Choosing a Coffee Supplier: What to Consider

When it comes to running a successful coffee shop, the quality of your beans can make or break your business. Whether you are opening a café or refining your coffee choices, choosing the right coffee supplier is one of the most important decisions you will make. From quality to consistency to price and reliability, knowing what to look for can help you make the best decision for your business. 

What is a Coffee Supplier?

A coffee supplier is a business that sells bulk, wholesale coffee to shops or consumers. Many coffee distributors roast their own beans, although they sometimes sell green unroasted beans.

These distributors source their coffee beans from all over the world and offer unique blends, custom coffee roasts, and single-origin options. If you own a business that sells coffee, like a coffee shop or café, you will probably have to choose from where you’d like to source your beans (and even coffee syrups and sauces), which is why it is important to know how to pick the right coffee shop supplier.

Considerations to Make When Choosing Your Coffee Supplier

Selecting the right coffee shop supplier for your business can feel daunting, but if you know exactly what you should be looking for, it can transform into an exciting experience! Consider these aspects of the coffee supplier when making choices for your shop:

• Roast and bean quality
• Price
• Reliability
• Consistency
• Product variety
• History
• Ethical and sustainable practices

Determine the Quality of Coffee Distributers 

Determining the quality of the roast and beans is one of the most important steps to take when choosing a coffee distributor. There are certain things you should consider when determining coffee quality. 

Roasting technique - an ideal coffee distributor should take care with their beans, roasting them carefully and being transparent about their roasting methods

Roast date - since fresh coffee tastes best, it is important that your supplier lists the roast date on the packaging or discloses it to you so that you are getting the freshest beans with a recent roast date

Bean origin - good coffee roasters will get their beans from reputable regions known for premium coffee

Tasting notes - different coffees should have clear tasting notes that is provided by the suppliers

Pro tip: You should be able to sample wholesale coffee in smaller amounts to try it for yourself before you commit.

Determine the Consistency of Coffee Distributers 

A good coffee shop supplier should provide you with consistent batches of coffee. This means that beans should be evenly roasted and of the same quality and same flavor profile every time. You don’t want to receive a quality batch of Colombian coffee just for it to fall short next time. You may want to ask potential suppliers what they do to guarantee the consistency of their coffee.

Investigate the Reliability of Coffee Suppliers

You want to make sure that you are getting your beans when expected and that you have good communication with your coffee shop supplier. This way, your shop will stay stocked, and you can build a healthy relationship with your supplier. 

Because of this, it is important to read reviews that other shops have with their coffee distributor. While there is, of course, always an errant review, the feedback on reliability and communication should be overwhelmingly positive. 

Check the Variety of Coffee Shop Suppliers 

While some coffee distributors have specialty coffees they take pride in, your potential suppliers should have a variety of coffees to choose from. Depending on the needs of your shop, your coffee shop supplier should carry a quality espresso bean that you can use to make drinks or sell in your shop.

Your coffee supplier should also offer a variety of comforting coffee blends and rich single-origin coffee beans with roast level options from light to dark. This way, you can offer your customers a nice, classic cup of drip or pour-over coffee without feeling boxed into any choices. 

Consider the Price of Coffee Shop Suppliers

Price is another crucial aspect in determining which coffee distributor you should use. While having the absolute finest coffee is a goal for many coffee shops, the price of those beans should still be reasonable, so you don’t break the bank while buying beans. 

For this reason, it might also be helpful to investigate the size offerings that a potential coffee shop supplier carries. While buying bulk is practical and often cost-efficient, buying too large than required for your business can cause you to waste beans, as their freshness declines with time. The opposite is also true; you probably don’t want to consider a coffee supplier that only offers smaller amounts of bulk if your business goes through a massive amount of coffee every day.

Look into the History of Coffee Suppliers 

While not always the case, coffee distributors that have been around for a while have had plenty of time to perfect their craft. This means that going with a supplier that has a longer history might give your business a boost. 

Similarly, it is always important to look into the coffee supplier’s history to see their story and why their business was started, along with the experience they have, regardless of age. A coffee distributor might not have been around for a while, but if they have become increasingly successful and provide quality beans regardless, they might be worth checking out. This is especially true if their start-up story stood out to you. 

Consider Ethical and Sustainable Practices of Coffee Distributors

The final thing to consider while choosing a coffee distributor is the ethical and sustainable practices they follow. It may be important to you to look for suppliers that follow ethical coffee sourcing practices or provide information about the traceability of their beans. 

It is always beneficial to know how and where your beans are coming from so that you can share that information with your customers and feel confident in your coffee shop supplier choice.

Choosing the right coffee supplier is essential to the success of your business. The quality of beans and roasting techniques, consistency, reliability, price, and other factors can all play a big role in shaping your customers’ experience. Selecting the right coffee supplier is an important foundation for your business so you can serve the perfect cup of coffee that will draw customers back time and time again.