Everyone knows that there isn’t a better way to start your day than with a freshly-brewed cup of joe. The impact COVID-19 has had on consumers and restaurants alike has shifted the focus from in-person dining experiences to off-premise dining experiences.
Coffee shops are known for the community and shared environment they naturally create, but it might seem difficult to reimagine that same kind of ambiance during a contactless era of ordering and delivering. There have been several adjustments made in the foodservice and beverage industry to help establishments currently adjust to the impact of COVID-19 and prepare for the upcoming future.
If you’re a coffee shop owner looking for tips to drive traffic back to your business, or ideas to improve your current consumer experience, we’ve got you covered. Coffee shops across the states are coming up with unique and innovative ways to bring their classic and well-known beverages to customers at home.
What Is an ‘At-Home’ Coffee Experience?
These days, more and more customers are staying home and brewing coffee themselves or ordering in. Due to the changes caused by the COVID-19 crisis, a great way to bring the coffee shop experience to customer’s homes has emerged. A coffee ‘insperience’ allows customers to recreate their favorite beverages from your cafe right in their own kitchens. Coffee shops offer customers a coffee ‘insperience’ by providing them with the ingredients and tools needed to brew their own version of the beverage.
How To Bring Your Coffee Shop To Customers
Creating a coffee ‘insperience’ for your customers is the perfect way to bring their favorite drinks to their doorsteps while providing them with the experience of a coffee shop in their own homes. If you’re interested in incorporating coffee ‘insperiences’ into your business, below are some helpful ideas on creating an at-home coffee shop experience for customers.
Roast At Home Kits
For customers that are looking for a well-brewed cup of coffee, they might be interested in recreating your coffee shop’s beverages at home. Roast at home kits are the perfect options for those who want to brew their own barista-grade coffee, but might not have all the tools required for it. ‘Roast at home’ kits typically include a roaster, a special blend of coffee beans, along with resealable pouches to keep beans fresh for future brews.
The goal of ‘roast at home’ kits is to provide consumers with everything they need to get familiar with roasting coffee themselves. Customers typically have more free time these days and are looking to pick up new skills. Your coffee shop could look into creating and selling these kits for your customers as a way to generate business aside from take out and delivery orders.
Custom Blends
There’s no secret that customers stop by your coffee shop to enjoy a delicious and unique selection of coffee bean blends. As more customers make the switch from purchasing coffee at establishments and start brewing more coffee at home, it’s important to stay ahead of the trend. Creating take-home versions of the beloved coffee blends your customers enjoy is a great way to bring business back into your coffee shop.
When creating and packaging coffee blends for your customers, keep in mind that you should select the top-selling blends at your establishment to create custom blends. That way you can keep production budget-friendly while still leaving your customers satisfied. Packaging matters, so consider investing in reliable and resealable pouches that keep coffee beans fresh. You should also consider adding your business’s logo and slogan on your coffee blend packaging to boost your coffee shop’s marketing.
Brewing Supplies
Apart from roasters and coffee blends, your customers are probably interested in the rest of the brewing supplies used at your coffee shop. From sweeteners and syrups to coffee machines and mugs, the items used to create the beverages served at your establishment might be enticing for customers to buy. Customers looking to upgrade their coffee experience at home will appreciate being able to recreate the specific flavors and blends of their favorite drinks from your coffee shop.
Because long-time customers trust the quality and service of your coffee shop, they’ll want to buy brewing supplies from your business. An easy and accessible way to sell brewing supplies to your customers is by creating a page on your website or a new site that houses the brewing supplies available for sale. Customers can then browse and buy brewing supplies directly from your site and have them delivered to their homes.
Subscription Services
If you’re looking to bring coffee supplies straight to your customers but find that the methods above might not suit your business’s needs, another alternative is creating subscription services for your coffee shop supplies.
Many consumers are attracted to the convenience of monthly subscription boxes and enjoy paying a small fee to have everything they need to be delivered straight to their doors. Your coffee shop could create subscription services that offer a variety of coffee supplies, blends, recipes, and more.
Consider creating a monthly subscription box for your coffee shop that focuses on recreating a specific drink on your menu. Each month customers could receive the appropriate coffee supplies needed to create their beverage throughout the month. Each month customers could receive the appropriate coffee supplies needed to create their beverage throughout the month.
You should also include a recipe and step-by-step instructions so patrons can get familiar with the brewing process and roasting practices used at your shop. Customers who are just starting to brew coffee themselves will appreciate the helpful tips you provide as they make their drinks.
How To Drive Traffic To Your Coffee Shop While Customers Are At Home
As coffee shop owners, you are always looking for new ways to bring business to your establishment. Investing in off-premise dining experiences is a great way to drive traffic to your coffee shop while we are experiencing the impact of COVID-19 for the foreseeable future. Whether you choose to sell ‘roast at home’ kits, coffee subscription services, or want to offer brewing supplies and blends for sale, this is a great opportunity to create extra revenue for your business.
Consumers these days are using social media platforms to stay connected while practicing social distancing and other health precautions. To keep your coffee shop in the loop, it’s important to advertise the new products and services your business is offering through social media. Consider creating posts and ads for your coffee shop to promote your new coffee ‘insperiences’.
Catch the eye of your followers by going live on social media platforms and hosting interactive brewing and coffee-making lessons. Customers will appreciate and take note of the ways your coffee shop is adapting to a contactless era of dining and might invest in the supplies and services offered by your establishment.
