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How to Choose A Coffee Grinder For Your Cafe

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 19:21:00 GMT

The quality of an espresso shot is determined by myriad factors. Most people focus on the espresso machine and/or the quality of the coffee being used —both important, of course. However, the quality of the espresso grinder used in preparing a perfect shot of espresso is equally important.

Espresso requires a very fine, consistent coffee grind in order to brew correctly, and thus a specifically designed and engineered professional grinder. Other factors: choosing the correct size and model for speed, efficiency and consistent quality to keep up with your espresso machine during busy hours at your coffee shop or restaurant.

Here’s a short guide to help you make the right decision when purchasing an espresso grinder for your business.

(And check out the full line of espresso grinders at Espresso Services).

WHAT WILL IT COST YOU?

As with all commercial equipment, coffee grinders require food and utility safety certification and thus, can be relatively expensive. Add to this the fact that nearly all units are made in Europe (primarily from Italy) and the costs can vary from $500 to as much as $4,000. Typically you can expect to pay between $1,000 and $1,500 for a traditionally sized commercial espresso grinder for a typical espresso coffee operation.

But before making a decision based on price, consider motor speed, burr size, burr type, hopper size and dosing type.

DOSING CHAMBERS VS. DOSERLESS GRINDERS

A doser or dosing compartment is where coffee is disbursed after being ground by an automatic grinder. They keep grounds from falling on the counter and provide one-shot measurements for each espresso you make. The dosing compartment has been around since the 1920s and has been used consistently ever since.

However, in recent years there has been a movement toward a more pure, exacting method for dosing espresso coffee, after much research and discovery around how coffee flavor is affected by brew time and temperature. Unfortunately, when a doser is used, there is a tendency for too much coffee to be ground at once, leaving some behind for future use. Baristas may grind more beans than necessary for one drink order, then then next and the next — building up ground coffee in the dosing compartment. By the time the coffee is used, it may no longer be fresh.

The doserless grinder is the answer to this problem.

A doserless, or semi-automatic grinder does not have a dosing compartment. The grounds are simply deposited straight into a waiting portafilter. This enables every single shot that to be made with freshly ground coffee beans — not something that has been sitting in a compartment for a while. The one downside to using a doserless grinder is that it will make a much larger mess than one with a dosing compartment. Coffee grounds will fall directly on to the countertop if a portafilter is not placed directly under the grinder, and even when a portafilter is present, grounds inevitably spill over the sides.

A few grinders have large compartments for holding ground coffee beans, but such grinders are not recommended. Grounds will quickly become stale and unsuitable for a good shot of espresso.

GRINDER BURR TYPES: CONICAL VS. FLAT

There are two primary types of commercial burr grinders: Flat and conical style blades. Both types have a multi-cut angled tooth edge that is engineered to cut coffee into smaller and smaller particles until a very fine and consistent powder is produced that is ideal for espresso coffee. Both also have one stationary top blade and one spinning lower blade.

With flat burrs:

Parallel horizontal plates pull coffee beans into the grinding teeth through the centrifugal force of a fast-moving motor.

Once the coffee beans contact the grinding teeth, the beans are broken apart.

The beans are cut into smaller and smaller pieces as the speed of the lower blade forces them through smaller and smaller cutting edges, to form a fine powder.

With conical burrs:

Gravity is the primary force used, as the burrs cut vertically at an outward angle, pulling the coffee downward.

Coffee beans are cut into smaller and smaller particles until the desired fineness is reached.

Because no centrifugal force is required, conical burrs grind coffee at a much slower speed, resulting in lower heat transfer to the coffee beans and less likelihood that the grinder will heat up the coffee and alter its flavor before being brewed.

Conical burr grinders are designed for use in very high-volume applications — such as Italian espresso bars producing several thousand shots per day. In busy shops, flat burs may get too hot to produce consistently good espresso. But both burr types produce similarly sized ground coffee particles, and flat burrs rarely increase coffee temperature more than 20° above room temperature in the most extreme uses, and follow empirical testing standards.

