Jack Nicholson’s character, billionaire Edward Cole, meets Morgan Freeman’s character, mechanic Carter Chambers, in a hospital cancer ward.  Despite differences in class and character, the two bond over their shared illness. Facing mortality, each makes a list of the things he wants to experience before he “kicks the bucket.”

Somewhat snobby and pretentious, Edward is a big fan of Kopi Luwak, which he drinks for its cost and rarity without an inkling of its origins. Carter crosses”laugh until I cry” from his bucket list after passing Edward a note telling him that Kopi Luwak is harvested in Indonesia from the defecation of the cat-like palm civet.

Civets eat coffee cherries, digest the fruit and excrete the beans, which are then harvested by hand before being washed and processed. Researchers think the coffee’s distinctive aroma and flavor derive from the civet’s digestive enzymes, which break down some of the coffee proteins.

We’re not advocating that you put drinking Kopi Luwak on your bucket list or serve it at your coffee shop. But it does raise a couple of considerations for coffee shop owners:

1. Specialty coffee drinkers are willing to pay more for quality. If they’ll pay $50 per cup for a drink processed from animal droppings, they’ll pay a little more for the freshest, best-tasting coffee you can source. We’ve seen too many coffee shop owners strive to increase profitability by cutting the cost of their coffee, syrups and other ingredients. This saves, at most, a few pennies per serving. Is that worth the risk of driving your customers into the arms of competitors?
2. Does running your coffee shop generate the funding and energy you need to pursue the passions on your bucket list?

At Crimson Cup, we’re dedicated to helping independent coffee-house owners succeed. We can show you how to make more money, gain new customers and hire fewer employees.

And, unlike coffee shop franchises and most consultants, we don’t charge a dime for our consulting services.

You can get started by reading Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Business, which reveals inside information on how to create a successful coffee business from Crimson Cup’s president. Or you can fill out this form or call 888-800-9224 to speak with one of our consultants.

Yet the small farmers and laborers who perform much of this work receive a disproportionately small portion of the revenue from the world’s largest cash crop. Most make less per day than the cost of a single coffee-shop cappuccino. Many live in homes with dirt floors, without electricity, medical care or even enough food to eat.

In the 1980s, Fair Trade began to address this problem by ensuring that small farmers receive a living wage for their coffee. The Fair Trade logo reassures consumers that the coffee beans they buy are grown by democratically run cooperatives of small farms that receive a decent price for their beans.

Crimson Cup began carrying organic Fair Trade coffees more than a decade ago. But we also sought a way to go beyond Fair Trade to connect consumers directly with the farmers who grow their coffee.

We found the way by becoming the exclusive roasting partner for Grower’s First. Founded in 2002, Grower’s First builds a bridge between coffee drinkers and remote, small-plot coffee growers. As a result, you can know your grower, drink their coffee (among the best in the world), and see the difference that your purchase makes in their lives.

Our cuppers have traveled with Grower’s First deep into the remote mountains of Honduras and Mexico to pick coffee cherries and share a meal with a farming family. We’re still on contact with these farmers, and it’s exciting when we receive their beans to roast.

Through Grower’s First, we’ve joined a community that connects the Crimson Cup team with small-plot farmers and coffee consumers. We’ve shown how the power of consumer choice can shape a sustainably better world. And found that the world’s best coffee really does taste better when you’re part of a community that’s changing lives with each cup.

One classic is Out of Africa, written by Danish author Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke under the pen name Isek Dineson. This lyrical memoir about Blixen’s experience living on a coffee plantation in Kenya during the early 20th century became the basis for the Oscar-winning movie of the same name.

Another of our favorites at Crimson Cup is Mark Pendergrast’s Uncommon Grounds: The History Of Coffee And How It Transformed Our World. Any coffee enthusiast who loves history will thoroughly enjoy this book. The author delves behind the scenes to reveal the inner workings of the coffee industry, from its origins as an Ethiopian shrub to modern coffee production and marketing.

If you’ve ever thought about opening a coffee shop of your own, you might want to check out Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry, by Crimson Cup’s own Greg Ubert. It’s an easy read, and will tell you everything you need to know to get started.

Spring’s rainy days offer a perfect time to catch up on your reading list, especially with a hot cup at hand. So pull up a chair or curl up on the couch and enjoy!

According to a popular legend, it all began with a young Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi.  Many centuries ago, Kaldi found his goats bounding about the hillsides in a joyous frenzy. They were having a ball! Even the old and tired goats were prancing around and acting young again.They didn’t even sleep at night.

Kaldi felt confused. Tired and worn out from trying to manage the rambunctious goats, he watched them carefully to discover their secret. After finding them eating bright red fruit from a nearby tree, he tried some of the fruit himself. Suddenly, he felt invigorated.

