Convenience-store coffee is no longer is an afterthought. Today, retailers wanting to compete against the bakery-cafes and QSRs of the world have upgraded not just their individual coffee equipment, but their entire coffee systems and services to boost sales and overall beverage business beyond just the breakfast daypart.
“Everyone is going upscale with coffee now,” said Nancy Caldarola, Ph.D., RD and principal at Concept Associates Inc., a hospitality consulting firm for c-stores and restaurants. “C-stores realize if they offer great coffee in the same place as a great, convenient breakfast for a better value, those customers will come there rather than go to a Starbucks or other chain.”
Better coffee also helps attract both new and expanded groups of c-store customers, including women and younger generations. According to a recent report from Chicago researcher Technomic, 58% of consumers said they purchase coffee drinks from c-stores on a weekly basis, up 5% from 2014.
Luckily, many coffee-equipment manufacturers have responded to the gourmet-coffee call by upgrading their systems with new technologies so retailers can brew an even better cup of joe. Many of these innovations also have other benefits, such as labor-saving and waste-reducing benefits. Take a look.
Off-Peak Management
While Caldarola always recommends thoroughly staffing the coffee station during peak morning hours from 6 to 10 a.m., new technologies now make it possible for coffee machines to literally broadcast its condition to staff members that might be scattered throughout other parts of the store.
Advanced coffee brewers achieve this through built-in timers with oversized electronic displays and/or indicator LED lights that alert staff when the brewed coffee falls below its programmed volume or when its freshness has expired and it’s time to brew a new batch. Other technologies get even more specific, using sensors and indicators to gauge the level of liquid in the server or brewpot.
“In the past, we had to attach timers to the pots ourselves,” said Caldarola. “Nowadays, this more intelligent equipment with built-in timers and alerts offers a foolproof solution for c-store staff by maintaining quality control even after the morning rush as more consumers drink coffee all day long. You need this equipment to bring people back in throughout the day for coffee drinks.”
Advanced coffee systems are also more programmable. “This is important because you need to follow a specific recipe with a certain amount of water for both the type of coffee and the type of coffee equipment you are using,” Caldarola said.
Innovative equipment, combined with a focus on coffee flavor and quality, can yield impressive results. “It’s amazing how much coffee sales can increase with the right coffee program,” said Caldarola. “I have seen retailers increase their sales by at least 15% to 20%.”
Preventative Maintenance Alerts
All coffee equipment needs to be regularly cleaned, especially in hard-water areas, but many advanced systems provide more detailed diagnostic information alerting the need for maintenance, said Caldarola.
“At least once each week, you want to de-lime all the parts in a hard-water area, or at least once a month in other areas, even when using filtered water for coffee,” she said. Without reminders, however, staff members might fall short of their cleaning duties.
And in such high-volume settings as c-stores, coffee brewers can take even more abuse, thus losing their ability to maintain the proper temperature required for quality control.
“Coffee is—and should be—considered a food,” Caldarola said. “You have to treat it the same way you treat foodservice, and this applies for food safety needs, as well as quality control.”
This post is sponsored by Curtis Coffee and Specialty Beverage Equipment