Check out the full line of espresso grinders at Espresso Services.

Cold Coffee in Winter? Perfect.

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 18:58:07 GMT

Cold brew coffee and iced coffee are arguably the trendiest summer drinks in coffeehouses around the country — but they hold their own in winter months, too. In a Dunkin Donuts poll, 56 percent of those surveyed said it is never too cold for an iced coffee. Devotees aren’t deterred by dropping temperatures — maybe they just wear gloves.

But many are torn between the two methods. To cold brew or to ice, that is the question. Here we’ll break down the differences:

Cold Brew: The Smooth, Low-Effort Concentrate

With a brew time that lasts up to 24 hours, you’d think cold brewing would be a complicated process. But it couldn’t be simpler — easy to enjoy with or without fancy equipment. While it takes time, cold brewing is less finicky than ice brewing. Basically, you just set it up and walk away until it comes time to strain the concentrate. You can mix it up in a pitcher, no problem, and just let it sit in the fridge until it’s time to separate the brew from the grounds with a sieve or other filter.

Minimizing the coffee’s exposure to oxygen is a must, since oxidation creates a bitter brew. You can sidestep bitterness simply by using a container that holds only the necessary volume of coffee and water, and no more. Some cafes are even opting to serve cold brew on tap — further reducing its exposure to oxygen and enriching its texture with nitrogen, and offering a slick new visual from across the counter.

The long brewing process is what makes the coffee concentrated — resulting in about twice the caffeine as regular coffee. The deep, smooth flavor, low acidity and typically chocolatey notes of cold brew complement the rich sweetness of dairy, so don’t let any self-proclaimed purists guilt your customers out of adding milk.

Cold brew is also a dream for a fast-paced cafe. Iced coffee takes longer to prepare and serve, but cold brew just needs to be poured from its refrigerated storage vessel.

Iced Coffee: The Classic

Since iced coffee is brewed hot, it can be more bitter than cold brew. But high temperatures can also extract more coffee solubles than cold brew, adding to iced coffee’s body.

To counteract bitterness, it is essential that hot coffee be cooled quickly in order to become tasty iced coffee. Brewing directly over ice does the trick, maintaining aromatics and desirable acidity. It is thinner than the original hot brew, but with a full body. It is even less oxidized than cold brew — fresher, in other words. (Though cold brew fans will argue the superiority of a long, cold brewing process.)

But how can coffee poured over ice be anything but watery? It helps to use more grounds than usual (say, 10 percent more) but don’t overdo it. Also, introduce hot coffee to ice drop by drop — not all at once. Known as the Japanese method, this cools the coffee faster and doesn’t melt as much ice.

So, which one wins?

Cold brew is a bit easier to brew, can be prepped ahead, and provides a uniquely rich, smooth brew. Iced coffee is arguably more authentic and fresh, preserving more solids and therefore more nuances of the coffee’s character. It comes down to what you want to serve, and what your customers want. You can offer your favorite (or easiest) option, or try serving both for awhile and see how they sell.

Pointers For Giving Employee Reviews at Your Coffee Business

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 04:53:00 GMT

Employee reviews are like fruitcakes: They come around every year whether you want them to or not. But unlike receiving a fruitcake, an employee review doesn't have to be an awkward exchange.

Here are a few tips for a review process that will keep you and your employees on the same page:

1. Give mid-year reviews for professional development, and pay-increase reviews at the end of the year.

A midyear employee review separates the evaluation of their performance from the one where compensation is set. If someone is waiting to hear about their raise or bonus, it’s not easy to get them to listen to what they can do to improve or problem solve.

The developmental review is an opportunity to have a dialogue about what an employee can do to improve and what an employer can do to help. By leaving results out of the discussion and saving them for the end-of-year compensation conversation, the review can focus on solutions to areas where an employee may be stuck.