Kaldi’s discovery might have remained his secret, but one day a monk from a nearby monastery came upon the herder and his goats and asked how they got all their energy. The monk ate from the plant and he, too, felt revitalized. He brought some coffee cherries back to the monastery to help the monks stay awake during long religious services. Soon all the monasteries used coffee as a part of their services.

During the 5th and 6th centuries A.D., Ethiopians invaded the part of the Arabian peninsula now occupied by Yemen and brought some of their magical seeds. Enraptured by the fruit’s invigorating and stimulating properties, the Arabs became the first people to cultivate coffee plants. In fact, the first recorded word for coffee is in Arabic. It is qahwah (KAH wah), meaning “Arab’s wine.”

The Arabs also were the first to trade in coffee. By the sixteenth century it was known in Persia, Egypt, Syria and Turkey. By the next century, coffee had made its way to Europe and was becoming popular across the continent. Less than 100 years after that, coffee had become a major trade crop. Today, it is the world’s most valuable commodity after oil.

Ethiopia still produces some of the world’s finest coffees. Many are organically grown and hand-processed according to centuries-old tradition. At Crimson Cup, we’re proud to offer Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, with its gentle flavor, fruit-like acidity and flowery brightness, among our single-origin, fresh-roasted coffees.

Specialty coffee is a great business for entrepreneurs. After oil, coffee is the most-traded commodity in the world. And coffee houses continue to grow in popularity as more consumers demand great-quality coffee.

However, starting a coffee shop business may be harder than you think. And starting a business without a plan is a recipe for failure. That’s why you should develop a coffee shop business plan before getting started.

There are a few different business concepts to choose from when deciding to open a coffee shop. The first step is to decide what kind of coffee business you want to run. Each concept for a coffee shop business has  unique advantages and disadvantages.

One option is to buy a coffee shop franchise, which allows you to own and operate a coffee shop as part of an existing chain. With this option, everything is set up for you, from the location of your coffee shop to the equipment you purchase and the uniforms of your staff.

Buying a coffee shop franchise also allows you to benefit from corporate branding and marketing. However, you’ll probably pay substantial franchise fees for these benefits.  You won’t have control over the name or location of your business, the drinks you serve, the layout of your shop or many other aspects of your business. Many coffee shop franchises don’t have widespread consumer recognition, so you’ll still need to devote a lot of time and effort to marketing your store. And, you may be required to sign a multi-year agreement and to complete paperwork on an ongoing basis as you report to the corporate franchise organization.

You can also choose to open an independent coffee shop. This is a great business plan for people who are looking for a more flexibility when it comes to store name, location, operating hours and product. Entrepreneurs who open independent coffee shops can offer a wide choice of coffee beans from different growers. And they can put their own unique stamp on the coffee shop’s name and ambiance.

A lesser-known coffee shop business plan lies somewhere in the middle. There are some coffee producers that will allow you to sell their coffee. They provide everything you need to be successful, including secret latte recipes and more! This allows you to start a coffee shop that is not tied to the strict guidelines and regulations of a corporate franchise while still benefiting from brand-name recognition. This coffee shop business plan provides an excellent combination of flexibility and security.

Through our 7 Steps program, Crimson Cup helps independent coffee houses establish thriving businesses. What sets Crimson Cup apart from many other coffee business consultants and coffee shop franchises is that Crimson Cup does not charge for our services. No contract. No franchise fees. In fact, we don’t even require that you buy Crimson Cup products. Though, after tasting our amazing coffee, we’re confident that you’ll want to. Hundreds of thriving independent coffee shops across 25 states have completed our 7 Steps program and now proudly serve Crimson Cup products.

If you’d like to explore the Crimson Cup alternative to expensive coffee shop franchises, give us a call at 888-800-9224 or fill out this form with any questions, and a consultant will be in touch soon!

It’s likely that the Irish have been mixing whiskey and coffee since they first gained access to coffee. But legend says this heartwarming Cup of Joe was created in Ireland around the time of the second Word War by a man named Joe. But which Joe? According to Dublin’s Evening Herald newspaper, two different Irishmen hold claim to inventing the potion:

• Joseph Sheridan, the chef at the Foynes Airbase terminal near the modern Shannon International Airport, is said to have served the drink to a group of chilled passengers in 1942. Each year, Foynes hosts an Irish Coffee festival.
• Joe Jackson is said to have developed the drink after his ship was torpedoed in the North Atlantic while he served in the Merchant Marine. He later introduced his Irish Coffee at his Ulster Hotel in Ballybofey, County Donegal.

