We often recommend that any business wanting to sell beans by the pound should brew up a pot and set up a coffee sampling station to really get those beans moving—but what about the reverse? Should a coffee shop serving already-brewed coffee also sell beans by the pound?
The answer is a definite yes!
A customer inside your coffee shop is going to drink what you’re brewing, but even the most fervent fan will eventually go home—taking their thirst for quality caffeine with them—and then what are they going to drink?
The latest Zagat survey on coffee drinking patterns in America (conducted in early 2015) shows that a whopping 43% of coffee drinkers get their fix at home or at the office. That’s a whole lot of coffee drinkers that could still be your customers, even if they aren’t standing in front of you.
The solution? Sell the same coffee you’re already hawking, but in another form: convenient, portable coffee gift packaging. Offer a whole bean option for those who appreciate fresh flavor and longer shelf life, and a pre-ground version for the ultimate in convenience.
Set up a nice display near the counter—within easy reach, and with eye-catching signage that lets customers know they’ll be drinking the same good stuff they already know and love. Offer to grind it for them. Teach your staff to up-sell your beans with every order, perhaps emphasizing a different coffee every month, or the newest varietal you’re trying out.
Combine your beans and your brews into attractive sales—“Buy a pound, get a free cup!” When the season is right set out smaller bags and promote them as stocking stuffers—your customers sharing beans with friends and family (with your logo and location potentially right there on the label) is efficient word-of-mouth advertising.
Take-home coffee sales are an excellent opportunity to engage customers long after they’ve walked out the door, and might even bring in new business. Explore the hundreds of packaging options available from Coffee City USA, and get those fresh sales going today!
