Café Trends
Having big coffee branding umbrellas, barriers, even A frames have grown old on consumers and coffee shop operators alike. Subtlety is playing a bigger role now more than ever. Cafes want to look unique and less like a billboard.
So what have we noticed café owners doing?
We’ve long recommended this type of business conduct and believe it best for the café operator. Cafes which benefit as billboards generally rely on new business often and piggyback familiar brands to win the initial sale. However, billboards can only help invite new customers but will not guarantee them or their return. Alternatively, they can dissuade customers if they do not resonate with the brand you proudly display. So, what are these emerging strategic trends looking like?
- Hiding who they stock.
How many times do you walk into a café now, and wonder who they use? There aren’t any bags on display, no signage on the grinder, no advertising on umbrellas etc., nothing on the menu. What does this mean? It means independence! Having even the biggest brand for “support” is irrelevant if you’re not promoting them, alternatively, neither are the really expensive “hipster” brands if they are hiding.
- Custom branding.
Other cafes wish to stock a self branded product to build a relationship with their clients. A sense of loyalty to the café and another form of independence from roasting brands. It is traditionally possible to do this, but generally requires larger volumes of coffee purchases (100kg min/week). Alternatively some seek a stamp on a kraft bag, however this no longer looks unique and has an “out dated” impression. Custom print bags are a rigid option, they require large acquisitions which means lumpy cashflow purchases and being content with no change in branding for perhaps years and it’s not possible to do seasonal variances (ie. Christmas, Easter bags).
Being provided self branded umbrellas and packaging can be a slippery slope and can require lengthy contracts being stuck with suppliers. We always recommend if you’re in business, invest in yourself. You’ll save money long term and will be able to call the shots.
Grindenpour offers a custom sticker option for your bag at no extra cost, no minimum necessary. Only requirement is notification of colour of bag and artwork to be supplied.