What Coffee is Best for your Business? Single Origin vs Blend

Whether you’re opening a new coffee shop, overhauling your menu, or simply looking to improve your current offer, one of the most common questions we get asked is: Should I be serving a single origin coffee or a blend?

It’s a fair question, especially if you’re not quite sure how they differ or what impact that choice might have on your customers' experience. In this post, we’ll break down the differences between single origin and blended coffees, how roasting affects flavour, which drinks each style is best suited to, and how to decide what’s right for your business. Let’s dive in.

What is a Single Origin Coffee?

Single origin coffee is exactly what it sounds like: coffee that comes from one specific place. That could be:

• A single country
• A particular region within that country
• A specific farm or cooperative

So, for example, if a bag says Brazil, that’s technically single origin. However, in 2025, modern coffee drinkers want to know more than just the country, which is why the term 'single origin' has now transformed to include specific farms and growing regions, too. Knowing the exact region or farm gives you even more insight into the story and taste of your coffee.,

What do single origin coffees taste like?

Single origin coffees tend to have a distinct and identifiable flavour, which reflects the unique conditions of where it was grown. That includes: the local weather and climate, altitude, coffee varieties, processing methods, harvesting practices, and much more.

You might spot tasting notes like fruity, floral, nutty or even boozy on the bag. These give you a clue to the coffee’s natural flavour characteristics. These are the types of coffees that shine in black brews, where their complexity can be appreciated without milk.

What is a Coffee Blend?

A blend is a combination of two or more single origin coffees mixed together to create a specific flavour profile. That could be a simple 50/50 mix, or a more intricate blend of several coffees in varying ratios. Blends can include up to eight different components, each chosen to balance out sweetness, acidity, bitterness, and mouthfeel.

Why choose to serve a blend?

Blends are designed to be well-rounded, balanced and consistent. They’re often developed to suit a broader range of palates, making them a popular choice for cafés that want to offer an approachable coffee with wide appeal.

Roasting also impact flavour

Along with the differences in flavour between single origins and blends, another factor that plays a major role in how your coffee will taste is how it is roasted. Whilst single origins and blends can both be roasted in the same way, coffee wholesalers will typically treat these two types of coffees differently.

Roasting single origins

Because single origin coffees naturally carry distinct flavours from their growing region, they’re typically roasted light to medium. This helps preserve the unique tasting notes — think floral, citrus, berry or wine-like acidity.

Roasting blends

Blends are usually roasted medium to dark. This deeper roast adds richness, smoothness and that traditional “coffee” flavour most people expect. It also helps the coffee hold its flavour in milk-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos.

So, Which Coffee Type Should Your Business Serve?

Here’s the real question. Do you go for the bold familiarity of a blend or the distinctive taste of a single origin? Even if you have your own preferences, the most important thing to consider when making decisions for your business like which coffee to serve, is the opinions and preferences of your customers.

Consider your customer base

• If your customers prefer a classic, rich-tasting coffee, blends are a safe and versatile option.
• If you’re serving a more adventurous or coffee-savvy crowd, a single origin might be a great talking point and a chance to stand out.

Why not offer both?

For many cafés, the sweet spot is to serve a blend as your house espresso, and rotate guest single origins on a second grinder. This gives you the best of both worlds:

• A consistent, crowd-pleasing coffee for milk drinks.
• A seasonal, more experimental option for black coffee lovers.

It’s also a fantastic way to introduce your customers to new flavour profiles without changing your entire menu.

At Bridge Coffee Roasters, we believe the right coffee is the one that works for you and your customers. Understanding the differences between blends and single origins gives you the knowledge to curate a drinks menu that balances quality, consistency and customer satisfaction.