Need Help With Coffee.................
Business By golfgirl1227 Updated 9 Oct 2007 , 7:48pm by vickster
I need to sell coffee in my shop. But I have a problem.......I don't drink coffee, therefore I don't make coffee. I need equipment and everything else to do this. Is there a place that you can get it reasonably priced? Where do I get coffee? I like to use local suppliers when possible, so should I talk to them to see if they will sell me their coffee in larger quantities?
Suggestions? Comments? Know of a coffee for dummies school I can go to? LOL!
TIA!
I don't know of any central suppliers for all of you coffee needs, but I do know that a lot of places use Bunn machines. Williams-Sanoma has some awesome machines, but that's too rich for my blood. I just use the ole home Cuisinart I think? Good luck!
www.specialty-coffee.com/forum
i'm going to sell coffee too...i do alot of reseach on this site.
the espresso makers are VERY EXPENSIVE.....like 4K
coffee snobs can really tell the difference in good coffee, on one of my posts at this sight they gave me a name of a roaster that they liked....maybe they could recommend one near you.
i wanna keep it simple and maybe sell just frappes and ice coffee.
I would look up local coffee roasters in your area, they will be able to sell you coffee wholesale and be able to let you know what sells the best in your area. Also try to find a coffeehouse supplier, they can get you the machines you need.
If you aren't really"into coffee" but just want to offer it I might consider just keeping your selection VERY simple, and keep the concentration on the baked stuff. You could offer your "house blend" of coffee, decaf coffee, hot tea, iced tea, hot chocolate and maybe a few bottled juices and sodas. This would keep your start up cost and wasted product down.
Also, it may be helpful to go to a local coffeehouse and check out their setup. 
You could call "Farmers Bros." coffee they can rent you the machinery (means you can call them to come n fix it if it breaks) and they also sell the coffee also. But that's just normal coffee. If you're wanting to get into trendy stuff then you might try a search online for a trendy coffee company.
We have a local coffee company here called "luna" coffee they sell on the internet.
First of all, where are you located? Check for local vendors, here are a couple that you could google: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters- these guys are who we use all the time, based in Vermont. Bad Ass Coffee Co. - these are a Hawaiian based coffee company, their coffee is good too. A good thing to do is find out what the local coffee is in your area. Check out some of the other shops around you and you should have an idea of what the favorites are in your area.
Hope this helps some, good luck. 
Thanks for the suggestions.
I definitely want to keep it simple. I'm not going for the 5000 different flavors of coffee and lattes and the whole Starbucks vibe. I will check out the website that was posted above and give a couple of the local people a call to see if they are willing to help.
Thanks again!
As an avid coffee drinker and snob, I say KISS and serve one really good quality house blend daily, and offer up one flavored or other coffee in addition. That should keep the coffee people happy. If you can find a system that brews into thermal dispensers, all the better. Coffee is gross after it has been on a warmer for say, oh, about 2 minutes. 
The thermal dispensers will also stretch how long your coffee stays saleable.
Nothing like a baked good with a cup of coffee, iced or hot! Wanting a cup of coffee has, on occasion, required a non-planned purchase of baked goods.
also check craigslist for your area. theres often business closing down trying to sell off their equipment.
STILL waiting on the plumber to get our plumbing done. Vickster, I understand your frustration with your plumber, we just got our plumbing finished, it took him 8 months!!!! 
I could probably write a few pargraphs on how ridiculous the whole situation has been.
8 MONTHS! YIKES!!! In the meantime, I'm doing everything I possibly can. Paint, flooring, lighting. He says he hasn't gotten the stuff back from the state yet, but I'm not totally sure I believe him. I know he's been at Talladega at the car races this past week. 
If what your plumber is waiting for from the state is the inspection, in the city that we are located we could call and check on the status of the plumbing inspection...if there was one, did it pass?...etc. (there are a total of approx 2-3 total inspections you have to pass for each stage of the work, depending on what you are having done) Our plumber failed his about 4-5x's, and did not show up for one of his inspection appointments. Definatly do not give him a final payment until you are certain from your city that your final inspection has passed.
That is the only way you can be sure they will finish the job to your satisfaction. It's funny, all the crazy stuff you have to deal with when all you want to do is bake!
I helped get the coffee set up in our office. We have 150 employees. The coffee supplier gave us everything (part of the monthly price ) the coffee makers that brew into warming carafes, the cups with tops, they even helped pipe the water right into the machines.
The coffee suppliers can do it all. Then you just have to choose your flavors.
Thanks, Chris. I know what you mean. We are in the first step. The plumber has to make a isometric drawing and submit that to the state for approval before he can start the project. That's what we are waiting on. He was hoping to dodge that step since there was already a restroom there and it's an "add on" job, but the city said, no, it would have to go to the state. 
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