It’s not only independent coffee shops who are looking for a wholesale coffee supplier. If you have a customer-facing business, serving great coffee can help create a memorable customer experience and make your brand more memorable.
Anywhere that you serve your customers is an opportunity to stand out against the competition and people will remember you for the coffee you serve. The good news is that, unless you’re a coffee business, you don’t need to be an expert barista to serve your customers a tasty brew.
If you’re a small restaurant, hotel, hairdresser, coworking space or even an estate agent, welcoming customers with a coffee gives a great first impression. If your coffee is top notch. There are plenty of ways to simplify the coffee making process to suit your business needs and space. Not every business needs to invest in an professional espresso machine. In fact, for most businesses, a french press, V60 or Nespresso machine is the right size and price for what they will be serving.
Whether coffee is the focus of your business or a thoughtful extra touch, buying wholesale speciality coffee will make the biggest difference to your customer experience. And here is what you need to look for when finding the perfect wholesale coffee partner.
The quality of the bean
Coffee with a complex taste comes from the quality of the bean. If you’re not sure, there are two types of bean: robusta which is usually used for instant coffee, and arabica which is used for speciality coffee.
You want to source arabica beans for the best taste. These are grown in tropical climates close to the equator. Ideally, you’ll want to look for single-origin beans. This means the beans are grown within a single region. The taste of coffee is influenced by the environment in which it grows. This means the weather, soil condition, how it’s fertilised, harvest and processed all contribute to the taste of the final cup.
We use a single farm for our wholesale speciality coffee, so are guaranteed a consistency in quality, taste and flavour.
Some suppliers may create blends. This means blending two or more origin beans together to create a new, unique flavour profile. Sometimes, the blend can help reduce the cost of the coffee as suppliers may mix cheaper beans with more expensive ones. Blends can make certain coffee more affordable or even create a signature blend for your business.
Whichever route you choose, make sure you ask about the origin of the bean and any blends you’re buying. Any wholesale supplier will be happy to answer your questions and help you find the right taste for your customers.
Transparency of the supply chain
Most independent coffee roasters are proud of the ethics of their supply chain. We are proud of the close relationships we forge with the farms who supply our coffee beans. It means we can be assured of the ethics and environmental impact of our beans.
It also means that more money goes into the pocket of the farmers because we don’t have a long and complex supply chain. It’s the farmer, then us, and you before, finally, your customer.
Not all wholesale coffee is grown and sold in an ethical way. If you’re ever considering reporting on your environmental and social governance (ESG) efforts or want to apply to become a B Corp, you will need to have transparency of supply chain - even down to the coffee - so asking the right questions now, will help.
Cost of wholesale
It’s pretty obvious but not all businesses will consider the price of wholesale coffee or how minimum orders will impact the overheads. Here at Souter Bros, we like to support our customers. It’s why we work with our wholesale customers to understand what they need for their business.
And, because we work closely with the farms, we’re more protected from external price changes in the industry. As are our wholesale customers.
If your business is not a selling the final cup of coffee but providing it as a customer service, this can really help keep overheads down while not scrimping on quality.
How the coffee will be delivered
Is delivery included in the price? How long will it take? Logistics of coffee might not seem important but you don’t want to find you’ve accidentally run out and it’s a long wait to get a refill.
Ideally, you want to know if your wholesale coffee supplier can deliver fast. At Souter Bros, we can often deliver same day within London and aim for next day deliver for further afield. Although, it’s always best to check with us first.
If you have large orders, make sure you check reliability of supply when you’re looking for a wholesale speciality coffee supplier.
White label options
Having a white label option is a great idea for small business. This personal touch can position your brand as one with attention to detail and interested in customer experience. While you may not want to consider a white label coffee at first, it’s good to know if your wholesale speciality coffee supplier offers this for any potential future plans.
Contracts and terms
It’s good to know if you’ll be expected to have a minimum period of time ordering or a minimum level of orders. Go through any contract or terms and conditions to check you understand what’s expected with your new relationship with a wholesale supplier.
A contract should work for both you and your wholesale coffee supplier so if there is anything you’re unsure about, make sure you discuss it with them.
Hidden extras
Many wholesale coffee suppliers also want you to rent equipment from them and then also use them for maintenance. At Souter Bros, we don’t do this. We can let you know who our trusted partners are for equipment rentals but we understand that businesses all have different needs. We’re always happy to advise but you’ll never find any hidden extras with us.
Customer support
Finally, you’ll want to know if you’ll have excellent customer support from your wholesale speciality coffee supplier. Any good wholesale coffee business will let you chat with their clients. They will also let you know when and how you can contact them.
The good news for any business owners is that we understand what it’s like to operate and grow a business. We’re always on-hand to help.
What to look for when looking for a wholesale speciality coffee supplier
When you’re looking for the best wholesale speciality coffee for your business, think about it as a partnership. You need someone who can grow with your business, care about your needs and understand what your customers want.If you’d like to chat about buying wholesale speciality coffee, get it touch with us here.