Many Australians (aka coffee aficionados) will attest to the fact that great quality coffee is often the hero of their day. While choosing quality beans for a quality cup to satisfy the palettes of your patrons is vital, it does put more weight on your choice of a wholesale coffee supplier. So how do you know if you’re choosing the right supplier for your hospitality business? To answer this, we’ve put together the ultimate checklist to find the best wholesale coffee supplier. But first, we outline the big 3 benefits of choosing a reputable coffee supplier.
The benefits of a reputable wholesale coffee supplier
1. Range of products
Some restaurants, cafes or catering businesses choose to only buy the type of beans that are most popular. While Australians are very partial to a latte, they still appreciate an exciting range of options when they order coffee. That’s why it pays to partner with established coffee wholesalers that offer many different types of blends and roasts so you and your patrons have ample choice.
2. Brand recognition
Partnering with a reputable coffee supplier can be attractive to your clientele as they may feel they’re getting more value for their money. Having a supplier that’s a known coffee brand synonymous with high-quality beans and blends means that your customers will associate your establishment with the same level of quality. This can boost your brand image and attract more repeat customers who know that they’re getting consistently top-notch coffee.
3. Quality products at a reasonable price
Ever heard of wholesale prices? Well, buying coffee in bulk from a supplier with a term agreement means you get to lock in that attractive wholesale price. That means you’ll be providing customers with a quality cup minus the expensive price tag. The savings can be significant, especially when added up over time. This proves to be much more favourable than buying in small quantities and regularly changing suppliers. Finding the best supplier from the get-go lowers the overall unit cost, helping you improve your bottom line and remain profitable.
Supplier checklist
As you can see, the benefits of finding the right wholesale coffee supplier cannot be overstated. They can understand the specifics of your hospitality business and how to accommodate them by checking all these boxes:
Flexibility
Suppliers willing to provide the best possible outcomes to your business are flexible and able to cater to a business of any size, from small, independent cafes to big hotel chains. The key here is that they’re adaptable to your unique service offering and the demands of your establishment, with a deep understanding of your business goals and vision.
Training and development
The right supplier will be passionate about coffee and wants to share that with you and your staff through dedicated training and development programs. This could be anything from barista training, to industry updates and workshops to providing ongoing advice and support about your coffee-related needs. If your coffee supplier shows they’re committed to ensuring your employees have appropriate training, then they’re committed to providing value to your business.
Proven track record and industry experience
Your supplier’s industry experience is really important as it informs the quality of their products. Well-established wholesale coffee suppliers generally offer a more reliable and professional service. Through proven knowledge and expertise of large-scale trends among coffee consumers, they can strongly support the businesses they supply to. They can provide you with the information you need to communicate specific flavours or profiles to your patrons and help you impress them along the way.
Aligns with your business values
It’s also important to choose a wholesale coffee supplier that shares the same values as your business. For example, if you prioritise sustainability in your cafe or restaurant, then it makes sense to choose a coffee supplier that does the same. Some wholesalers will be completely transparent about how they source their coffee beans, whether they promote ethical working conditions, if they’re committed to reducing their environmental impact, or if they have programs to support local coffee plantation communities.
How Lavazza checks all the boxes
Lavazza has been producing coffee for more than 120 years. Since then, the company has become an internationally-recognised brand found everywhere from cafes to luxury hotels. Lavazza’s prominence in Australia as a high-quality, best-in-class wholesale coffee supplier has been recognised across a range of industries, making us a popular provider of choice for thousands of businesses, cafes and restaurants.
At Lavazza, we love to share our knowledge which is reflected in our training programs that channel insights from over 40 years of expertise in promoting premium coffee experiences. We offer a range of attractive business benefits like equipment maintenance, an extensive coffee machine portfolio and a long list of quality coffee options. Everything we do at Lavazza demonstrates our clear commitment to product excellence, sustainable agriculture and support for businesses and communities globally. Learn more about how Lavazza can support your hospitality business.