2. Come prepared

To give a good employee review, it’s important to gather specific examples of objectively good and bad performance as possible. These achievements and slip-ups should be tracked throughout the year, rather than being done right before a performance appraisal meeting. The number of specifics shows the employee that you notice their performance.

For the review itself, write up a list of discussion topics and ground rules for a smooth conversation such encouraging two-way communication.

3. Be honest

A common mistake employers make when evaluating an employee is inflating positive feedback. No one likes confrontation, but avoiding it altogether doesn’t help the employee grow. It also makes it harder to let them go in the future, should you need to.

Keep the conversation open-ended and allow employees to respond to your comments. Focus on issues, not people, wherever possible.

4. Don’t rely too much on the evaluation form.

Many managers run through a performance-review form point by point and assign “grades” for each. But this method doesn’t allow for much discussion where the employee can help problem solve.

You can make the meeting more productive by leaving the performance appraisal form blank until the end of the meeting. Instead, discuss how an employee has performed recently or in the past year, as well as any on-the-job difficulties they’ve faced—and how they handled them. From there, you can come up with ways the employee can improve and grow. And hopefully you'll walk away with a better understanding of why the employee fared the way they did.

5. Shift the review to the employee.

One way to have a successful, open discussion is to let the employee assess their own work. Questions like: ”How have you done?” “What can I do as your supervisor to build your skills?” and “What are your goals for the next year, and what are the measurable outcomes?” should cover it.

Most employees will do fine with this assignment, but a few may not even respond. However, some will love it and walk away very motivated; these tend to be top performers.

Similarly, you can open up the meeting to productive discussion if you ask the employee to review a supervisor’s performance as well as his or her own.

After a meeting, be sure to follow up, summarize the discussion—and begin observations for the next review right away.

Coffeehouse Management Skill #1: Adaptable Leadership

Coffeehouse Management Skill #2: Open Communication

Coffeehouse Management Skill #3: Accountability

Coffeehouse Management Skill #4: Attention to Detail

What Espresso Machine Do You Need for Your Coffee Shop?

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 04:52:00 GMT

There is a lot to consider when choosing an espresso machine that will meet your operation’s specific needs. The type of food service you do is probably the most important factor, followed by your daily customer traffic.

A traditional automatic espresso machine gives the barista the most control of the drink-making process, as compared with using a super-automatic machine. The barista should be well trained to make consistent drinks while still enjoying this creative process.

Espresso Services can help you choose the right espresso machine.

Fill out our contact form, and we’ll get right back to you. We look forward to discussing what option will best suit your business.

Choose a machine based on your business model:

Bakery

You provide the perfect accompaniment to coffee, so serve coffee that’s worthy of your baked goods. You can expect to serve between 20 to 50 espresso beverages per day. 20 for small to mid-size towns, 50 for larger cities.

A one-group machine will work well for your needs.

Coffee Shop

The masses walk bleary-eyed through your doors, expecting their daily caffeine fix. Y need a machine that won't let you down during the morning rush.

Most of your customers’ favorite beverages will be espresso-based. You can expect to serve 100 to 500 espresso beverages per day, depending on your location. And you’ll be steaming a lot of milk for mochas and lattes.

100-200 drinks per day: A two-group machine will fit the bill.

200-300 drinks per day: A two-group to a three-group machine is what you'll need.

300-500 drinks per day: You need a three-group. Period.

Restaurant or Bar

Espresso adds an extra-special touch to any menu. Invite your customers to order a cappuccino with their breakfast, or an espresso to finish dinner. Espresso martinis may be an even better bet.

You can expect to serve between 10 and 50 espresso beverages per day.

A one-group machine will work well for your needs.

Office

Give them espresso and they will come. An office espresso machine can be great for morale — and productivity.

