Christmas is around the corner, and that’s great news for coffee shop owners and any foodservices that includes coffee on their menu. Coffee consumption tops the charts in the hot beverage industry, with a whopping 69% of Americans drinking two or more cups of java per day and an estimated $40 billion spent on coffee annually. Add to that the advent of the holidays and the opportunity to feature unique Christmas coffee flavors and blends, and you have a sure-fire recipe for seasonal business success.
But there is more good news. The masses of coffee enthusiasts and cup-of-Joe lovers around the globe have given rise to an ever-increasing array of Christmas gifts for coffee lovers. From A-Z, there are scores of accessories, paraphernalia, and gadgets available, from the practical to the whimsical to the technological and even to the unthinkable. If you are a coffee provider who is thirsting to cash in on the lucrative landscape, here is what you need to do: Simply add coffee accessories and gifts to the items sold in your cafe, restaurant, bakery, pizza shop, or other food-and-beverage venue – and watch the your Christmas sales soar!
Marketing Christmas Coffees
For millions of people worldwide, coffee is the quintessential way to begin the day and an integral part of their daily routine. If you want to make the most out of a golden marketing opportunity, give your chefs free license to experiment with new ingredients and blends and concoct their own Christmas coffee recipes and treats. As the holidays arrive, the results will hopefully not only tickle your customers’ taste buds but will generously pad your cafe’s bottom line as well.
For some practical ideas, it always pays to tune into what some of the big guns in the industry are doing (and selling). For example, Starbucks‘ menu of Christmas coffees include festive flavors such as Christmas Brulée Latte, Toffee Nut Latte, Eggnog Latte, Gingerbread Latte, and Peppermint Mocha. Also making industry headline news are Costa’s coffee Christmas favorites. The festive flavors, already in stores spreading holiday cheer, include Gingerbread Latte, Black Forest Hot Chocolate, and Hazelnut Praline Latte. Finally, additional flavors causing a stir in the hot beverage industry include Caramelized Apple Cappuccino, Christmas Cookie Latte, Spicy Cinnamon Mocha, Candy Cane, and Dark Chocolate Mint Latte.
Coffee Accessories for Your Foodservice
If you decide to get the max out of the holiday season by selling coffee accessories and gifts to your java-loving customers, there is a lot to choose from. From the traditional to the modern and from inside-of-the-thermos to outside-of-the-box, there is no shortage of items out there. There are coffee subscriptions, unique coffee beans, coffee blends from around the world, coffee equipment, pre-assembled gift baskets, novelty gifts, and more. So let’s lift the coffee pot lid to see what’s brewing for your customers this season.
Coffee Books
Want to cater to consumers of all ages by offering a timeless caffeine-themed gift? For coffee aficionados and novices alike, you can’t go wrong with books about coffee providing the full 411 on: the history of coffee, types of coffee beans and coffee roasts, how to prepare coffee varieties, all about espresso, coffee cocktail ingredients, iced coffee and nitro coffee, hot vs. cold brews, special blends, coffees from around the world – and much more.
Coffee Mugs
If you thought coffee mugs were a thing of the past, think again! From the most basic ceramic mug to the most advanced digitally programmable variety, you can make a mint by creating a niche market for this most ubiquitous coffee accessory. Do some research and you will discover an entire fleet of coffee mug varieties waiting to be sold in your shop. Hit upon the right match for the demographics who frequent your premises – and you may hit pay dirt.
Stainless Steel Coffee Thermos
While some of today’s top java gifts feature impressive machines and modern ways to concoct the perfect cup of Joe, traditional coffee thermoses are still very much in the picture — and in demand. If you want to offer your customers the best of the best, invest in stainless steel coffee thermoses that are leak-proof, can take a physical beating, and are easy to throw into a stroller, gym bag, or backpack. The high-quality containers keep freshly brewed coffee hot and cold brew or iced coffee cold for up to 24 hours. Topping off the assets are a lid that doubles as a portable coffee cup.
