Mark your calendars!
Urban Coffee is throwing a HUGE celebration and you’re invited!
What:
$1 DRINKS
Where:
Urban Coffee 7838 Olentangy River Road. Columbus, Ohio 43235
When:
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Archive for May, 2010
$1 DRINKS at Urban Coffee!
May 26th, 2010What’s In Your Cup? Part 2 in a 3-part series: Syrups & Sauces.
May 21st, 2010Through the 30 years I’ve been in the coffee business, I know darn well there is more to a caffe latte or a great tasting cappuccino then just coffee, milk, and syrups. All of these ingredients must be high quality, they must blend well together, and they must stand out to a customer. So to give you 
an insight into how we take ordinary coffee drinks to extraordinary I’m going to write a blog on each of the most important ingredients in your favorite coffee drinks: milk, coffee, and syrup. Today’s post will focus on our syrups & sauces.
Our Syrups & Sauces
Our syrups and sauces have been chosen to compliment the delicate taste of our espresso blend. Flavor syrups with to much citric acid will cause milk to curdle; this was a problem during the late 80’s when syrup companies began testing the waters of the business. Proper amounts of syrups in our drinks create a balance between syrup, espresso and milk for a smooth and pleasing combination. Neither flavor overpowers the other.
Our chocolate, white chocolate and caramel sauces are Crimson Cups’ own formulation. We developed these sauces with one of the top food technology companies in the world. Last year, after four years of development, we released our white and caramel sauces. After a few false starts and five visits to two different labs in two different states and countless sensory panel tests we finally found the flavor profile we set out to achieve. The white sauce had to be just right as it’s the main ingredient in our famous signature drink, The Crimson Cup Mocha.
So while it may seem simple to choose a syrup or sauce when you are placing your drink order in actuality there is a lot of work that we put into making sure the syrup or sauce in your drink is the best on the market. For more information on any of our products visit our website: www.crimsoncup.com.
By Armando, Crimson Cup’s Chief Espresso Officer.
Human Connection is the Key to Running a Coffee Shop
May 20th, 2010
This month marks Crimson Cup’s 19th anniversary of roasting coffee and teaching business owners about running a coffee shop. To celebrate this occasion on Tuesday, May 11th we sold all drinks at Crimson Cup Coffeehouse for just $1. Last year we celebrated our 18th anniversary at Crimson Cup Coffeehouse with the same promotion. What a difference a year makes!
Last year we placed door hangers throughout the neighborhood letting everyone know about the event. Last year the weather was absolutely gorgeous! Sunny, 73 degrees, little or no humidity and blue skies with white fluffy clouds. It truly was a picture perfect day! Our sales were great and we accomplished our goal of driving traffic to the coffeehouse.
This year, however, we did not door hanger the neighborhood instead we put a sandwich board sign out by the road five days before the event. We also posted announcements on several social media outlets. Unfortunately this year it rained the entire morning and early afternoon; thunderstorms, mid 50’s and windy! At one point I walked outside and I could see my breath! Some may consider this a picture perfect day, but it was not what we had in mind when we picked the 11th to celebrate our anniversary.
Our goal was to increase last year’s impressive turnout, but while setting up at 5:00 am in the cold rain (with the radar showing rain throughout the afternoon), we began to get concerned and were asking ourselves, “Can we pull this off?”
Can I get a heck yeah??!!!
You see, this year we have been really getting involved with the Columbus community. Showing up at events, some scheduled and some random, passing out coupons and raising awareness that we are in Columbus and have no plans of leaving! By doing this, we have been able to meet members of the community, make a one-on-one connection and create loyal fans. Social media has played a role too. Getting immediate, honest feedback about how we are doing has allowed us to react and respond quickly. But social media is not all about how we are doing. People are now starting to see us as the coffee experts and are coming to us for advice and answers on running a coffee shop because they trust us. This allows us build relationships and make human connections.
We can see how making a connection to our customers has help: This year we sold over 30% more drinks than last year. This year people knew about Crimson Cup, instead of asking who Crimson Cup is. This year customers were happy to wait a few more minutes for their $1.00 drink, because they knew it was worth it.
If you are running a coffee shop, or any business for that matter, I encourage you to make this year the year you get involved in your community and make a human connection. You will find it very rewarding personally and your brand fans will support you and your business rain or shine!
By Janie, Marketing Guru and Lead Instigator.
Own and Run Your Coffee House Franchise
May 14th, 2010Opening a coffee house franchise is one of the fastest growing types of new businesses today. The number of coffee drinkers is growing rapidly and the density of coffee shops is increasing, even in less-urban areas. This is due, in part, to the culture that surrounds coffee shops. Many people frequent these establishments for more than just the coffee. People enjoy the relaxing atmosphere, finding the coffee shop to be a quiet place to study or catch up with a friend.
Coffee house franchise opportunities are everywhere, with more and more chains popping up each year. These coffee house chains range in size from small, local businesses to huge, national chains. Operating a franchise with any of these chains is no simple process; but, with dedication and hard work, it can be a rewarding experience.
A simpler alternative to operating a franchise is to find a coffee company that will allow you to sell their product from your own independent coffee house. This alternative to a “true” franchise experience provides a great mix of freedom and flexibility with product recognition and support.
Entrepreneurs and small business owners who go this route are able to come up with their own name and brand and decide how the coffee shop will be laid out. Because these opportunities are alternatives to operating a coffee house franchise, there are no franchise fees or royalties.
These semi-independent coffee shops are allowed to advertise that they sell premium, brand name coffee from some of the most popular coffee roasters. This will give your coffee shop credibility in the eyes of all coffee drinkers; niche coffee fans will appreciate that your shop has an independent feel, while die-hard coffee drinkers will be happy to find their favorite coffee on your menu.