Expect to serve roughly 75 espresso beverages per day for every 100 employees — with each espresso drinker consuming an average of 1.5 shots. If your office leans more toward drip coffee, or there aren't many who drink coffee at all (what?), adjust your estimate accordingly.

10-50 drinks per day: A one-group machine is all you need. Consider a super automatic instead of a regular automatic.

50-100 drinks per day: A two-group machine will make everyone happy. Again, consider a super automatic instead of a regular automatic.

Other considerations in choosing an espresso machine:

Budget
Durability/expected life
Number of group heads
Overall style
Long-term cost of service for the unit
Availability of parts for the machine — and service when you need it!

Contact us to learn more!

Coffee Shop Sales 101: Sell more than coffee to succeed

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Wed, 02 Oct 2019 19:15:08 GMT

Knowing how to sell a variety of menu items is vital to your coffee shop’s success.

Cafes with a mostly-coffee strategy can be busy all day, but still not generate enough profit to keep their doors open. Since your main product has great gross profit margins but low overall ticket averages, you've got to up your game from the get go to pay your bills. Bringing your ticket average above $4 or $5 is crucial to the future of your business.

A “coffee plus” strategy (coffee plus pastry or other food item) is in order. Coffee should be no more than 40 percent of your weekly sales—about two item sales per customer transaction.

Here’s how to get there:

Remind them that they're hungry. Keep your pastries, cookies, panini (ready to be grilled/pressed or heated) and more right where people will see them while ordering their latte.

Sweet and savory options. Notice the above references to panini. Carrying even a cursory sampling of sandwiches, wraps, etc. will attract the light-lunch or large-snack crowd.

But not too many options. While you want to bring more folks in and up your average ticket, too many choices can overwhelm people on the go. (Three flavors are enough, three sizes are enough, three types of food/drink are enough). Every menu item also creates added management effort (costs), potential loss in quality, and may not improve your revenue stream or customer experience.

Stay stocked, and fresh! The amount of waste that is common in a well-run cafe can be a little surprising. But don't let that tempt you to hold onto food items for too long, or to stock too little product. To build your business to sustainable levels, your display case needs to be at least half full and nothing should be even remotely stale.

Remember: coffee is the prime motivator for customers to walk through your doors, but they must leave with multiple sales if you are going to be successful.

Coffee Shop Design Tips That Won't Break The Bank

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 18:12:07 GMT

You don't always have to go the extra mile to succeed. Even if you’re determined to convey a modern vibe at your cafe or restaurant, less can be more when it comes to the fixtures and final touches. With a few simple short cuts, you can create a space that invites customers to come back again and again:

Fresh white paint. It’s amazing what a quick coat of paint can do to make a shop look fresh and inviting. A warm white tone will brighten the space and will go with everything, and you won’t have to spend time testing out different color schemes.

Wall art for less. After applying a fresh coat of paint, it’s time to spruce up the walls. If you have a large wall that needs some life, you can use a large piece of fabric with a graphic pattern on it to cover much of it, or use stencils to create a mural.

Make Your Own Menus. Instead of having your menus professionally designed and printed, create your own and print them yourself—or at a local quick-print shop. If you keep it simple, customers will probably appreciate your approach. Be sure to ask for second opinions from people who will be straight with you; if you design a confusing or cheap looking menu, it will only detract from your image.

Skip the Uniforms. Having staff wear their own clothes, with some dress code parameters, requires no investment from you. It’s also the norm these days at non-chain restaurants. But if you want your staff to stand out, get custom printed t-shirts instead of heavy-duty button-down shirts with an embroidered logo. A bonus of the staff wearing t-shirts is that you can sell them to customers .

With these few shortcuts that won’t get noticed, you can spend your buildout or remodel budget on things other than restaurant fixtures.

Coffee Shop Ambiance Part II: Lighting, Flooring and More

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 18:30:00 GMT

We recently brought you tips for furnishing your cafe. Now it’s time to tackle a few other important elements of coffee shop ambience: lighting, flooring, music and more.

