If coffee is a big part of your business, you already know how important it is to get it right.
Whether you’re running a café, managing a restaurant, or overseeing a multi-site operation, your coffee offering is about more than just taste. It’s a huge part of your customer’s experience. That’s why your coffee wholesaler is such a key player.
But here’s the thing: if you treat them like a faceless supplier, you’re not going to get the best out of them – or your coffee programme. As a coffee wholesaler, we continually find that our most profitable and impactful partnerships are with businesses that are fully bought in. Building a strong relationship with your wholesaler is the secret to consistently serving great coffee, building your brand, delighting customers, and achieving continual growth.
In this article, we’re going to advise on how you can successfully work with your coffee supplier to develop a meaningful partnership and achieve continued business success.
Do Your Research
Working successfully with a coffee wholesaler starts with choosing the right one. This isn’t just about finding someone who sells good coffee. It’s about finding a partner who understands your goals, shares your values, and has the expertise to support your business.
Start by asking yourself what matters most to you. Do you prioritise exceptional coffee quality, a wide range of products, or a supplier who can provide barista training and engineer support? Or do you need a supplier who can provide all of the above?
Once you’re clear on your needs, it’s time to dig deeper into your options. Take the time to evaluate potential wholesalers by:
Learning about their experience
Do they work with businesses like yours? Can they handle your scale, whether you’re a single café or a chain of restaurants?
Exploring their coffee offerings
Do they offer the quality and variety your customers expect? Check if they provide single-origin coffees, blends, or seasonal options.
Visiting their facilities
If possible, tour their roasting site to see their processes and commitment to quality firsthand.
Checking their Credentials
Do they source coffee sustainably? Do they showcase direct trade relationships with farmers, or are they certified for practices like organic, Fairtrade, or Rainforest Alliance?
Reading Reviews
Testimonials, case studies, feedback from existing customers and word of mouth recommendations can help you understand what it's like to work with your chosen supplier,
Doing your research upfront saves you from costly mistakes later. By picking the right partner from the beginning, you’ll lay the foundation for a successful, long-term relationship.
Be Clear on Your Expectations
A successful partnership with your coffee wholesaler starts with clear expectations. If high quality coffee is central to your brand, your wholesaler needs to know exactly how to support you.
Define your goals: Do you need barista training, equipment advice, or help with menu development? Are consistency and quality your top priorities? Communicate these needs clearly.
Without clarity, your wholesaler may misinterpret your goals and fall short of delivering what your business requires. Setting expectations upfront ensures both sides are aligned and working towards the same outcomes.
Communicate
Don’t just place your coffee bean orders and carry on. Communication is the foundation of a successful partnership with your coffee wholesaler.
Problems will inevitably arise, whether it’s a delivery delay, a quality issue, or a need for new equipment. Open and honest communication ensures these challenges are resolved quickly and effectively. Trust and clear channels of communication make all the difference.
But communication shouldn’t be one-sided: A great coffee wholesaler will also reach out proactively. They should check in regularly to ensure everything is running smoothly, share updates on new products or industry trends, and ask for feedback on how they can better support your business.
When both sides commit to maintaining an open dialogue, it strengthens the relationship and ensures your coffee programme delivers the best possible results.
Think Long Term
A great coffee wholesaler isn’t just about meeting today’s needs - they should be a partner in your future success. While it’s important to focus on what they can offer you now, take the time to consider how they can support your growth over the long term.
Think about the future of your own business, what will it look like in 3,5 or even 10 years time?
If you’re picturing a larger operation, more sites, and continued business growth, it is important that your coffee supplier can not only support you at that scale, but also be a significant contributor towards that growth.
Treat Them as a Partner
The biggest mistake you can make with your coffee wholesaler is keeping them at arm’s length.
Treating them as just another provider means missing out on the full potential of the relationship.
Instead, work closely with them and treat them as a key player in your business. Ask for their advice and work together on improving your menu, streamlining your operations, upgrading your equipment and impressing your customers.
Find out what they’re doing as a business - stay in touch with their new products, services, or innovations they’re working on that could make a great difference to your business. A true partnership benefits both sides. When your wholesaler understands your goals and challenges, they can offer tailored support to help you improve and grow.
Fundamentally, your coffee wholesaler wants you to grow and succeed. The more they can help you grow your business, the more coffee they can sell you!
Constantly review performance
Regularly reviewing your coffee programme’s performance is essential to ensuring your partnership with your wholesaler is delivering value. It helps you identify what’s working, what’s not, and where improvements can be made.
Here at Bridge, we strive to regularly review performance of your coffee outlet with regular visits from our account managers, barista trainers, service engineers and mystery shoppers who assess the guest experience. You can see an example of how we work by watching our day in the life of a barista trainer video here -> Day in the life of a barista trainer
Thorough and regular reviews of your coffee program from both sides can uncover communication gaps or other challenges that need addressing.
Find out about working with Bridge Coffee Roasters
At Bridge Coffee Roasters, we’re more than just a supplier - we’re here to help your business thrive. Whether it’s delivering exceptional coffee, offering expert advice, or providing hands-on support, we’re committed to being a true partner in your success.
If you’re ready to elevate your coffee programme, why not start with a conversation? Book a free consultation today and let’s explore how we can work together to create a coffee experience your customers will love.
