A guide to starting a coffee shop

Originally grown in the Kaffa region of Ethiopia, coffee was transported across the African continent by slave traders and brought to Europe in 1616 by the Dutch. Today, coffee is one of the most popular western drink products. Those who are interested in the coffee business will benefit from the guide to starting a coffee shop found in this article.

Know the coffee business

It will be hard to open a successful coffee shop if the owner does not understand the coffee business. Take time to understand coffee, coffee quality and how to make a coffee business successful. Contact those who have been successful in their coffee ventures and ask for advice. Travel to places where coffee is grown and talk to those who work in and around the fields and learn how to identify the best coffee grounds.

Location is everything

Find a good location for the venture. Coffee shops do better in locations that have a lot of foot traffic and therefore, areas near universities, malls, shopping centres and city centres should be considered. Take the time to physically walk through a potential location before you open a shop.

Create an excellent business plan

Write a business plan that covers every aspect of your venture. In the business plan, consider whether you will open a physical coffee shop or use a coffee kiosk. The owner should break down the costs of what it will take to initially run the coffee shop and create a five-year plan. He or she should also mention how he or she plans to bring in customers and who his or her competitor is. It is important that this document be well written and thought out as it will help potential funders to decide if they will fund the business or not.

Start working

After a person has the funding, the initial coffee shop location, the hired help and the decoration, the owner is ready to open his/her shop. For the first couple of months, or even years, the owner should be prepared for long tedious hours and a setback or two. Depending on how things run, adjustments may have to be made to the five-year plan. With hard work and creativity, the owner should be able to create a niche in the competitive coffee business world. Reference - International Coffee Organisation- Ico.org