3 Ways Energy Efficient Brewers Can Help and What to Look for In One
Sponsored content from our partner Curtis Coffee and Specialty Beverage Equipment on Feb. 27, 2019At convenience stores, coffee is often a cash cow. Regular customers visit multiple times a day to get their caffeine fix, and retailers prepare an array of different brews to ensure everyone’s satisfied.
From beans to creamers, there are a lot of factors that help boost the quality of the c-store coffee experience, but one area that might not get as much attention is the brewers themselves. Coffee brewers might not seem as though they’d draw a lot of energy, but like any other appliance, there’s always room for improvement. Using energy efficient coffee brewers can benefit convenience stores in a number of ways. Learn more about the benefits energy efficiency offers to c-stores, and find out what to look for in energy efficient coffee brewers leading the charge.
Save money on energy bills
Of course, one of the most obvious benefits of energy efficient equipment is the cost savings. Although most devices probably draw just a few cents more of energy every day, multiplying that over several machines per store across an entire franchise can add up fast. Energy efficient brewers use features such as temperature pre-sets, brewing time, pulse-brewing and more, and they help reduce the amount of energy used to heat water and brew coffee.
Increased customer loyalty
Today’s consumers are increasingly concerned with the environment and sustainability. With 51% of consumers purchasing coffee from convenience stores at least once a week, according to Technomic’s Q42018 C-Store Marketbrief, and 43% saying they’d like more information about the sourcing of their c-store coffee, it’s clear that offering sustainable options as well as implementing environmentally friendly practices can help appeal to these customers.
Sixty-six percent of consumers agree that c-stores are just as capable in offering fresh, quality coffee as restaurants or cafes are, and highlighting the energy efficiency initiatives, including energy efficient brewers, can help boost perception of the quality. With better reputations, the stores that tout their sustainability initiatives may enjoy increased customer loyalty, as well.
Convenience for staff
Not all coffee brewers are created equally. Some energy efficient brewers, such as the GemX™ IntelliFresh® coffee brewing systems from Curtis, work by continuously monitoring and holding the temperature by gently adding heat. This helps ensure c-store staff isn’t bogged down by manual temperature checks. These machines also use intuitive FreshTrac® LED systems, which communicate coffee freshness and volume with LED indicator. In other words, the machine will be able to alert staff if coffee has run out or has lost its freshness from across the room. By giving employees a way to monitor coffee quality without having to hover around the machine, it’s easier than ever to maintain quality coffee all day long.
What to look for in energy efficient brewers
Energy efficient brewers aren’t hard to find, but it’s crucial to get the best bang for your buck when purchasing them for c-stores. First, look for brewers that are Energy Star® certified. Since 1992, Energy Star and its partners have saved American businesses and families more than $450 billion in energy costs, as well as over 3.5 trillion kWh of electricity. Energy Star criteria are set forth by the EPA, and seeing this seal of approval lets buyers, consumers and retailers know that the products they’re purchasing are recognized for their efficiency.
Energy efficient brewers should also boast easy firmware updates to ensure the machines are continually running properly, as well as other features like control over all aspects of brewing from time to temperature, volume, pre-infusion, pulse-brewing and more.
Curtis is proud to offer several options that are energy efficient: The Curtis GemX®, Gemini IntelliFresh®, ThermoProX™ and ThermoPro® have all just received Energy Star certification. To learn more about how these brewers can benefit c-stores, visit https://www.wilburcurtis.com.