How to open a coffee shop

Coffee machines and catering supplies
With out of home coffee consumption increasing weekly now is a very good time to get into the coffee shop market. Margins are high, and if you choose the right location then it can be very easy to run a profitable outlet. Key points to remember are to target your customer base and give them what they want. While Speciality Coffee drinks like Cappuccino and Latte are the norm for most outlets, how can you make your outlet different and stand out from the crowd.

Filter coffee is still one of the most popular fresh ground coffee drinks, either sold as an alternative to espresso drinks in a cafe or as the main coffee offering in offices. Filter coffee lets you easily change you offering weekly or daily, some outlets even use an Airpot machine and many flasks to offer a variety of filter coffee daily. This set up can allow an outlet to offer Fairtrade coffee alongside two or three single estate origins.

Espresso coffee equipment will be on the equipment list of most new coffee outlets, there are a wide range of options and for such a large capital outlay getting the right machine for the job is very imprtant. The first decision is between Bean to cup or Traditonal espresso coffee machines. Bean to cup coffee machines deskill the coffee making process, combining the jobs of grinding beans, tamping coffee and brewing into one button press. If a milk drink is chosen the cold milk is automatically drawn from a container or fridge and foamed to the required consistency for cappuccino or latte. High volume bean to cup coffee machines command a premium price, so the benefit of reduced staff training has to be outweighed by the extra equipment cost. Bean to cup machines also require more maintaining so regular engineer visits need to be considered in the price. Traditional espresso machines comprise the coffee brewing unit with one to four groups each of which can brew two espresso's, steam arms are provided for foaming milk and some machines include an auto steam arm that will stop heating the milk at a predetermined temperature. Hot water is provided for Americano top ups, but should not be considered for general cafe hot water supply unless demands are going to be relatively low. The most commonly purchased machine set up is a two group, making four espresso's at once with two steam arms for foaming milk. Because the difference in price is quite small between one group, two group or three group machines it is worth buying the biggest size you can afford, as you will then be able to cope with peak demands better. Key points to look at when choosing an espresso machine are the boiler size and element wattage which are both key factors to offer improved hot water output and stability during use. It is easy choosing an espresso machine based on the styling of the machine, but for consistent volume use you need a hard working reliable one, not a pretty looking machine with many digital extras - the more the machine does or has on it the more things that can go wrong. Make sure the so claimed selling points of the machine you are buying will make a real difference to the coffee you make and are not just a gimmick to sell the machine while the functions will remain unused.

Hot chocolate is a huge seller throughout the year, don't forget the value a good hot chocolate offering will add to your sales. And look for differences that will set you aside from the competition, thick hot chocolate or whipped cream or even mini mallows will make your chocolate different. Use a Chocolataire hot chocolate machine to display your ready to drink and tap off hot chocolate, customers love watching the liquid chocolate being mixed in the chamber. With a wide choice of hot chocolate to choose from, including Monbana ready to serve hot chocolate tetra packs, Belcolade hot chocolate shavings to mix with hot milk or Dropissimo hot chocolate drops. Powder mixes for the hot chocolate machine include Ereclea Italian hot chocolate and also Cioccobon available as white or dark thick Italian hot chocolate powder. If you have an espresso coffee machine then you can steam milk with the steam arm in a frothing jug along with powders like Ciccobon to make a thick Italian hot chocolate or use Ghiradelli liquid chocolate sauce for great hot chocolate or Mocha from steamed milk. Fairtrade hot chocolate powders are available from Monbana in bulk tubs or portioned sachets, and are ideal for making hot chocolate from steamed milk. Also Monbana ready mixed hot chocolate in 1 litre tetra packs is ideal for using with the ciocclataire machine, just empty the carton into the machine and let it heat the liquid. You can also steam the ready mixed chocolate on a steam arm or pour it over ice for a chilled chocolate drink.

Your cold beverage menu can supplement hot drinks during hot sunny days, don't forget to offer blended ice drinks for Frappe and Smoothies and also thick milk shakes. Best selling in our blender range is the Blendtec Smoother Ice Blender which has a noise reducing hood to dampen the noise of ice being crushed. With a large number of pre set and programmable blend profiles you can get your perfect consistency from smooth and thick to chunky ice particles whatever suits. Blendtec blenders have been designed for commercial volume use, and will last the high demands that everyday use brings. Don't be tempted to by inexpensive blenders as you will be replacing them regularly.

Thick milk shakes are a big winner with kids, especially as frappe and smoothie drinks may be a little too adult for their taste. Dinkum thick shakes turn half a cup of chilled semi skimmed milk into a full cup of thick and fluffy milkshake. The powders are made with all natural ingredients, and the tubs of ingredient include the cups lids and straws to serve them in. With striking pos and an easy to use mixer that holds the cup you serve them in, you can bemefit from reduced cleaning because you make the milkshake in the cup you serve it in. Thick Milkshake Starter kits for the Dinkum range include everything you need to start serving drinks and you should have made a very good return on investment once you have sold all the milkshake powder. While our best selling milkshake flavours are Strawberry and Chocolate, Vanilla has a large following because it can be used with flavoured syrups to create a special flavour like Hazelnut or Caramel.