Published by Programme B
Dreaming of opening a small coffee shop? Worried about your low budget?
We’ve got you covered!
If you do it in the right way, opening a coffee shop can be extremely profitable. It is a rewarding experience in many ways. We are well aware of the fact that creating the right coffee setup that fits your low budget is not always easy.
Well, starting a successful small coffee shop doesn’t always have to be a super expensive venture. There are countless ways to begin your low-cost coffee shop and make a good profit. If you are a coffee lover and seeking ways to start a successful coffee business, this is your guide.
Comparing Coffee Shop Options
When you are bold and creative while having the ability to network and understand the market, a comparison is the first step towards your dream.
Below we have discussed three basic options for starting a small coffee shop:
Start from scratch: Starting your own business from scratch requires the most effort. At the same time, it also offers the most flexibility when it comes to your creativity and budget. Also, the best potential to maximize profits is a big plus point.
Purchase a Franchise: Your next option is to jump in with a built-in business model. In this case, you might consider a franchise, where you will be making most of the major business decisions with the help of experts. As for a fee, you will have a turnkey business. The location of the business will be selected by the provider of the franchise.
Purchase an Existing Business: Last but not the least, a shop that is for sale or in need of a revamp is also a good option. This is another good way to acquire a turnkey operation. However, it is not at all an easy task to find a profitable business for sale.
Now, it is totally your decision which option you think is the most suitable one. Whichever option you choose, the fundamentals for success applied will be the same.
6 Key Factors to Incorporate when Starting a Small Coffee Shop
Your small business plan for starting a dream coffee shop should incorporate the following key factors:
Start with the Research
Opening a small coffee cafe takes a significant investment in either time or money. It is highly suggested that you spend time in case you have less money. It is important to understand what it takes to run a successful low-budget cafe.
Good research means reaching out to different coffee business owners and gathering key points from their experiences. You also need to search and find out what works on a low budget, and what doesn’t. You need to learn about your customer base. What are their needs? Who will they be? What time of the day will be the busiest? How to make your small space most functional? And the list goes on.
Design The Best Business Plan
Never underestimate the power of a business plan. The entire process of creating a business plan helps you really understand your local market. It will guide you through each step, till you get the best end result.
Here are a few important points to include in your business plan:
- The entire summary of the process.
- A local market analysis.
- A marketing plan
- Your future team
- Your budget
- The location
Find an Ideal Location
Your next step is to find the best location for your small coffee cafe. Keep in mind that coffee shops are great places to socialize and enjoy with friends. They are also the best spots for informal business meetings.
You need to go the extra mile to find the lowest price location on a busy street. Usually, high-traffic locations have the highest rents. Storefronts are a good option in low-budget cases. This is because they have the highest visibility with lower rents as compared to malls.
Stay Focused on Simplicity
Starting a small coffee shop business doesn’t have to be a complicated process.Starting small and growing out later is the best feeling ever. The key here is to start!
You can play with your creativity while being simple. In the beginning, go for lower price coffee accessories and storage options such as wholesale candy container items. You might need to go for simple yet elegant decor with minimal expenditure. Also, it is good to keep a simple menu in the beginning.
Once your business grows, you can definitely shift on expensive stuff while maintaining the quality.
Always Provide Great Customer Service
Any business can grow magically if the customer service is provided in the best possible way, from the very first day. Especially, in the foodservice industry, this is the key.
The best option as a beginner is to introduce a counter service. Your customers will simply order and pay upfront. Once their order is ready, you will call them to pick. This will minimize your labor costs tremendously while enabling you to better handle busier periods.
Go for The Best Supplier
Last but not least, a consistent supply of quality is the mastermind. You need to find good, reliable suppliers for a successful coffee business. Companies like Iron and Fire offer a coffee subscription service, so you know you are never going to run out of quality ingredients, that your customers are going to love. When ordering your supplies, it’s important to remember a coffee cafe is not at all about coffee only, you will be offering a variety of other snacks and teas as well.
Whether it is the coffee, bread, milk, cups, napkins, coffee stirrers, teapots, syrups, etc. Maintaining quality must be your top priority. A quality supply will ensure you are ready for everything!
Take-Away
Wrapping up the guide, you see there are plenty of ideas to start a small coffee business. All you need to do is, keep a sharp eye on opportunities and never stop your research.
Always remember, thinking outside the box and looking out for your customers are the key points in your case. Start small, keep it simple, maintain the supply quality, and most importantly; enjoy sharing your passion for one of the greatest pleasures of life… coffee!
Photo by Kate Gundareva from Pexels