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Thinking about coffee businesses like this creates interesting points for investigation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, Rosslyn <\/em>(top image) is clearly coffee-led. Another similar central London coffee shop Kaffeine<\/em> has significantly greater food sales (let’s guess food contributes to around 50% of their revenue). <\/p>\n\n\n\nSo consider this thought experiment: if Kaffeine was to operate out of a Rosslyn\u2019s site with their Eastcastle Street proposition, would it be more or less profitable than Rosslyn\u2019s proposition in that same site?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We think these are the types of questions coffee shop owners should spend more time asking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also explains why barista jobs across various coffee businesses can be surprisingly different. When baristas looking for a new job, it would be prudent to think about what types of coffee establishments are likely to make them happy. As we speak with baristas from across the community, it seems that their personal fit with the site’s proposition is as important for their satisfaction as the shop’s culture. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Old Spike Piccadilly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
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Size also matters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n When understanding sites, we also segment by size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, Old Spike\u2019s<\/em> new Piccadilly location (pictured above) is clearly small<\/em>, as is Over Under\u2019s new South Kensington site. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Saint Espresso<\/em> Angel Central shop is medium<\/em> as is WatchHouse\u2019s<\/em> Bishopsgate site. But the new WatchHouse location at Seven Dials is on the cusp of medium and large \u2013 and would probably be categorised internally as a large site.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBloomsYard\u2019s<\/em> Bishopsgate site and Marmaduke\u2019s<\/em> Sorting Office are both clearly large<\/em> sites. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIn general, smaller sites tend to be more coffee focused and larger sites tend towards being food led. However, it\u2019s not uncommon for small, medium or large establishments in the same area to sell a similar volume of cups of coffee per day \u2013 with the variation in daily takings largely being attributable to food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a useful set of distinctions. Again, baristas need to be mindful of the size of site they are working in to understand what their day-to-day work is actually going to entail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Managers also need to consider options carefully as it might be more beneficial for one\u2019s career to be an assistant manager in a larger, food-focused site than a manager in a smaller, coffee-focused site, depending on what you want to do in the future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n