Cafés: Regulations and Licenses You Must Comply With

 There are specific technical and legal procedures to do before starting a business.

If you are thinking about starting a coffee shop or a café in the U.S, you have to follow current regulations and ask for special licenses. Opening a business in the food industry is neither a short nor a simple process, but we are here to help you.

Once you comply with those requirements, the rest of the process is fun and exciting. As an entrepreneur, you should know that success carries lots of responsibilities. If you are one step ahead of everything, in legal and financial terms involving the opening, then it will be a piece of cake, paired with a good cup of joe, of course!

To get to have all food and drinking licenses and permits, you need to do a lot of paperwork and develop patience. These documents do not differ that much from the ones required for opening a restaurant because a coffee shop is usually considered as a small and informal type of restaurant.

We have tackled a simple list for you to start making the necessary diligence, so take notes!

Business license

You are probably already aware of this one. To operate any business in the United States, you need to legitimize it as an entity. If you want to add some alcohol to that coffee, you better get a Federal Business License and a State Business License. For this you have to pay a fee, the percentage will depend on the location, and they will be charged annually.

Employer Identification Number

The EIN is a registration you need to get for every employee you hire. It is assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the good news is you do not have to pay any fee. You can apply for an EIN through the IRS website, by fax, phone, or mail, but you can only request one per day.

Certificate of Occupancy

In this aspect, every state is different. Overall, zoning department in your city will issue a certificate of occupancy, which declares that you passed the inspections and your business location is properly constructed and in good conditions.

Food Service License

The city or county Health Department will give a food service license as long as you pass an in-person visit to your establishment to make sure you have accomplished every food safety regulations in the book. But remember these visits will happen regularly, so stick to the rules!

Liquor License

Are you a fan of Irish coffee? You need a liquor license issued by the state’s Liquor Authority to serve it. The prices to get this license differ in every state, but they are the most expensive. The process is long because the department investigates you, and the neighbors near your establishment.

Sign Permit

Sign permit from the city government will flash the green light to draw attention to your restaurant. Size, location, and lighting vary by city. Do some research before making any investments.

Music License

Even for entertaining your clients with some music you need a license. You do not want to pay the expensive fines for playing copyrighted music! You should contact The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers or Broadcast Music Inc. to ask for the right permission. You do not want to be sued by Adele, do you!?

Health Permits

As it happens with the food services license, the Health Department of your city will regularly inspect your coffee shop and has the power to issue a fine or revoke the health permit.  

Seller's Permit

Your state government needs to know to whom collect taxes from. In the food and beverage industry, this permit is obligatory. Visit your official state website to know how to ask for one. This permit has no cost when applying, but you'll need to pay a security deposit.

Resale Permit

Some states require business owners to charge their customers with sales taxes. This permit allows you to make certain non-taxable purchases for your coffee shop. It avoids you the double collection of sales tax in food products. That being said, the second part of the taxes come from your customer's purchases.

Other permits you might need

As this list goes on, other permits and licenses will depend on what you want your business to become or the special products and services you wish to offer to your clients. These are other permits you might need:

• Dumpster Placement Permit.
• Building Health Permit.
• Employee Health Permit.
• Valet Parking Permit.
• Live Entertainment License.

At Coffland Corp, we want to make sure you have all the requirements to open your dreamed business. Once you finish all this process, please contact us to know about our services as private label coffee and specialty coffee providers. We want you to stand out from your future competition!

 Keep in mind certain laws when opening a café.  

---

Facebook: CofflandCorp

Twitter: CofflandCorp

Instagram: CofflandCorp

Google+: CofflandCorp

The Origin of The Espresso Machine

The original concept of espresso was a beverage that could be prepared quickly.

Did you know that espresso is regulated by the Italian government because it is considered an essential part of their daily life? In other words, it's a national treasure! But this type of coffee is also the world’s favorite. Its brewing method uses high pressure to force nearly boiling water through ground coffee.