1. Let there be light.

Getting the lighting right is important to guests. Just because we all have cell phones doesn’t mean we want to squint over a menu using the flashlight feature, but we also don't want to feel like we're under spotlights.

Be sure the strength of the light suits your concept. Other than natural light (hopefully you’ve got plenty of that), use warm halogen or LED lights that are bright enough to read by but also not too harsh. No fluorescents—leave those to grocery stores.

Remember that your light fixtures will get attention too, since they're the brightest objects in the room. Make sure they’re well maintained and clean. You don’t want anyone catching an eyeful of a dusty, spider-web adorned lampshade over your table.

2. Don’t go crazy with the flooring. But don't be cheap, either.

Who knows what gets into restaurant owners' heads when they’re picking out flooring? You see this all the time; an otherwise well-decorated establishment with paisley floor coverings not seen since 1973. Tile and hardwoods tend to age much better, but watch out for “faux” looks that scream “cheap.” Pick designs that are quiet and muted, while going along with the rest of your motif.

3. Easy on the tunes.

Research shows that diners spend less money at restaurants that don’t play music, making a silent space detrimental to sales. However, they do want to be able to hear the person across the table from them.

The subliminal effect is the key here. Music should be audible but not distracting, creating ambience rather than overwhelming it. The exception is if you're going for authentic ethnic atmosphere, in which case music of the same nationality as your menu will be part of the sensory canvas. In that case, turn the speaker up a bit, but not too much.

4. Warm them up.

No one wants to wear their coat indoors. Minimize drafts or hot spots from lights as much as possible.

When guests enter your establishment, they should feel as though they are in a special, comfortable place. By taking the time to care for all of their senses, you’ll succeed in this necessity of earning regular customers.

5. Don’t forget the outside.

People judge your establishment by how it looks from the outside, so make it a head turner. Start with a prominent sign out front. The concept of your coffee shop will determine what style you should go with. Maybe a custom sign made from old barn wood is appropriate, or maybe a flash of neon fits the bill.

Related article: Coffee Shop Ambiance Part I: Furniture

Coffee Shop Ambiance Part I: Furniture

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 17:26:15 GMT

At your restaurant or café, the quality of your food and beverages are obvious selling points. But when customers open the door and looks around, your ambience—or design and decor—can determine if they stay or go.

Here are some quick tips on furnishing your café that will keep your guests comfortable, and coming back:

1. Tables tell the truth.

Tables can easily look cheap and tacky. Unless you're running a small shop, a square table on a single pole with four flimsy chairs around it will not invite people to spend much time at your establishment. (But maybe that’s the point, if you’re a quick-serve lunch spot). If you would like customers to stick around awhile, there are relatively inexpensive seating options that will look great, and won't spill a macchiato if you rest your elbow next to it.

2. Offer a variety of seating.

A bar works great for business people dashing in for a quick bite, tables are a draw for for families with children, and booths attract the leisure crowd and intimate couples. Sit down at every seating area for a few minutes, and notice how comfortable it is (or not).

3. Maintain your furniture.

Rips, tears and stains in fabric need to be repaired or the piece needs to be replaced. Major scuffs need to be sanded, repainted, etc. Instead of grumbling at the expense, be glad it’s come to this. Restaurants that go out of business aren’t around long enough to see their furniture wear out. Duct-tape repairs are fit for truck stops, but nowhere else.

4. Divide and conquer.

A private room for events will give you a boost in income, as families, social clubs and business groups are always looking for places to book their parties. Even a partition or two or planter boxes can create a neat division of seating space, helping to drown out noise and give guests some extra visual stimulation. Even when there’s no party on the books, these sectioned-off areas let guests choose their own section, and a chance to separate themselves from cell-phone talkers, cackling laughter, etc.

How's Your Coffee Shop ROI?

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 14:00:00 GMT

There is no one set of rules for success in the foodservice business. Most of it comes down to hard work or extensive experience—and a little bit of luck.