Coffee Subscriptions
There is nothing like having coffee delivered straight to your doorstep, especially if the delivery arrives every week or every month and is tailored to your java preferences. So, if you are looking for a gift to offer your customers, coffee subscriptions are the ideal way to experience new, exciting, and global coffee trends from the comfort of one’s home. If you think your customers are interested in gifting themselves and others with a coffee subscription, then add this option to your menu offerings right away. Be sure to include the chance to join a “Coffee of the Month Club” where members can customize their orders according to their personal preferences and interests.
Coffee Bean Treasure Chest
Coffee bean treasure chests feature a quality sanded wooden box filled with a surprise collection of gourmet coffee beans that can be added to any coffee maker. Catering to a wide range of consumers, this gift brings to life the adage that ‘great things come in small packages.’ The flavorful multi-pack allows recipients to sample new blends, expand their coffee horizons, and have fun at the same time.
Coffee Cup Mug Warmer
Simple as ABC and easy as 123, this coffee gift favorite is perfect for use at home or in the office. Able to accommodate your own coffee mug, it features a hot plate with an on/off switch and an indicator light and comes with an extension cord that allows it to easily plug in and reach desks and cubicles. Small but mighty, it keeps coffee, hands, and feet warm on chilly days…
Temperature Controlled Travel Mug
If any of your customers belong to the on-the-go, convenience-seeking millennial demographic who comprise the largest eating-out age group and the largest group of consumers seeking off-premise coffee drinks, then this is one gift you will want to offer. Listed among the coolest coffee gadgets for the year 2019, this battery powered travel mug is easy to charge via its built-in USB ports. It offers all-day coffee temperature control and allows customers to pick between hot, extra hot, boil, brew, and cold.
Smart Travel Coffee Mugs
Catapulting coffee consumption into the future are smart coffee mugs that connect to the Internet. This cool travel mug features an adjustable temperature dial that maintains beverages at the perfect temperate for up to two hours. Conveniently, it also comes with a paired application tool.
Espresso Machines
Some of the most serious coffee drinkers are hooked on espresso – and for good reason. In the words of Coffee Review: “Espresso is several things at once. It is a unique method of brewing in which hot water is forced under pressure through tightly packed coffee, one or two servings at a time. It is a roast of coffee, darker brown than the traditional American roast but not extremely dark. In a larger sense, it is an entire approach to coffee cuisine, involving not only roast and brewing method, but grind and grinder, a technique of heating and frothing milk, and a traditional menu of drinks. In the largest sense of all, it is an atmosphere or mystique: The espresso brewing machine is the spiritual heart and esthetic centerpiece of the great coffee places, the cafés and coffee houses of the world.” Cater to your espresso-loving customers by putting a high-end espresso machine loaded with features on your list of purchasable gift items.
Handheld Espresso Maker
For the countless number of espresso enthusiasts, nothing says Christmas and Winter Wonderland more than the gift of a portable espresso maker. If you are looking for ways to boost sales this season, it’s time to add handheld espresso machines to your business’s bag of coffee-making tricks. Featuring a powerful pumping system that achieves high levels of pressure during the extraction process, all consumers have to do is add boiling water, hit the pump, and voila! Moreover, the barista device weighs less than a pound, is only six inches long, and comes with protective sleeves and a storage bag.
At-Home Milk Frother
Cappuccino and latte lovers are going to love this gift. By either the push of an automated button or by a handheld steaming wand, it takes only moments to heat and whip their milk into a creamy foam of quality equal to that produced by top-of-the-line espresso machines. Affordable, convenient, and highly efficient, just pour onto macchiatos and mochas and enjoy! In fact, why not invest in a milk frother and frothing pitcher for your own foodservice ‘biz?
Gift Baskets
For your customers who don’t have time to pick out the perfect caffeine-themed gift or who simply like the convenience of a preassembled and prepackaged bundle, don’t miss out on the lucrative potential of offering one-of-a-kind coffee gift baskets. Moreover, you can kick the marketing opportunity up a notch by featuring your coffee shop’s signature blends and flavors front-and-center.
Finally, to really take your customers on a java journey and ensure that they keep coming back for more, include a note in each basket describing the origin of the coffees included, as well as helpful brewing tips and tasting notes.
In Summary
So there you have it: The coffee pot is brimming with ideas on how to make all your customers’ java wishes come true. Happy Holidays to one and all!