It happens in seconds, and as a result, you will also enjoy a thick crema on top. The flavor is intense because you need at least 50 coffee beans to make a good cup of espresso. The process is only possible thanks to a machine specially designed to prepare coffee faster. That is why it was called “espresso”, an Italian word that means "fast".

Its invention was known at the moment as “new steam machinery for the economic and instantaneous confection of coffee beverage,” just as it was described in the patent documents in 1884. Coffee was becoming a huge business in Europe. Soon enough cafés were flourishing across the continent. And then, it became a culture itself. Now we are part of it!

We are more than pleased to take you through the espresso machine history, so keep reading!

The invention of the espresso machine

The first espresso machine prototype was created in 1884 by Angelo Moriondo in Turin, Italy. He designed a large boiler, that once heated, pushed water through a bed of coffee grounds. Afterwards, a second boiler would produce steam to flash the bed of ground coffee so it could brew coffee. His invention was shown in the Turin General Exposition, but no photographs of his work were taken, and sadly we do not know anything about what happened next.

The Industrial Revolution in Europe motivated more than one inventor to establish an improvement for the Moriondo prototype in the early 1900s. Luigi Bezzera wanted to create a method for brewing coffee directly into the cup quickly. For this to come true, Bazera invented a portafilter, some multiple brewheads, and many innovations still associated with espresso machines today. His device also needed a large boiler but with chambers filled with water. The hit pushed water and steam through a tamped puck of ground coffee. He then added a heat radiator that lowered the temperature of the water before serving the cup.

Bazera did not have the money to improve his invention as much he wanted to optimize the process. The coffee did not have the perfect consistency to please everyone’s taste, so he was not able to expand his business. That was why he sold his patent to Desiderio Pavoni in 1903, who produce the first commercial espresso machine and called it “The Ideale”.

Pavoni invented the pressure release valve because Bazera’s machine needed an open flame to heat, making it difficult to control pressure and temperature. He also created the steam wand to access and free the steam collected inside the machine’s boiler.

This pair of Italian connoisseurs went to the 1906 Milan Fair, and introduced together the “cafeé espresso”, with the slogan “made on the spur of the moment.” History was made!

Espresso machines today

Around the 1960’s many more innovations were introduced to the espresso machine. Instead of relying on the manual force of the barista, pumps were created so they could control the pressure needed when brewing. For this to happen, the spiral copper pipe was implemented and replaced the boiler, along with a heat exchanger. All these new parts were smaller, more versatile and made of stainless steel. The machine name was Faema E61, invented by Ernesto Valente.

Today, Valente’s motorized invention has electrical components, computerized measurements, and portable pneumatics. And like these, there will be more changes that will improve the way we drink coffee. But no matter how its evolution will be from now on, Italians always say that a good espresso must have the four Ms on point:

• Macchina: an espresso machine in perfect conditions.

• Macinazione: the use of the proper grinding techniques.

• Miscela: how the coffee is blend and roasted.

• Mano: barista’ ideal skills.

We bet you didn’t know those last inherent requirements! And probably you read them with an Italian accent! At Coffland Corp, we know which machines are the ideal ones for your coffee business. Contact us to know about our services as coffee product providers and keep visiting our blog to learn more about the coffee culture we all love.

The first time coffee had been prepared expressly for the customer.

---

Facebook: CofflandCorp

Twitter: CofflandCorp

Instagram: CofflandCorp

Google+: CofflandCorp

What Is Siphon Coffee?

 Two of the most popular systems used in cafes are Yama and Hario, from Japan.

These days coffee is just as fancy as wine. From selecting the perfect coffee beans, the roasting process and the grounding method, brewing techniques can also make a cup so distinctive. The newest brewing trend is known as siphon coffee, but it is not new at all! It was invented in the 1800’s, and rumor has it, the machine was created simultaneously by a French housewife and Scottish marine engineer. Keep reading to know what it is about!

