavored syrup FREE to your customers to add to their drip coffee. Make available 4 or 5 of the most popular flavors and encourage your customers to try them and report their favorite.
How will this increase your profits? Let’s assume you have an average size shop where you sell 150 cups of drip coffee a day. The FREE flavored syrup promotion should increase your coffee sales by 20%, therefore 30 more cups per day. If your profit per cup is currently $1.00, your profit after the cost of syrup is 80 cents. Those 30 additional cups are worth $24 per day, or $720 in 30 days.
In addition, as customers grow to appreciate the flavors, they will begin buying your higher profit specialty coffees.
Tip#2: Spiced Chai – Switching Brands Could Save You $203 per Month
If you are currently using Oregon Chai, a simple switch to DaVinci Spiced Chai could add $203 per month to your bottom line – while making your job easier, not harder!
The cost of Oregon Chai is about $1.10 per serving, the cost of DaVinci Spiced Chai is only about 65 cents – a 45 cent savings. If you average 15 Chais a day, that’s $6.75 in savings, or about $203 extra profit in 30 days.
And that’s while making your job easier. DaVinci Chai uses a pump system and a concentrated formula (9:1 ratio), which allows for easy measurement and clean dispensing. Also, no refrigeration is required, meaning the drink is not cooled by adding a large amount of cold liquid.
Greater profits, easier product to use, why not switch to DaVinci Spiced Chai?
Tip#3: Feature Flavors – Seasonal or Monthly
As we mentioned before – flavoring helps sell more coffee. Many of the DaVinci flavored syrups are ideal to feature at a particular season or month. Curiosity about that flavor can sell more coffee. How about Peppermint Paddy at St. Patrick’s Day, or Pumpkin Pie at Halloween? Red Hot Cinnamon on Valentine’s Day, Egg Nog on New Year’s Day … let your imagination run wild!
Or better yet, have your customers enter a contest to suggest flavors for certain events or celebrations. Offer a prize of a mug or free pound of coffee to the winner. Everyone will look forward to trying the next featured flavor.
Call us at The Cappuccino Connection at 1-800-249-0011 – we can send you a chart of suggested feature flavors for the year.
Tip#4: Nifty Names and New Recipes
Have a special drink? Give it a special name. Turtle Mocha is more catching than Chocolate-Caramel-Praline. White Zombie, Chunky Monkey, Winterberry Freeze … all can raise a curiosity in customers which can lead to more sales.
Need ideas for new drinks? Again, let your customers get involved – with a contest if necessary – to suggest flavor combinations and new drink ideas. Name the drink after the winning customer.
Also, DaVinci Gourmet publishes drink recipes and new drink ideas. Call us at The Cappuccino Connection – we can send you new recipe suggestions.
Tip#5: Package Deals – Everybody Likes a Bargain
Make it easier for your customers. Offer a package deal which includes popular items bundled together at a lower price than the individual items. Breakfast Wakeup Special of a latte and a scone, or an Afternoon Tea for Two Special of Chai and Biscotti. Packages make the decision making process easier, and easier makes for more sales.
Don’t forget take-out packages as well as in-store specials. A Sunday Romantic Brunch package of gourmet pancake mix, coffee, and a small bottle of flavored syrup in a small basket with napkins and a candle would make an attractive special offer. It could also increase you sales of syrups for home use.
Tip#6: Special Customers Club – Make Them Feel Important:
After all, they are the most important part of your business. Your regular customers should feel appreciated for their faithful patronage of your shop. Even a simple Customer Loyalty Card rewarding them with a free drink after purchasing 12 or 20 lets them know you appreciate their business and keeps them coming back regularly.
Offer Frequent Customer Special days with discounts for all customers with the Frequent Customer Card. As mentioned before, name a drink after customers who win a contest or are your most loyal patrons.
Tip#7: Joint Ventures – Coordinate With Neighboring Merchants
Is there an automobile oil change shop near you? Wouldn’t his customers appreciate a good cup of coffee while waiting for their car to be finished? (Do any of those places ever serve good coffee? – Why not offer the oil change merchant some coupons for a free cup of coffee at your shop? His clients would be happier – and they will usually order something else in addition to the coffee. You might even sell him the coupons at your cost. Or, you could offer to give your customers a discounted coupon to his shop after they have completed their Frequent Customer Card.
How about a hair stylist? An electronics repair shop? A Laundromat? Any shop where customers might need to wait for ten minutes or more. Just think of all the businesses around you and try to figure out ways you can drive business to them while they drive business to you … at little cost to either of you.
