‘Tis the season to start thinking ahead to the New Year. Specifically: how to cater to customers’ resolutions. While they may be watching calories, pennies or their impact on the environment, you can watch their loyalty–and your sales–grow by serving up what they need, how they need it.
Your resolution: respond to theirs.
Read on for six Barista Resolutions to turn the New Year into new ways to become your customers’ favorite coffee shop.
Brew Up Sustainability
Caring for the planet is a year-round endeavor, but the start of the New Year is a great time to double-down on a commitment to sustainability. You can take part by starting–or reinforcing–take-back programs for reusable cups. Encouraging customers to bring their own cups or offering reusable alternatives not only aligns with eco-friendly practices, but also resonates with customers with growing environmental consciousness.
Natural add-ons to your take-back program:
- Offering a discount or loyalty points for customers who bring their reusable cups
- Designing branded reusable cups that customers would be proud to showcase
- Creating a contest for patrons to design reusable cup graphics
- Partnering with eco-friendly organizations to get the word out
Get Sweet on Low-Calorie and Low-Sugar Options
We won’t sugar-coat it: many resolutioners put reducing sugar intake at the top of their healthy to-do lists. But shirking the sweet stuff doesn’t have to spell doom for your tasty treats. You can meet customers on their health journey by incorporating sugar-free syrups, offering drinks with alternative sweeteners like stevia and agave syrup, and providing unsweetened milk options, such as almond, macadamia, soy, or oat milk.
Serve up sugar-free and unsweetened drinks with these easy to create (and easy to love) recipes. Then make it easy for customers to choose healthy by clearly labeling resolution-friendly options on your menu and highlighting them on your specials board.
Want to sweeten the deal? Get sugar-free syrups, sauces, and unsweetened alternative milks delivered right to your door at wholesale prices.
Mix Convenience and Nutrition with Healthy Grab-and-Go
Life moves fast. Customers crave quick and easy snacks that don’t compromise on nutrition. Position your coffee shop as a destination for both a quick caffeine fix and a healthy snack to attract a diverse customer base with varying dietary preferences.
Quick picks
- Enhance your grab-and-go section with healthy snacks and light meals
- Offer yogurt parfaits, fruit cups, protein bars, and vegetable-based wraps
- Swap traditional sodas for lower-calorie and sugar-free alternatives like Liquid Death sparkling water or Olipop Sparkling Tonic
Whatever you serve up, highlight the nutritional benefits of these items, showcasing the vitamins, minerals, and proteins they contain.
Foster Connections Beyond Coffee
No one loves confabulating over a hot mug more than we do, but coffee klatch chit chat is just the beginning of community engagement. Think outside of the box–and beyond your walls–to nurture connections and become a community gathering place.
Collaborate with local wellness centers, gyms, or fitness studios to create wellness challenges. These challenges could involve joint promotions and shared discounts. Consider organizing events like a weekend morning yoga session followed by a specially curated wellness drink at your cafe. This not only attracts health-conscious individuals, but also fosters a sense of community around your brand. And that’s something worth celebrating well beyond New Year’s.
Offer a Drink Detox
Drinks that refresh, energize, or satisfy a craving? These are just table stakes. Detox and wellness drinks are gaining popularity as consumers seek beverages that also contribute to their overall well-being. You can embrace this trend–and elevate your offerings–by including beverages with overachieving ingredients like turmeric, ginger, matcha, and other superfoods known for their detoxifying properties.
Develop signature detox drinks that combine these ingredients with your coffee or tea offerings. A turmeric-infused latte, a matcha-based smoothie, or a ginger-spiced cold brew can be enticing options for customers looking to embrace a healthier lifestyle without sacrificing flavor.
Shop from a full selection of wellness based products here.
Become a Source of Education and Inspiration
An informed customer is a satisfied customer. Take the initiative to educate your patrons on the health benefits of your coffee and menu items. Develop informative materials that highlight the antioxidants in your coffee beans, the digestive benefits of ginger, or the anti-inflammatory properties of certain spices.
Train your baristas to engage with customers, providing insights into the nutritional content of their chosen drinks. This adds value to the customer experience and positions your coffee shop as a place that cares about the well-being of its patrons.