Oh, sweet smelling coffee, we love you so! We drink coffee everyday and judging by the amount of Starbucks and Costa Coffee locations in London alone, we love our caffeine. Coffee has always been a culture, a way to relax from the daily grind and tough day, and a way to meet friends. Swedish people even have a word for it, ‘fika’, where they effortlessly lounge in trendy yet cosy coffee shops and catch up with friends over a cup of Joe. An activity that sometimes can go on for hours…oftentimes involving some sort of cake or sandwich as well.
Coffee makes us feel happier, it motivates us, alters the brain and according to some, it even makes you more intelligent. There is nothing quite like heading to your local coffee joint for that double shot Americano in the morning or afternoon, but what if you actually owned the shop? Now we’re talking…!
Just the thought of venturing down the path, exploring the possibilities of opening your very own coffee gem will make just about anyone overly excited. However, with so much competition out there and even the smallest of shops becoming serious business, it can be difficult to know where to start.
Something like setting up and running your own coffee shop will take a lot of time and planning but you can definitely give yourself a head start by checking out Franchise Info The Source of UK Franchising Information for guidance. Then, when you map out your plan and set your goals the budget should be clear. Spending too little or too much can hurt your overall plan, so list out every factor before you start splurging money. To make things easier, here is a list of equipment you need to get started.
An Espresso Machine
A coffee shop will always attract the espresso‑loving crowd and almost every fusion drink has espresso as the main element anyways. So start by focusing on what matters: the coffee, which is as serious as you’d expect. Hence you will need to invest in a high-quality, high-end machine that can accommodate your customers. Without a quality machine you are doomed to fail.
The espresso machine allows you to transform beans into drinks like lattes, mocha, flat whites and many others. However, before you buy one, you need to study the features of the industrial espresso machines offer like automatic or manual? The durability, performance of the machine and; the power supply the machine requires and many similar questions.
There are various machines on the market, all from a vast range of different brands, all offering different features and so selecting one can be confusing. If you want to have a suitable commercial espresso machine, we recommend that you check out CoffeeGearX.
A Coffee Grinder
When people visit their local coffee joint, they come for one thing and that one thing is their daily dose of fresh quality coffee. In order to run a lucrative business, and to ensure that your customers keep coming back, you will need to have unground coffee beans that can be ground by a coffee grinder when needed. It is utterly important that you choose the right grinder as it can play a huge role in the aroma and flavour of your coffee.
Refrigeration System
A coffee shop has a lot of dairy products that need to be kept or otherwise, they’ll become stale and unusable. Take this system into account early on when planning the interior. Your refrigeration system should be big enough, aesthetically placed and accessible to the barista. For independent owners looking to open a new shop, one will soon find that what’s eating up most of the budget is in fact the equipment that you’ll have to invest in so play it smart.
Baking Equipment
Some customers will come in, looking for something to enjoy on the side of their coffee. Regular sandwiches, pastries, cakes… you name it. To drive your customers to the shop you need to offer them fresh, just out of the oven items. This is where you need to start looking at investing in an oven and toasters. Remember fresh food always gives the best taste, experience and ratings!
Blenders
The coffee world is as gadget obsessed as any industry you’ll find. Gone are the days when the only drink one needed to serve in order to run a somewhat successful coffee shop was a shot of espresso or a mug of black coffee. Today, setting up a coffee shop requires you to have a variety of drinks on your menu and some of them come from the blends and fusion of drinks. To make those seasonal drinks you will need to invest in a good blender for your coffee shop.
Racks
This is one of the most unappreciated items in the coffee shop. It plays a major role in the aesthetics of the shop and the life of a barista. A coffee rack allows the baristas to keep some coffee near the counter without having to go all the way to the storage when someone requests a rare drink. Also, coffee shop owners use the rack as a means to advertise merchandise like coffee beans, mugs, chocolate boxes, and many other things. You should buy racks that fit the interior of your café.
Wifi and Security
Customers these days are social media addicts and a good internet connection along with a hot cup of coffee can make your shop the ‘go-to’ hub for them. It is really a small cost to drive the customers back to your shop.
Finally, the security system is essential to save you from any hazards of thieves or fires. But don’t worry, it’s a one-time investment that can save you a large costs in the long run. So don’t shy away from investing in this equipment.