Tip#8: Special Needs – Special Opportunities
The most common special need is sugar-free products. Here again DaVinci meets that need with the widest variety of sugar-free syrup flavors (38 in all). Sweetened with Splenda – they have excellent flavor without the added calories of sugar or the “peculiar” taste of other artificial sweeteners.
Get the word out to your special needs customers – Splenda is safe for diabetics, pregnant women, and children, and carries no health warnings or usage restrictions. Is there a diabetic focus group, a weight reduction clinic, or health spa near you? Educate them on the availability and advantages of DaVinci Gourmet Syrups.
Tip#9: Gift Baskets – Help Your Customers with Their Gift Ideas
Design various gift basket combinations for different celebrations – Breakfast in Bed, Afternoon Picnic, Birthday, House-warming, or any holiday. Include a small selection of DaVinci syrups along with coffee or tea and gourmet cookies, pancake mix, or dried fruit or candy. This provides your customers with great gift ideas for their friends and family.
Flavored syrups give you all the tools to make customers happy. Soon they will be coming to you to purchase the syrups in small bottles for home use.
How can we help you with your coffee shop marketing?
At The Cappuccino Connection, we know that helping you make your business successful is the best way to make our business successful. Let us help you with your marketing ideas and products.
We offer best prices on coffee shop supplies, beverages and great customer service. You can order online or by phone 1-800-249-0011. We also have a dedicated team for espresso machine installations, repairs and service. Call us today or fill out this form to submit your request.
If you are a customer we can also provide you with Point-of-Sale products:
In fact, in cooperation with DaVinci Gourmet, we can provide you with customized POS Counter Cards, showing your own drink name and your price.
Let us know how we can help you be successful and share your own tips below in the comments section.
Photo by guardianlv.com
Get ready for some freebies in honor of National Coffee Day on Monday, September 29, 2014, from your local coffee franchises. Keep in mind that these offers are mostly one-day only, at participating businesses and while stocks last. So, drink up and happy drinking!
Dunkin’ Donuts – At any participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant across the country, receive a free medium cup of Dunkin’ Donuts hot Dark Roast Coffee (limit of one per guest).
Kangaroo Express – Receive a 12 oz. Bean Street Coffee (one per guest, while supplies last) for just one penny. Offer good between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Krispy Kreme – Get a free 12oz cup of Krispy Kreme House, Decaf or Dark Roast coffee, or try a 12oz Mocha, Latte or iced coffee for $1 at participating Krispy Kreme US locations. Excludes Puerto Rico.
LaMar’s Donuts – Come by and get a free freshly roasted 12 oz. coffee all day at participating locations.
McDonald’s – Their second national Free Coffee Event kicked off on September 16 and will end on National Coffee Day, September 29th. Patrons can get a free small McCafé coffee during breakfast hours at participating McDonald’s restaurants across the country.
Peet’s Coffee & Tea – Purchase one beverage and receive a second beverage of equal or lesser value free. Qualifying beverages exclude juice and bottled beverages. Excludes airports, BART, supermarkets and other licensed partner locations. Free beverage must be enjoyed at the time of purchase. May not be combined with other offers. No cash value or rain checks. Limit one per customer. No coupon required.
The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. – The restaurant is giving away a free cup of freshly roasted hot or iced coffee with the purchase of any menu item. This offer is limited to one free cup of coffee per customer and will last all day or until supplies last.
Tim Hortons Cafe & Bake Shop – Buy any size coffee in Regular or Dark Roast for just $1 at participating U.S. restaurants. This offer is excluded in Buffalo, New York and Presque Isle, Maine. All Buffalo and Presque Isle-area guests will receive an offer for a $1 medium-size coffee in the new Dark Roast only.
In anticipation for International Coffee Day set for Monday, September 29, here are some cool findings of how Americans take their coffee as surveyed by PayPal.
A new study by Dunkin’ Donuts and Career Builder have found that professionals working in the food and beverage service consume the most coffee out of all other fields. The Roast Magazine article titled “Coffee Workers Drink More Coffee at Work, Study Shows” states that:
The fields found to most require coffee for enhanced productivity were: Food Preparation/Service Workers, Scientists, Sales Representatives, Marketing/Public Relations Professionals, Nurses (Nurse, Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant), Editors/Writers/Media Workers, Business Executives, Teachers/Instructors (K-12), Engineering Technicians/Support, and IT Managers/Network Administrators. Of all the coffee-drinking professionals interviewed, 63 percent of workers said they drink two cups or more per workday, while 28 percent reported drinking three cups or more per day.
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