American’s love for coffee has created a growing industry that is supported by various branches. There are thousands of cafes across the US and new ones are opened constantly. Whether you’re opening а coffee shop or already operate a well-established cafe, you most certainly use a wide range of coffee shop supplies. From cups and straws to barista tools and equipment, distributors that specialize in cafe supplies offer a variety of products. In this post, we’ll share more about the different categories of supplies needed by coffee shops, where to buy them, and the trends in the sector. Make sure to also read our posts on how to increase cafe sales and how the different seasonal coffee drinks help coffee shops.
Key takeaway: Coffee shop supplies are tools, accessories, equipment, and disposable goods used by cafes in their day-to-day operations. They usually purchase them at wholesale prices from broadliners or from distributors that specialize in coffee shops and restaurant supplies.
What Are Coffee Shop Supplies
Coffee shop supplies are various products used by cafes in their day-to-day operations. Many associate coffee shop supplies with disposable items such as paper cups, plastic lids, or straws. However, coffee shop supply stores also offer other product categories, such as equipment, accessories, tools, ingredients, and condiments. These items are used both in the back-of-house preparation of beverages and the front-of-house serving.
From small independent cafes to large coffee shop chains, all types of cafes need regular deliveries of supplies. Many of them choose to partner with distributors that specialize in this field. However, purchasing from broadline distributors is also a suitable option, especially for large businesses.
Types of Coffee Shop Supplies
There are multiple categories and subcategories of coffee shop supplies and equipment. Let’s examine some of the major ones.
- Coffee, tea, and other drinks. Unsurprisingly, coffee beans are the most common product purchased by cafes. They buy single-origin specialty coffee beans, blends, and decaf options. Coffee shops also purchase different types of tea and soda beverages. Vegan dairy milk alternatives, sweeteners, and syrups are also purchased in bulk.
- Disposable goods. That includes not only cups, lids, and straws but also takeout packaging, napkins, bags, and more. Many businesses in the cafe and restaurant industry aim to reduce their ecological footprint by purchasing biodegradable single-use items or reusable tableware.
- Equipment. From coffee brewing equipment to condiment organizers and refrigerators, cafes use various appliances and equipment. Establishments that also bake their own pastries also need ovens, mixers, and other pieces of equipment.
- Tools and accessories. Baristas need various tools in their daily operations. That’s why distributors of coffee shop supplies also sell frothing pitchers, thermometers, tampers, scoops, and various other accessories.
- Food. In addition to tea and coffee beverages, cafes also offer breakfast options, desserts, and various packaged food products. As customers often buy coffee to-go in the morning, they might want to combine it with a sweet or savory breakfast.
- Miscellaneous supplies. From wholesale janitorial supplies to marketing materials, distributors of coffee shop supplies are able to offer various additional products and services.
Where to Buy Coffee Shop Supplies
In the past, businesses ordered their supplies from physical stores that specialize in B2B sales. Nowadays, most distributors create eCommerce catalogs through platforms like BlueCart. This allows them to easily manage wholesale sales, offer discounts, and automate other processes.
An alternative to purchasing from distributors who specialize in coffee shop supplies is to order these items from broadliners. The main benefit of buying supplies from broadline distributors is that they can also offer you goods in other categories. The disadvantage is that broadliners usually prefer to work with bigger distributors and often have high minimum order quantities (MOQ).
Reusable VS Disposable Coffee Shop Supplies
Disposable cups, plates, and other types of tableware still have the highest market share among coffeehouses and other food service establishments. However, a growing number of cafes are switching to reusable or biodegradable alternatives ordered from sustainable suppliers. This is one of the main cafe and restaurant industry trends. Incorporating sustainable practices like reusable coffee shop supplies helps businesses attract environmentally-conscious consumers, follow regulations, and reduce their costs in the long run.
The main benefit of disposable cups versus reusable ones is that they are convenient and cheap. Even though they are single-use items, disposable cups can still be eco-friendly if they are made of biodegradable materials. In fact, innovations such as plantable coffee cups with seeds embedded in their material can be used to promote sustainability even further.
Many cafes might have reservations about switching to glass or ceramic coffee cups. They are commonly associated with on-premise consumption. However, coffee shop reusable cup programs can provide a reliable answer to that. They can also help cafes establish loyalty programs, increase brand awareness, and improve customer loyalty.
Generally speaking, investing in reusable supplies can require more capital at first but it can lead to reduced costs in the long run.
Frequently Asked Questions about Coffee Shop Supplies
From a guide on wholesale tableware to tips about inventory management, there are many useful resources in various niche markets on BlueCart’s website. Below you can check out the answers to some of the commonly asked questions regarding coffee shop supplies.
How to Manage Coffee Shop Inventory?
Although many coffee shops still keep inventory on spreadsheets or paper, there are various solutions to properly manage a cafe’s inventory. Toast is one of the popular companies that develop full-scale inventory management and POS solutions for coffee shops. Thanks to cafe inventory management software, business owners can easily do audits, set par levels, and calculate the cost of goods sold. Another reason why cafes need to carefully manage their stock is that this will help reduce food waste as orders of wholesale pastries for coffee shops might lead to overstocking.
What Businesses Buy Coffee Shop Supplies?
Although cafes are the primary buyers of these products, other companies also need a variety of coffee shop supplies. Catering businesses often serve different types of tea or espresso drinks at events. That’s why they need barista tools, coffee brewing equipment, and supplies. Hotels and restaurants are other examples of businesses that buy coffee shop supplies. It’s common for them to partner with broadliners or distributors that offer a wide range of restaurant supplies. Retail bakeries often serve beverages to customers who wish to combine their delicious breakfast with coffee. Institutions such as hospitals, schools, and universities often need to purchase bulk coffee cups, condiments, and barista equipment for their cafeterias.
What Is the Difference between Coffee Shop Equipment and Supplies?
The term coffee shop equipment refers to durable goods such as coffee makers, brewing tools, display cases, and storage organizers. On the other hand, cafe supplies are products that are either disposable or used as ingredients by coffee shops. Examples include disposable straws, cups, lids, and condiments such as sugar or creamer. Ingredients for making beverages such as plant-based milk or flavoring syrups are often included in the cafe supplies category. Many cafes integrate reusable cup programs as a way to become more sustainable and reduce their cafe supply expenses.
BlueCart: The Platform to Order Various Coffee Shop Supplies
Buyers of wholesale reusable coffee cups, disposable supplies, bulk coffee beans, and other products can use BlueCart’s marketplace to find suppliers and compare prices. Distributors also have many reasons to sign up for our platform. Thanks to BlueCart’s wholesale ordering software, suppliers can increase their sales and automate various processes. Schedule a demo today and see the many benefits of using our all-in-one wholesale distribution software.