Roasters: Offering coffee for offices

Q&A
1

Any roasters or shops out there that have a coffee for the office program, what’s your deal?

We have a few shops and decent brand recognition in our area. We are interested in moving into offices sometime this next year. It’s definitely a huge undertaking - it’s basically like running another business entirely, so we are moving very slowly on this.

My need to list for this at the moment is:

  1. Equipment - equipment for both small and large offices. Baratza + technivorm for small offices, bunn or fetco brewer + bunn g series with our branding on it for large offices. Also have an equipment catalog to show what options we support. Small office/Large office equipment plans and maybe some more unique items like taps or teas.

  2. Lease cost - Once we figure out what equipment, how do we give these to companies? Do we charge a security deposit in case things get badly messed up + a monthly leasing charge? Do we just make them buy the equipment outright then we will buy back if we end a relationship with them?

  3. Service charges - Sort of ties in with the last one. But If they are leasing the equipment from us, does that act sort of like a retainer - IE they are renting for $100/mo so they are elligible for a free $100/mo in equipment service charges?

  4. Individually packaged doses - Something Matt made me think about on FB the other day. 100 or 150g or whatever doses are packaged individually so employees just need to rip open package, empty into grinder and grind. No weighing. Also thinking possibly having brewing instructions on the bag? Doesn’t necessarily have to be individual to the coffee but rather “Set grinder on #6, press the 2nd button the brewer” etc.

Some other things that I don’t necessarily have questions about but need to work on:

  1. Advertising and info materials. Booklets that explain what it’s about. We can drop these booklets at businesses to make them aware of the program. Trays to put full coffee bags in with labels like “Kenya, small pot” “House blend, large pot” etc. Educational/How-To-Operate Materials.

  2. Coffee price breakdown sheets. Work on what our price has to be to make money on individually packaging doses. Organize all that into a spreadsheet that we can adjust regularly and make available to clients.

  3. Cupping the catalog. Something that I know CCC does which is pretty cool. Definitely would make the boss or decision makers feel special “hey come by and let’s cup 12 coffees, figure out which ones you want to have at your office.”

  4. Ordering system. Call in/email to order only or online ordering as well?

  5. The right person - this one is going to be the hardest. When starting off the same person will probably be selling, doing service tech work, and deliveries until we hopefully expand enough to pay each of those positions easily.

  6. Other offerings? Cold brew by the gallon? Nitro kegs if they have/want a tap system? Pastries???

This is just as much of a “things I need to do” list as a post asking for other people, I guess. However, if anyone has any experience with this I’d love to hear what you’re doing.