Coffee Supreme discusses how it provides support to its wholesale customers and why collaborating with an experienced professional is key to success.
To Coffee Supreme, better coffee is a constant. It’s matter of doing things better than the time before. As a roaster with three decades of experience under its belt, Coffee Supreme New Zealand Wholesale Manager Natalie Guest says café businesses can trust that it prioritises quality and taste to create better coffee experiences for all involved.
“Coffee Supreme brings a level of expertise and support that is beneficial to everyone, even experienced café owners. Not to mention, amazing coffee. It’s a given that our coffee is excellent,” Natalie says.
Coffee Supreme Australia Wholesale Manager Ray Kelland says there’s much to consider when opening a new hospitality venture or taking over an existing one. He says choosing a trusted coffee supplier should be an early consideration.
“The first thing is that you have a clear plan. Investing in building a new site requires supervising builders, contractors, and project managing, while purchasing an existing one means retaining the staff and customer-base while adapting an existing business concept into your own. Both require careful consideration,” he says.
“Working with an experienced professional like Coffee Supreme ensures that you’re getting expert market knowledge. We love helping café owners navigate their way through the industry.”
Natalie adds that working with a qualified roasting partner is an important decision Coffee Supreme doesn’t take for granted, and it goes beyond being a coffee partner.
“We offer support [to cafés] throughout the whole opening process, which includes bench layout ideas, workflow arrangements, and mapping out how their customers will move through the space. A lot of us at Coffee Supreme come from a hospitality background, so we’re well-versed in the industry,” she says.
“To our café partners, we think of your business as our business, so we’re always going to try and improve things to offer a better coffee experience.”
Ray says Coffee Supreme looks to partner with cafés that share the roaster’s same values for coffee, community, and quality.
“We consider what café owners are trying to achieve and their business plans. It’s not simply a transactional relationship for us,” he says.
“We want to become familiar business partners and understand how we can impact and add value to your café.”
Once a coffee shop has opened its doors and secured Coffee Supreme as its supplier, the roaster offers barista training, technology support, and personal account management to ensure employees are well-equipped to provide consistent quality coffee.
“Coffee Supreme offers customised training to each café we partner with. Because we’re really involved with the cafés, we know their setup, the owners, the workflow requirements, and the café itself, so we can tailor the training to their needs. We also have set training modules including beginner, intermediate and advanced head barista, and can hold cuppings sessions if required,” Natalie says.
“We have a highly recognisable brand, which consumers love.”
Ray adds that the roaster also offers latte art courses for baristas, which are a customer favourite.
“We use the training sessions as a way to get to know the baristas who are working with our coffee to best support them. As the last people to touch the coffee before the end consumer, we want them to feel supported, engaged, and proud to serve our coffee,” he says.
Coffee Supreme believes in providing holistic support to its retail customers. To create an effortless workplace dynamic, Natalie shares her best tips for operating a café.
“Always come back to the customer experience and consider them in every decision you make. You want to make it as easy as possible for the consumer to fall in love with your business,” she says.
Ray continues that café owners should never compromise on quality.
“Invest in the items that customers will touch, see, and hear, as this will enhance their overall experience,” he says.
“And ensure the business is profitable. Focus on making sure you know your values, your goals, and your direction about where you’re taking the business. Partnering with Coffee Supreme means a cup of coffee you can trust for flavour and care, so that’s a great place to start.”
For more information, visit shopau.coffeesupreme.com
This article appears in the October 2023 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.