How do you find the right coffee supplier? What all should you be looking for? The answers to these questions depend greatly on what you’d like from a coffee partner. It can seem daunting at first, but start here to help narrow down your search.
If you’re starting a coffee business or adding coffee to your restaurant’s menu, you’ll likely want fresh, flavorful coffee that will keep your customers coming back for more and spreading the word about your establishment. It’s not an easy decision to make, but we’ll guide you through a few helpful tips for finding a coffee roasting company that fits you perfectly.
But before we start, you need to ask yourself a question: “what level of quality am I looking for?”
Specialty coffee roasters put more care and attention into their craft, and produce exceptional coffees that will undoubtedly help grow your business.
Your roaster should have many high-quality coffee options like espresso blends, single origins and decaf. If price is your number one factor and you don’t necessarily care about taste and a relationship, well, you might not need this guide.
How Do You Pick Coffee for a Coffee Shop?
First, break down what you’d like from your wholesale coffee roaster. This list is not exhaustive, but will get you thinking about what’s most important for you. These are a few things that the wholesale partners we work with often seem to have as high priorities.
- Excellent, fresh specialty coffee and transparent values
- A wide selection of wholesale coffee blends and single origin coffees
- An easy way of ordering with a rep or distributor that you can count on
- Fresh wholesale coffee information like new coffee samples
- Easy shipping or free local delivery
- Espresso machine purchasing, installation, and servicing
- Consulting or training
Next, expand your search by exploring local roasters and coffee distributors. Try typing phrases like "specialty coffee roasters near me," "bulk coffee beans," or "wholesale specialty coffee" into search engines to find coffee roasters you can visit in-person or on a web call. Be sure to look for coffees you need in their offering list like espresso blends, cold brew blends, decaf and drip coffee options.
It’s natural to feel a little overwhelmed by the choices and wonder which companies are right for you. The best way to start narrowing down the ones you are interested in is to start visiting their websites to look at their coffee selection, reviews, and company values. Ask yourself: are their coffees delicious and enjoyed by customers? Do they seem like people I’d like to work with? How could they benefit my coffee shop or overall coffee program?
How To Find A Wholesale Coffee Supplier
There are other ways to find a great coffee supplier you can consider. Networking with other coffee shops and cafe owners can provide you with insider knowledge about the best distributors offering quality coffee. Just don’t forget to try the coffee while you’re there to decide if you like it!
By doing some research beyond search engines, you can arm yourself with crucial information and discover more local coffee wholesalers you may not have known existed.
Here are a few options:
- Find industry events like the Specialty Coffee Expo, especially if the next one is in your area. You’ll likely meet local suppliers in person and learn more about the coffee industry as a whole.
- Join coffee forums and search them for “wholesale coffee”. Reading through comments and asking your own questions will undoubtedly give you insight into what experienced coffee shop owners find valuable about their coffee partner.
- Most important of all: meet roastery staff and schedule a coffee tasting! At Pinup Coffee Co, we invite our wholesale partners in to learn about our processes, values, and what we offer. This also gives us a chance to brew our coffees and help find the perfect espresso blend for you.
Partnering with Coffee Roasters
Many specialty coffee roasters are more than willing to talk with you, answer any questions, and provide samples (and if they don’t, move on)! Roasters have extensive knowledge about sourcing and roasting coffee to meet the needs of customers and businesses alike. If your business is ready to start buying coffee or you need an espresso machine, now is the time to discover how a roaster can help get you started brewing the coffee that everyone comes back for.
After you set up a meeting with a roaster, you’ll feel more confident in what you’re looking for regarding taste, quality, ordering process, delivery schedule and pricing. Next steps will often include placing your first order and the roastery staff helping you dial-in the perfect shot of espresso. But it doesn’t stop there, roasters like us will create a relationship that includes check-in visits, quantity discounts, and a rotating coffee line that just might take your business from good to GREAT.
At Pinup Coffee Co, we pride ourselves on collaborating with businesses across Virginia and throughout the United States to provide excellent coffee and service. To learn more about what we offer and to get in touch with us, visit our wholesale page.
Cheers to that next great cup,
