What’s the best coffee to serve in a coffee shop?

I'd imagine you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who dislikes the idea of owning their own coffee shop. Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to spend their days bathing in the tempting aroma, earning a living whilst building friendships and kicking back?!

Presumably you’re here because you’ve planned to embark on this journey yourself, and you’re thirsty for a drop of guidance before you make that leap. Always keen to lend a helping hand, we’re here to talk you through the most important thing in a coffee shop… the coffee!

Before you even think about buying any coffee there’s 3 magic words to remember - FRESH, FRESH and FRESH. The only way to get the most out your coffee beans is to ensure they’re freshly roasted. It’s easy to be tempted by some of the cheaper brands out there but please be aware that many of these roast their beans months before they’re sold. Coffee beans are at their best just after they’ve been roasted, so the sooner you can get your hands them the better. Ground coffee might do the trick at home, but we wouldn’t recommend this for use in your shop. You can’t fool expert coffee shop dwellers.

Since you’re likely to be using an espresso machine, it’s important to consider which types of coffee work best with this brewing method. It seems glaringly obvious, but anything that’s labelled ‘Espresso Roast’ is a great place to start.

Designed specifically with this brewing method in mind, espresso roasts tend to blend a mixture of coffees from different regions to produce a well-rounded cup that strikes the perfect balance of flavour. If you’re ready to dive right in and give one a try, we’d like to tempt you with our own Fairtrade, signature Italian Espresso roast. This complex blend of 100% Arabica beans from Brazil, Columbia, Ethiopia Sidamo and Sumatra promise a touch of fruity acidity with notes of roasted almond and malt. The harmonious combination offers good body, smooth taste and prolonged cocoa in the finish. Click here to learn more.  

Perhaps you want the presentation of your coffee to be a focus of your customers’ experience. If this is the case we recommend going for a roast that blends Arabica and Robusta beans. The presence of Robusta beans will help to produce the lovely crema that sits on top.

Robusta beans contain more caffeine than Arabica beans, so if you want your coffee to pack a punch then I think you’ve found your match! If this excites you, please feel free to try our Fairtrade Brazilian Super Crema roast. This has been meticulously crafted to produce a deep, rich and full-flavoured cup that’s guaranteed to impress your customers. Just click here to find out more. 

As we all know, coffee lovers can be very particular creatures at times, so it’s good to be able to offer a bit of variety. The option of having single origin guest roasts for sale is a great way to keep the connoisseurs happy.  

Unlike blends, single origin coffees are comprised exclusively of beans from a particular region, and they’re revered for their complex flavours and unique tasting notes.

Generally, it’s not advised that single-origins are used in espresso machines as particular flavours can become exaggerated when brewed under high pressure. Because of this, we recommend also investing in a drip filter machine or Aeropress, which can be picked up at a relatively low cost. If you’re looking for ideas, we currently sell 4 speciality single-origins that you’re more than welcome to browse. Simply click here to view our range.

Hopefully this points you in the right direction. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’ve got any questions or you’d like to learn more about us or our roasts. 

If you're interested in stocking one of our roasts in your coffee shop, simply click here to enquire!