The Daily Grind – Offering Customers More Than Just a Caffeine Hit

02 Jan, 2018

With one of the world’s premiere coffee cultures, Melbourne’s residents have developed a pickier palate when it comes to their caffeinated beverages. Because of this shift toward coffee connoisseurs becoming the norm, anyone that’s looking to enter the world of cafe management has to offer an exceptional experience to succeed. However, with so many directions to take and so many businesses vying for your customers’ attention, it can be difficult to find a starting point.

At Funktion Hospitality, we have been providing cafe owners across Melbourne with exceptionally high quality disposable coffee cups and hospitality supplies at wholesale prices for over a decade. So, with that experience in mind, we have a few tasty tips on how to step up to the palate plate with your coffee-providing experience.

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Only the Best

Many businesses will be able to get away with not having the highest quality product, generally making up for a cheaper alternative with fantastic service or an interesting aesthetic. The world of coffee doesn’t work like this. Regardless of how fantastic the rest of your experience is, a less-than-perfect shot of espresso can be a permanent blow to your reputation.

So, to ensure that each customer is walking away with a delicious cup of coffee, opposed to a bad taste in their mouths, you need three things:

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Excellent Coffee Beans

Whilst this may seem obvious (a good cup of coffee requiring good coffee), not knowing what to look for has caused the downfall of many an aspiring coffee artisan. Not to make a list inside a list, but things to look for include:

Roasting Date – While it may not have an expiration date as such, coffee loses its lustre very quickly. If your coffee beans have been roasted even three weeks prior to use, they’re likely to have lost the majority of their intricate, subtle flavours. Try and find trustworthy local suppliers that can tell you exactly how long ago beans have been roasted and bagged.

Picking Your Strand – There is an overwhelming number of varieties when it comes to coffee beans, but the two main types are Arabica and Robusta. While this is a huge simplification, Robusta has a longer shelf life, while Arabica is likely to give you higher quality. So, the choice between flavour and longevity is up to you.

Single Origin or Blend? – There isn’t necessarily a wrong answer here. Single origin means that beans have all come from one estate, while a blend will contain a variety of options, generally leading to a more complex but less distinct flavour. Some will argue that single origin is superior, but unless you’re specifically catering to the caffeine “sommeliers” out there, it’s unlikely to come up.

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High-Quality Supplies

Do you want disposable coffee cups that are tastefully-designed, stylish and custom printed with your brand’s logo? Do you want disposable coffee cups that are so thin that they immediately distribute the heat of boiling water into the hands of your patrons?

Every single part of the cafe experience needs to be handled with care, and this goes double for the items your customers will be taking with them. Finding exceptional hospitality supplies will have more of an impact than you may think, so it’s important to make them the best they can be.

Additionally, the idea of needing high-quality supplies doesn’t stop at coffee cups. Having hardware that is up to the task of delivering fantastic experiences for your clients is absolutely vital. This is especially true for your coffee machine. While a premium coffee machine isn’t cheap, it’s the cornerstone of your business’ success, so it’s one of the best places to spend a little extra.

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Impeccable Staff

While you can certainly get away with having inexperienced waiters, service staff and cleaners, the same cannot be said for your barista. The speed and manner in which your barista can craft a stunning espresso can make or break the customer experience. So, be sure that you’re only hiring someone you can truly trust to deliver, even if that means making some concessions to make them more comfortable.

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There are an array of factors that go into creating an excellent cafe experience. While it can all seem quite daunting at first, keeping these tips in mind will allow you a significantly greater chance of success. For a wide range of exceptional hospitality supplies, including disposable coffee cups, take away food packaging, POS hardware and much, much more, contact Funktion Hospitality today!