What makes your cafe different to the large high street coffee chains?
Tracey Bovingdon: Our customer service is the main difference. We’re extremely personable. We are constantly trying to find ways to delight our customers, and we take that really seriously.
The high street coffee chains are battery hens, while we are free range chickens! They’re so big, they will obviously find it hard to have as much personality. We’re constantly asking our customers what they want. If we look at something and we like it, we can bring it in quickly.
The coffee market is also extremely saturated. Coffee shops are everywhere and all look the same, with the same decor and character. We serve really good coffee and we test it regularly. We actually sell as many lattes as English breakfast teas.
Coffee has received a lot of media attention recently related to its health benefits. How do you ensure that tea remains popular in such a competitive market place?
Bovingdon: Chinese medicine is based on tea. There is a different tea for every health complaint and mood. There’s something for everyone. There are different tastes, smells and more depending on where it’s grown. It’s very modern and comforting, and people are finding out more about the health benefits of tea every day. We are trying to encourage people to try new teas. We’re not just a rush-in, rush-out store.
Do you believe the health benefits of tea are a priority to consumers, and are functional teas a growing trend?
Bovingdon: Yes, definitely. The health benefits of drinking tea are clear. On top of that, we also offer people a space to slow down their pace of life and stop for a second. The experience is good for the state of your mind as well as your health.
What blends of tea (ingredients that can be added to tea) do you see becoming more popular in the future?
Bovingdon: The wellness teas are becoming increasingly popular, for example the calming, stimulating and detoxifying ranges. We do lots of chai tea in a number of flavours too, similar to chai lattes, which are great in the winter. People also love the blooming teas. These teas are beautiful and the buds flower inside your glass. What’s more, you have to take time to drink it. I’m hoping it will encourage people to stop and have a chat.
What are your top 10 tips for ensuring a successful cafe business?
Bovingdon: You must prepare first. Be open-minded, but at the same time be very clear about your end game and what you’re trying to achieve. Be very careful what you start – you must know why you’re doing it, otherwise you will end up flailing around and spending a lot of cash unnecessarily.
You need a multi-tasking type of background. It’s hard to make money if you’re an independent tea shop. You have to balance creativity with practicality and with responsibility. They all have to come together.
Food and beverage is complicated, so you have to get it right: there’s wastage, stock control, staffing, legislation and health and safety. There’s so much to think about. Trying to replicate a chain isn’t easy. Branding, packaging, labelling – the list goes on.
Rebecca Prescott is editorial assistant of FoodBev.com
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