But there are things you can do to increase your odds of success and your coffee shop ROI while maintaining financial stability. Heck, when these tactics are done right, you could feasibly open more locations at some point.

Serve good coffee. Forgive this obvious point, but espresso is one of those rare products where consistent quality really matters. T-shirts? Napkins? Not so much. So buy the best espresso machine you can, install it with a water purification system, use a conical grinder, build a relationship with a great roaster, and make sure every cup is made by a trained barista who truly cares what they're serving your customers. While you can maintain some loyalty or walk-by traffic with decent coffee, the better it tastes the more people will go out of their way to get it. Same goes for smoothies, gelato, etc. If these are your specialty, make them irresistible.

Don’t act like you’re in the coffee business. Say what? That's right. While the coffee has to be good, you're really in the people business. Your four walls are a respite from the daily grind, a place where relationships are built, and where work gets done. Make sure your vibe, and your employees's customer service skills, fill these needs.

Offer loyalty cards. They really do work. They communicate that you want people to come back, not that you expect them to. Use this trick to increase their value: stamp a few extra boxes so that on a customers next purchase they get a free one. Easiest customer acquisition ever.

Merchandise your margins. Price your items line by line according to customer expectations and what the market will bear, not according to accounting-determined markups. For some well known items you will need to be at market price (coffee) or even below it (a can of soda), and this loss should be made up with high margins on other items that are exclusive to your shop, or in the "I-don't-care-what-it-costs" category in the minds of customers (pastries, etc.).

Pre-make as much food as possible. Try to keep your customizable menu items to coffee. Individually made food items are a high-cost endeavor because you can’t get the economies of scale that you do with coffee, and they limit your turnover in peak periods where you should be pumping out the sales quickly, not making custom orders.

Hire good people. See our article on hiring right, so you can do it less, and a follow-up article on reducing turnover.

Advertise. If you don’t have a built-in, steady supply of regular traffic, your number one job is to bring people through your doors. Don’t say, “I can’t afford it,” “No one goes out of their way to come here,” or “We’ll be fine if we get a catering gig.” Put out some affordable ads and learn to use free Web tools (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Yelp, etc.) to your advantage.

The Power of Takeaway Orders at Your Coffee Shop or Restaurant

julie@hooplacreative.com (Julie Beals) — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 17:49:00 GMT

The quintessentially perfect coffeehouse in your mind's eye probably includes cozy seating, free wi-fi, and even a patio for those warm, sunny days.

But if you can’t afford all of these accouterments, you don’t have to suffer. In fact, you may even be more profitable than your full-service competitors.

Some of the most successful coffee shops have limited seating, so they can concentrate on takeaway business. Your to-go customers pay the same price as the sit-down crowd without any of the occupancy costs—which means you can serve 10 of them by the time one couch surfer is halfway through their Instagram feed.

How to build your takeaway business:

1. Set up a couple of vacuum pots and a stack of to-go cups in a prominent location, away from the crowded queue area. Place a jar alongside them with a sign that says, “Self-serve coffee to go: $2.00. Provide exact change here and get your caffeine without having to wait in line.” You’ll shorten your lines and increase your sales.

2. Keep you queue moving quickly. Schedule adequate staff for the morning rush and provide the most ergonomic workspace possible.

A word to the wise on wi-fi:

Customers who use your cafe as an office won’t pay your rent. Of course, you want to be inviting with good lighting and quality furniture, but if you’re having a real problem with limited seating during your rush hours, consider setting up the kind of wifi that requires a new purchase every two hours in order to stay connected. (Do it only during peak hours, if you want to continue to be perceived as hospitable.) Your regulars will still appreciate your coffee and level of surface. They should understand that you can’t stay in business if your tables are turning over every four hours.

Check out What’s Your Wi-Fi Policy for more tips on managing your neighborhood’s near-constant need for broadband.