tips

Getting Started in Coffee Branding

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It’s more than a logo.

To learn more about coffee branding, NCA members can access the on-demand webinar, “Getting Started in Coffee Branding.”

By Michael Wilson, Creative Director, Made Visible Studio

Branding is not some sort of black magic.

Rather, it is a methodic process by which an organization defines what makes them unique and how they are different from the competition.

A brand is a promise of an experience. It is up to you, the owner of the company, to decide and control what kind of experience that is going to be.

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Climate for Action: New Uses for Used Coffee Grounds

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Recycling coffee grounds is not only beneficial for gardeners, but helps reduce the amount of waste going into landfills.

This post originally appeared on the EPA Blog

By Loreal Crumbley, for the EPA’s Environmental Education Division

Many of you may be looking for effective green tips.  One tip I can offer you is to recycle used coffee grounds.

Coffee mixed with soil can be used as a natural fertilizer. Used coffee grounds provide gardens with an abundant source of nutrition. Recycling coffee grounds is not only beneficial for gardeners but it helps in reducing the amount of waste going into landfills.

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5 Key Training Principles For Quality Coffee Service

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Effective training is critical to make your specialty coffee program a success.

By Anne Nylander

Current coffee trends point to an ever-increasing demand in product quality.

Excellent customer service, preparation skills, and organization are rapidly becoming minimum expectations in the café environment.

As coffee quality becomes increasingly important in coffee service, training becomes a critical component of a company’s long-term success. High-quality skills and behavior training remain as one of the industry’s proven methods for increased customer satisfaction and sales growth.

When it comes to training, there are several factors that can impact a trainer’s successes or failures.

In her 2018 workbook, Specialty Coffee Training Consultant Anne Nylander tackles the key training principles organization leaders and educators will need in order to make their program a success.

Here, we briefly cover five of the principles discussed in the book:

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How To Choose Flooring, Walls, Ceilings, and Doors For Facility Food Safety

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When it comes to food safety, materials matter.

By Joseph Bove, PE, Stellar, Vice President, Business Development

This post was originally published on Food For Thought

Whether you’re designing a new food and beverage facility (like a coffee roasting plant) or renovating an existing one, it’s important to consider the materials you choose for to surround your processing — literally.

When it comes to food safety, these features sometimes get less attention than other factors — such as equipment, ingredient storage/segregation and product handling — but they can be a plant’s Achilles heel if ignored.

Here, we’re going to look at the best practices when selecting materials for your facility’s flooring, walls, ceilings, and doors.

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Tricks of the Trade (Show): 9 Steps to Exhibitor Success

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[Editor’s note: Learn more about exhibitor opportunities at the NCA Annual Convention 2018 in New Orleans, March 15-17]

This post originally appeared on Perfect Daily Grind

Are you exhibiting at a coffee festival or trade show? Or considering it?

Exhibiting is a good business choice. It’s a straightforward, face-to-face way of engaging with your community and clients (current and future). It can allow you to shape the face of your business. And it’s an opportunity to make a more lasting impression than some methods of digital outreach.

Yet without the right preparation, you won’t see the return on investment you’re looking for. Being able to own your space and maximize your engagement with others is key but far from easy, while having to be “on” and present at all times can be a challenge. So before shelling out and setting up, make sure you’re ready.

Feeling daunted? Don’t worry; we’re here to tell you how to make exhibiting a solid business investment. Read on for our 9 steps to seeing an excellent return (and actually enjoying yourself).

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What I Wish I Knew: Advice From Coffee Shop Owners

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The following post originally appeared in full on the Bond Street Small Business Blog

Starting a coffee business is not for the faint of heart. It will bring blood, sweat, and tears (plus a lot of caffeine).

Yet, there’s still something that makes the pursuit worthwhile.

And as the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20. So what better way to truly learn what it takes to successfully build a coffee business than to turn to those who know best?

The editors at Bond Street asked individuals behind some of America’s best cups  to share what they wish they knew before opening their coffee shops, or other caffeine-infused operations. The result is 33 pieces of advice that all aspiring entrepreneurs would benefit from knowing.

From mistakes made to tricks of the trade, you’re bound to discover at least one nugget of wisdom that will save you time, money, energy, and quite possibly your sanity — or all of the above.

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Needle in a Haystack: A Practical Guide to Finding Your Next Job

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By Bill Murray, NCA, CEO

The following is an edited post orignally published on LinkedIn

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The U.S. Department of Labor reported last month that there were 5.9 million vacant jobs in the U.S., while the rate of people quitting their jobs has been rising steadily.  Companies are hiring, and people are moving on – and up.

Unless you plan on working for one employer forever, at some point you’ll be looking for that next job.  The best time to prepare is now – especially if you aren’t actively looking.

Of course, there are endless job-hunting resources available on specific topics, like resume writing and writing a cover letter. [Ed. note: Including our recently launched Coffee Career Center.]

The key to success is not only successful execution of each step, but also having an overall strategy, much as you would for any long-term project.

Here’s a checklist of strategies, tactics, and considerations:

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6 Ways to Increase Your Coffee Shop Profits

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This post originally appeared on Perfect Daily Grind

Written by E. Squires (@ericsguitar) and edited by T. Newton

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Maybe you dream of one day owning your own specialty café. Maybe you already own a shop but are struggling to get out of the startup phase. Or maybe you’re just looking for ways to see a little more return.

The truth is that owning a specialty coffee shop may be the dream — but it’s not just about coffee. It’s also about business, costs, and profit margins. Regardless of where you are with your coffee shop, there’s always room to increase your profits, so read on for our top six ways to do it.

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Behind the Hype: Just Clean Your Machine

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Single-serve brewing systems have seen exponential gains in market share since they were initially released. As of 2015, 27% of daily coffee drinkers in the U.S. use single-cup brewers, making it the second most common preparation method after traditional drip machines, according the NCA’s National Coffee Drinking Trends report. And their popularity is still growing, both in home and at work.

(To learn more about this market, check out the new NCA Single Cup market research report)

However, recent headlines have generated new concerns among consumers with dramatic warnings about unclean machines that could make people sick. Of course, health and safety should always be a top priority for handling and preparing any food or beverage. But we also know that in today’s media landscape, the page view is paramount, and a scary headline is a lot more likely to generate those clicks – regardless of whether or not it’s scientifically valid.

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