A business is a job exclusively for oneself, making a net profit for oneself. When work “for someone else’s uncle” is annoying, many people think about starting their own business. Many are attracted to coffee houses. Why? Perhaps because this business is not so complicated? This is not entirely true. In order for the dream of such an own business to become a reality, it is necessary to draw up a clear business plan for the coffee shop, without which business will not budge.
Business investment
Not a single thing has been done without solid investments. It is impossible to receive income without investing money, effort and time in its development. The question of how much it costs to open a coffee shop cannot be answered unequivocally. It all depends on many conditions. The most basic:
- the place where the coffee house will be located
- room size
- interior,
- the concept on which the institution will work,
- advertising,
- amount of consumables at the time of opening.
This is only a small fraction of what the starting amount will depend on. By the way, in big cities there is a lot of competition, which can simply strangle your business at the root if you do not offer something unique and unusual. In medium and small cities with coffee houses it is simpler - this niche is not very full, which means that it is possible to fit into it organically.
Opening a business requires special preparation at the initial stage. You need to choose the right location for your future project. If you open a coffee shop in a place where there is little traffic, then you should not expect success in this matter. It is unlikely that people will travel across the city to have a cup of coffee with you. Renting a room in a place with a large crowd of people will cost less than building. But sometimes it’s easier to rebuild a building than to remake an old one. One way or another, you will have to invest a lot of money. It will cost approximately 2-4 million rubles (taking into account the repair, the creation of the interior). The area of the room must be at least 150 squares.
Thinking about how to open a coffee shop, you should immediately think about the equipment. Will coffee be brewed manually, in a machine or semi-automatic? In any case, it’s worth buying several coffee machines. If the coffee shop is small, then a semiautomatic device will be the perfect solution. Manipulation with him is minimal, it works clearly, the coffee output is decent. The manufacturer is better to take Italian, because their quality in the world market is unique. So, about half a million rubles will be spent on equipment.
You can save only if you don’t buy equipment, but rent it from the manufacturer. This will be cheaper. In addition, many companies make a tangible discount on the purchase of coffee beans, which is also quite profitable.
When compiling a business plan for a coffee shop, it’s worth considering the selection of dishes. It should be taken with a large margin. It will cost about 30-40 thousand rubles. And, of course, not a single coffee shop was complete without tables, chairs, and other furniture. Here it’s how lucky - you can meet 100 thousand, and you can all 300.
A coffee shop is not only freshly brewed coffee, but also a dessert for it. There are two ways - either in parallel with the coffee shop to open a shop for the manufacture of confectionery products, or order desserts on the side. The second option, of course, is more economical. But choosing a supplier is very careful - the products must always be fresh, and also delivered on time.
Coffee beans for a small institution can be represented in several varieties (four is enough). On their basis, you can prepare a lot of drinks. Grain consumption is approximately 40 kg per month. The cost in the wholesale markets for grains is different - the price affects the company, its remoteness, and the type of coffee. On average, it is about 600 rubles per kg. Total, at the time of opening, about 24 thousand rubles will be spent on grains.
The business plan of the coffee shop on investments will ultimately be:
- premises (2-4 million),
- equipment (half a million),
- consumables, dishes, furniture (300 thousand),
- advertising (about 20-25 thousand),
- documentation (approximately 50 thousand).
Payback
With a good pace of work, if the location of the coffee shop was chosen correctly, you can wait for profits from the moment of opening. Moreover, the average bill per person will not be less than 150-300 rubles. With the patency of the institution even at 50 people per day, you can get a good result - about 15 thousand rubles a day. About 400-450 thousand will be released per month. At such a rate, payback occurs within a year, sometimes one and a half.
It is important to attract the attention of visitors, and most importantly to keep it. A universal strategy can help here. Bistro-type coffee houses are common in America: a person bought coffee, ran about business. In Europe, coffee shops have become very popular, where you can sip coffee while talking. In Russia, too, are more inclined to gathering establishments. In addition, now many coffee houses have become similar to the symbiosis of a coffee shop and a restaurant. A kind of institution with a large selection of coffee. The strategy is to combine all three styles as much as possible. For example, in addition to dessert, you can include light cold snacks in the menu, as well as organize take-away coffee.
Before you open a coffee shop, think about it: maybe there are organizations nearby that can be offered to receive fresh and hot takeaway coffee daily, say, at lunch? It will be beneficial to both you and the employees, especially if you are organizing a corporate discount. This will not be in vain for you - so you can earn regular customers. In turn, if your products will be on top, you can get free advertising from customers. At times, word of mouth in a city works more clearly than a super PR strategy.
Franchise work
If you are afraid to start a business from scratch, you are not sure that it will bring a steady income, you doubt that it will pay off at all, that is, another way is to work on a franchise. In other words, this is a work under the name of a promoted network brand. You will remain the full owner of the institution, but among other things you will pay the lessor (a brand under a franchise agreement is taken for rent) a certain amount. The benefit is that it’s quite difficult to promote a coffee house from scratch - no one knows you, but under the name of a well-known chain institution it is much easier.
In any business there is a risk of "burn out." Work under the name of a famous coffee house reduces this risk by 2-4 times. In addition, the landlord will provide you with detailed advice on how and where to start, where it is better to purchase equipment and more. He is also beneficial for you to work in his name, especially since he gets his percentage from this.
Before opening a coffee shop, consider all the details in detail. Choose for yourself which is more convenient: independent swimming or work under a false name (franchise). Immediately understand - the institution does not instantly open. It will take at least several months to prepare (on average 4-5). Documents should be prepared a little before construction or repair begins (it takes about 3 months to complete the design). The ideal time to launch a project such as a coffee shop is autumn. It is at this time of the year that more and more people visit such places, because the weather is rapidly deteriorating.
A good institution requires good investment, but it pays off faster. For a year, you can not only “recapture” your capital, but also become a tangible plus. The main thing is to think over everything in advance, study the market, competition and draw up a competent business project.
