Running a coffee business isn’t just about creating memorable moments for your customers—it’s also about managing costs to ensure profitability. At Bridge Coffee Roasters, we go beyond supplying coffee and equipment. We help businesses save money in practical, impactful ways.
In this article, we’ll explore how we’ve helped businesses reduce expenses across areas like energy use, automation, training, maintenance, and more. We’ll also highlight ways to optimise variable costs, like your coffee beans and logistics, to make your coffee experience as cost-efficient as possible.
What Savings Are There to be Made in Coffee?
When it comes to cutting costs and highlighting areas where resources could be further optimised, there are four main areas we typically find where savings can be made.
Saving On Energy
With coffee equipment running for the majority of the day and running high temperatures and pressures, energy consumption can be a major cost factor especially across multiple sites and outlets. Making use of energy-efficient machines and implementing best practices when it comes to limiting energy consumption can lead to substantial savings on utility bills.
Saving on Time and Labour Costs
Streamlining workflows and investing in tools that can help your teams save time could improve the speed of service, increase customer satisfaction whilst even possibly reducing staffing costs.
Minimising Wastage to Cut Unnecessary Costs
Coffee beans, milk, and other consumables are significant ongoing expenses for your coffee experience. Optimising these costs by reducing wastage through proper training and fine-tuned equipment can make a big difference to your bottom line.
Avoiding Maintenance and Cost of Repairs
Reducing the risk of unplanned breakdowns and costly repairs through proactive maintenance plans, cleaning schedules and properly selected equipment ensures that your site isn’t spending an arm and a leg on avoidable service charges.
Key Ways of Reducing A Coffee Shop’s Costs
Optimise Utility Usage
Energy bills can quietly chip away at your profits. Upgrading to energy-efficient coffee machines, lights, and dishwashers can make a notable difference. Regular maintenance ensures everything runs smoothly, reducing wasted energy and preventing unexpected costs. Consider smart timers or sensors to reduce electricity use during quiet hours.
Negotiate Your Property Expenses
Rent is likely one of your largest fixed costs. If your lease is up for renewal, negotiate terms that better reflect your current business needs. Alternatively, relocating to a more cost-effective space, particularly if foot traffic isn’t crucial to your success, could lead to significant savings.
Maintain Equipment Proactively
A broken coffee machine during peak hours is costly both in repairs and lost sales. Scheduling regular maintenance and servicing can extend the lifespan of your equipment and avoid pricey breakdowns. A well-maintained machine also runs more efficiently, which can save on energy costs.
Review Your Insurance Policies
Insurance is essential, but overpaying isn’t. Periodically review your policies to ensure you’re only paying for what you need. Shop around for competitive quotes and make sure your coverage matches your current business model. Small adjustments can lead to considerable savings.
Streamline Licensing and Permits
Licensing fees can add up. Stay ahead of renewals to avoid costly penalties. Review whether any of your licences can be consolidated or if there are exemptions you might qualify for, depending on your business model or location.
Optimise Staff Scheduling
Labour costs are a major expense in the coffee industry. Align staff shifts with busy periods and streamline operations during quieter times. Cross-training staff can also reduce the need for excessive coverage while improving team efficiency.
Rethink Your Coffee Supplier Agreement
Your coffee supplier plays a pivotal role in your costs. Are you getting the best deal on coffee beans, equipment, and servicing? A trusted partner like Bridge Coffee Roasters can help you find the right balance between quality and cost-efficiency, offering solutions tailored to your business needs.
How Your Coffee Supplier Should be Helping you Save
Your choice of coffee supplier has a direct impact on your bottom line. A truly supportive supplier does more than deliver beans—they actively help you manage costs, improve efficiency, and keep your coffee experience exceptional.
Here are some key ways a good coffee supplier should contribute to your business’s cost-efficiency:
1. Expertise in Cost-Effective Equipment Solutions
Your supplier should help you select the right coffee machines for your business needs. Whether it's a super-automatic machine to cut down on training costs or an energy-efficient model to reduce utility bills, the right advice can make a huge difference.
2. Offering Proactive Maintenance
Regular maintenance helps avoid unexpected breakdowns and costly repairs. A good supplier will provide advice on maintenance schedules and ensure you’re equipped with machines that are reliable and easy to service. This approach minimises downtime, saving you both time and money.
3. Helping Reduce Your Wastage Through Training
Proper barista training reduces waste of coffee beans, milk, and other consumables. Your supplier should help ensure your team is equipped with the skills to deliver consistent quality and minimise errors. Additionally, regular training helps to combat the common issues of staff turnover within hospitality
4. Promoting Smart Inventory Management
Over-ordering coffee or other supplies can tie up cash and lead to unnecessary waste. Your supplier should help you understand your order patterns and offer flexible options that match your actual needs. Better inventory management means less waste and improved cash flow.
5. Offering Transparent and Fair Pricing
Hidden fees and unclear pricing structures can make it difficult to manage costs. A good supplier should offer transparent pricing and clear terms, allowing you to budget effectively. Costs will invariably change as you go, with the price of coffee and other consumables changing and your needs as a business evolving over time. Knowing exactly what you’re paying for and being given transparency, support and fair prices, helps you save and make better financial decisions.
6. Introducing Cost-Saving Innovations
A supplier that stays up-to-date with industry advancements can introduce you to new technologies or processes that improve efficiency. Whether it’s automated tools that save on labour costs or energy-efficient systems that lower utility bills, these innovations can have a measurable impact on your costs.
7. Sharing Industry Insights
Your supplier should act as a partner who understands your business and the wider market. Offering insights into industry trends, seasonal demand, and cost-saving opportunities helps you stay ahead and make informed decisions.
Significant Savings Opportunities We Helped Discover
Since first starting in 1985, we’ve partnered with over 500 businesses to help improve their coffee offerings with expert insights, equipment recommendations, training, innovations and support.
To help you think about unique ways that your coffee supplier could help you save money, this is an example from one of our customers that were able to save significantly on their coffee offering.
£50,000 per year saved on energy costs
Prezzo, Italian Restaurant Group, are making substantial savings on their energy costs after changing their equipment
Prezzo’s Food & Beverage team needed to cut running costs and improve energy efficiency across 96 sites. Their old La Marzocco machines were inefficient, so we recommended that they upgrade to Sanremo Zoe single boiler machines.
This modern solution significantly reduced their energy consumption, saving them thousands each year across their UK-wide restaurant outlets, while also enhancing coffee quality with a consistent, Italian-style brew.
Could You Be Getting a Better Deal on Your Coffee Offering?
The right coffee supplier can help you cut costs, boost efficiency, and maintain a top-notch coffee experience that will keep your customers coming back time and time again. If you’re unsure whether your current supplier is delivering the best value, it might be time to explore your options!
Your Trusted Partner for Commercial Success in Coffee
We’re Bridge Coffee Roasters, a wholesale coffee company and business partner to over 400+ hospitality businesses across the UK.
If you’re looking for a coffee company that can provide specialty coffee, great equipment, barista training and engineer support, all without compromising on your commercial success, then let’s talk!