Regardless of its origins, this distinctly Irish drink is a delicious way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Try our recipe for making perfect Irish coffee at home.

CRIMSON CUP^® IRISH COFFEE

Serve in this glass:   Libbey 8054, 6 oz. Irish Coffee Glasses.

• Buy heavy (whipping) cream the night before.  Put cream into a container that can be  shaken.  Shake well the night before to expand the liquid cream.
• Brew dark roast Crimson Cup Jungle Love^® or 3^rd Shift^® coffee to preferred strength.
• Place 1 tablespoon of sugar into Libby Irish Coffee glass.
• Pour about 4 oz. of chosen Crimson Cup coffee into Libbey Irish Coffee glass.
• Pour 1 shot of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey into Libbey Irish Coffee glass.
• Slowly pour the now-expanded heavy cream on top of the liquid.  The     expanded cream should float on the top of the liquid, creating a collar about one-quarter-inch deep.
• Serve the coffee on a side plate without a spoon. Do not stir. Irish coffee is best enjoyed by sipping the coffee through the cream.

Sláinte! Enjoy your St. Paddy’s Day!

1. Do your research. Find out how your community is celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and look for tie-in opportunities. By sponsoring a parade float or festival booth or by handing out fliers, coupons or foil-wrapped chocolates with your logo at these events, you are reminding revelers to stop in at your place when the show is over.

2. Get festive! Decorate with touches of green. Have your staff wear green, or add green accents such as Leprechaun caps to their usual uniforms.

3. Play traditional Irish music in your shop.

4. Serve Irish Creme flavored coffee, and accent espresso-based drinks with green whipped cream and sprinkles.

5. Serve bagels with green cream cheese and sugar cookies cut out in the shape of four-leaf clovers with green icing or sprinkles.

6. Give out gold-wrapped coin chocolates or clover-shaped chocolates wrapped in green foil with each drink.

7. Run a “Save Some Green” promotion, where every customer wearing green receives a 10% discount.

8. Hold a “Go Green” contest. Take pictures of customers in their green outfits and post them on a display wall. Choose a winner who receives a month’s worth of free coffee. You can also post pictures on your website or Facebook page.

9. Ask St. Patrick’s Day trivia questions on Facebook and Twitter, offering a free drink to the person who gives the first correct answer to each question.

10. If your coffee shop serves lunch or dinner, add traditional Irish dishes such as Irish stew, soda bread, corned beef and cabbage to the menu.

11. Continue your celebration to the day after St. Patrick’s Day, when coffee consumption may increase as party-goers deal with hangovers.

Through our 7 Steps program, Crimson Cup offers everything you need to profitably run and promote your coffee shop during St. Patrick’s Day and throughout the year.  To learn more, fill out this form or call 888-800-9224 to speak with a Crimson Cup consultant.

If Crimson Cup had $1 for every person opening a coffee house who said, “Everyone is excited about me opening a coffee house and they all say they will hang out at my coffee shop once it’s open,” we’d be sitting on a mountain of money.

Here’s the problem: when people start a new endeavor, they begin by talking to those closest to them. Of course friends and family are going to be excited you are opening a coffee house. Unfortunately, this excitement often creates a false sense of enthusiasm, which causes you to underestimate the need for effective marketing.

In our experience, only 1 out of 100 new coffee house owners actually get the amount of traffic they thought they would. The other 99% must work at building traffic through sustained marketing efforts.

When opening a coffee shop, it’s crucial to get the community at large excited about your business, not just your friends and family. The only way to do this is by setting up a marketing plan that takes the focus out of your coffee shop and into the streets of your community.

In our opinion, grassroots marketing is so critical that we teach our new customers how to build and implement a marketing plan as part of our Seven Steps program. Greg devotes an entire chapter of his book, Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry, to marketing.

If you are considering opening a coffee house and would like more information about marketing and our 7 Steps program, contact a Crimson Cup consultant today using this form, or by calling 888-800-9224.

1. Know your beans. You can’t make savory coffee from so-so beans. Start with specialty grade, class 1, 100% Arabica whole coffee beans that have been roasted in small batches to ensure consistent quality. The beans should be vacuum packed to protect freshness. Crimson Cup offers a wide variety of awesome-tasting, fresh roasted coffees.

2. Start fresh. After roasting, whole beans only stay fresh for about a week or two if properly stored. Buy only as much coffee as you’ll consume in that time.

3. Grind daily. Once ground, coffee will only stay fresh for about an hour or less. Buy a coffee grinder and grind your beans just before each pot. We like the Capresso Infinity burr grinder for its ease of use, consistency of grind and simple timer. Adjust the grind to your brewing method.

