26 Oct Crunching the Numbers on Coffee in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson, South Carolina
Want to pick coffee flavors and brands that your Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson, South Carolina employees actually care about? Why not tap into the data that independent restaurants and small chains use to make such decisions?
Technomic, a research company that is dedicated to supplying data, analysis and consulting services to the food industry, recently introduced its Volumix data resource that provides information derived from SKU data involving more than 28,000 independent restaurants and chains. Here’s some of the high points when it comes to coffee preferences.
Get the sense that coffee seems to be enjoying a resurgence of popularity? The data is with you on that notion. Coffee sales is enjoying a virtual renaissance when it comes to the interests of consumers, especially among the millennial generation. Also, there’s been a surge of new brewing technologies that have grasped the interest of coffee drinkers. This not only includes the ever-popular single-cup brewers, but new innovations such as cold-brewed and pour-over coffee options.
Speaking of single-cup coffees, the trend is certainly not over. In 2015, sales of single-cup coffees increased 62%. Consumers enjoy the convenience and flexibility of being able to pick and choose different brands/flavors, rather than brewing a whole pot. If you’ve ever witnessed people ordering at Starbucks or another major coffee chain, it is evident how coffee selection is basically a form of identity for some. So giving employees choices helps feed that desire to have their own personal cup of coffee, not necessarily settle for the lowest common denominator option.
What brands are most popular? According to the data, S&D Coffee and Douwe Egberts are the brands that get requested the most. They led all brands in total volume and sales among all distributed brands. Columbian and Arabica origins were in greatest demand, with vanilla as the top unique flavor request – followed by mocha and chocolate.
All of this data is important to retailers, obviously, because they can stock and offer the types and flavors of coffee that will generate the most revenue. But what’s in this for South Carolina companies offering office coffee services to their employees? Well, anytime you can cater to your employees’ whims in-house, that’s less frequency of people arriving at the office late…or leaving during the day…to secure their favorite cup of coffee. Also, if you are offering what they want, they’ll see this as a unique fringe benefit to working for you. Will it be the deciding factor in sticking with you for the long haul? Perhaps not, but it will be one more cog in the wheel that keeps your employees happy and productive. When employees are happy with the company they work for, they are much less likely to search for “greener” pastures.
Also, remember that coffee is exploding in popularity among the youngest working generations. These are people who aren’t so much motivated by higher pay and stock options as they are by other, more individualized benefits. Actively providing unique benefits with personalized offerings can be a great PR move between upper management and employees, and it’s a lot easier to secure than regular raises across the board.
Want more information about how to set up a coffee and tea service in your Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson, South Carolina breakroom? Call Cromer Food Services at 800.922.3174 today.