4.  Keep it pure. Use filtered or bottled water.  Pure water means you will truly taste the coffee, not the water.

5.  Measure carefully.  One of the most common causes of a bitter brew is not using enough coffee. Start with 2 heaping tablespoons of coffee for each 6 ounces of water and adjust to taste. For a milder cup, brew to full strength, and then dilute with hot water.

6.  Start hot. For the best flavor, the preferred brewing temperature is about 195 to 205 degrees. Some inexpensive drip coffee makers only heat the water to 165 degrees, which isn’t hot enough to bring out the nuanced flavor of great coffee.

7.  Hour by hour.  For best results, only brew as much coffee as you’ll consume within an hour or so.

8. Stay warm. If you use a drip brewer, choose one with an insulated thermos to keep the coffee warm instead of a glass carafe and heating element. Reheating can bring out a bitter, muddy taste in coffee.

9.  Keep it clean. Keep your coffee maker scrupulously clean so that residue from previous pots doesn’t build up and affect the flavor of your coffee.

10.  Experiment! Try different brewing methods, such as espresso-style, chemex, pour-over, French press or a cold brewing system like the Toddy Brewer. Sample beans from different regions of the world to find a flavor you like. You might find that you prefer South American beans for their subtle flavors and natural sweetness, or more earthy African beans with chocolate and fruity undertones. Experiment with dark, medium and light roasts. You’ll never know unless you try!

From Concept to Profitable Coffee Shop in Just Four Months

When Susan Oelker and her husband Dave decided to open a coffee shop in a restored 150-year-old train depot, they had lots of passion but little experience. “We had no idea how to pull an espresso shot, let alone how to do it perfectly,” Susan says.

The Urbana couple quickly gained the knowledge and skills needed to run a successful coffee shop by reading Greg Ubert’s Seven Steps to Success in the Specialty Coffee Industry and completing Crimson Cup’s 7 Steps training program. Susan took charge of day-to-day operations at the shop, while Dave, who continued his full-time work as Purchasing Unit Manager for Honda Marysville Auto Plant, assumed control of business operations.

“We offer this comprehensive training program at no charge because of our strong belief in small businesses,” says Greg, founder and president of Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea. “Their success is our success.”

Greg and his team guided the couple in purchasing and laying out equipment, choosing and training staff, creating a menu and marketing the new store. After only 4 months of planning and training, the Oelker’s Depot Coffeehouse opened on April 23, 2007 at 644 Miami Street. The shop was profitable from the beginning – unlike the average small business, which takes a year or more just to break even.

A Hub for Community, Conversation and Coffee

Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. six days a week and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays, The Depot Coffeehouse has become a meeting place for local businesses, government organizations and civic groups. Customers are a mix of local coffee lovers, Urbana University students and tourists cycling the adjacent Simon Kenton Bike Trail.  With inside seating for 80, its quaint, comfy interior invites customers to relax and converse. “We have customers who come and hang out every day,” Susan says. “It’s like their house.”

“People are so busy these days,” she adds.  “It’s very satisfying to offer a place where people can sit, relax, talk and get away from the real world.”

Coffee Shop Ownership Offers Freedom to Travel

In addition to “thriving on the people at the coffee shop,” having the freedom to travel for missionary work is the aspect Susan most enjoys about running an independent coffee shop. She has traveled as far as Vietnam and Peru – and as near as Logan and Franklin counties – to advocate for victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse. She also has time to visit daughter Amanda, who works in Columbus at Ohio State, and son Alex, who recently moved to Nashville for an internship with Dark Horse Recording Studios.

Until recently, Alex worked at The Depot, managing the coffee shop’s schedule of live music. “We’ve become a hangout for artists and musicians,” Susan notes. “We feature a different artist’s work every month, and host lots of musical guests on national tour.” Among the shop’s notable guests is actor Clancy Brown, an Urbana native known for tough-guy roles in movies such as The Highlander  series, Starship Troopers and The Shawshank Redemption.

Coffee and Community Support Success

Susan says the partnership with Crimson Cup has been integral to the success of her business.

“Change is the only constant in this business, so it’s good to have the guys at Crimson Cup and a community of other coffee shop owners to tap for ideas. Crimson Cup sent Brandon Bir, a Customer Growth Specialist, out to the shop a couple of months ago to refresh our training, which is really important for consistency.  And, I like being able to get all of my products from one source – not one for beans, another for cups, another for syrups.”

Customers frequently comment on the quality and consistency of the drinks.  “Our coffee is always fresh and good – not too acidic, not too harsh.” Her own favorite beverage, consumed daily, is “a white chocolate mocha with an extra shot, skim milk, light whip.”