This method was created because people believed that boiling their coffee killed the taste. The way it works consist of making coffee in various stages that go through elegant glass chambers to get a vacuum process. As a result, the taste is better, and its aroma is more intense.

Siphon coffee involves a process of mixing ground with boiling water ascended from the flask through siphonage. It extracts and filters the coffee for a tea-like cup. Connoisseurs consider that it has a delicate touch to the palate.

And this is all thanks to science!

How siphon coffee is made

Siphon coffee is made by expert hands, requiring precise temperature, attention, and skill in a very sensorial experience. You will probably find a good cup of coffee like this made by a barista with an excellent knowledge of science. Here we explain to you how the process works:

• Water is brought to a boil in the lower chamber by a heat source.

• The boiling water is forced to go up as the air heats and expands.

• The water remains in the second and last chamber, just under the boiling surface. And now is ready to brew.

•  A measure of about 0.88 ounces of coffee that was finely ground is added. 

• The coffee ground takes place as it is allowed to bloom.

•  The coffee will brew gently thanks to the hot air trapped in the lower chamber.

This is when the timing is key!

• After just 15 seconds you should turn off the heat and remove its source form the base. The water must be between 185 and 195 °F.

• At this point, some baristas give it ten stirs with a bamboo paddle.

• When it gets cold, the air contained in the lower chamber creates a vacuum that pulls down the coffee already brewed through a filter.

Now the drink is ready to serve when is finally resting in the bulb in the exact moment when the coffee at the bottom has begun to bubble. But baristas who master this method suggest giving the coffee a few minutes to cool before serving. Yes, it is a bit of science and a bit of art at the same time!

The way it tastes can assure you a potentially worth investment for your coffee business. The more specialty coffee becomes popular, the more you should update your methods of coffee making. At Coffland Corp, we love showing you these new trends, so you know what to do to upgrade your coffee business.  

The bottom line is that believers in the method state that it simply tastes better.

---

Facebook: CofflandCorp

Twitter: CofflandCorp

Instagram: CofflandCorp

Google+: CofflandCorp

How to Promote Valentine's Day at Your Coffee Shop

Valentine’s Day is great opportunity to attract new guests to your coffee shop or restaurant.

Happy Valentine’s Day!  As that old says: "love comes through the stomach." Today, and probably this whole week, is a perfect opportunity to attract new clients using the most effective strategy in the food industry. If you do it correctly, you will probably receive a big crowd of lovebirds. Also, an opportunity to show them that you care!

February is a great month to boost post-holiday sales. Nevertheless, it also increases the competition among business in the coffee sector. If you want to stand out, you must offer them an experience they’ll remember forever; in a pleasant way, of course. On February the 14th, your customers will expect more and want to spend more money, so you could also make a small investment for the occasion.  

If you did not have time to plan something, do not worry! Most people, coffee lovers, for instance, prefer when cheesy propaganda is not all over the place. They will visit your place with their significant other to enjoy a good cup of coffee with a sweet meal, and to have a pleasant conversation in a cozy environment. In this article we have prepared simple tips for you  to supply your clients' demand for romanticism:

Foster love

Coffee shops on Valentine’s Day are there to softly push you to embrace romance, which is always better with some caffeine and a little bit of chocolate. Here is what you can do to create the perfect atmosphere to foster love!

Touches of red

It is not a cliché. It is a must! Red is the color of love and passion. The reason is both scientific and poetic: it makes you feel excited, just like when you get butterflies in your stomach. Use red to decorate your tables, counters, and meals. What about some red velvet crumbs to top a good cup of mocha? Most importantly, do not forget about red roses!

Coffee cupping

Restaurants around your business will probably be hosting a wine tasting or a beer tasting dinner. As a coffee shop owner, why don’t you try to attract clients with a coffee cupping party? There are different types of coffee, you for sure have a talented barista and a killing menu. Use that to your advantage and inspire those couples to become coffee connoisseurs.    

Play some music

Hire a band or a musician to play the most romantic songs ever created. But not too loud. You want in-love or soon-to-be-in-love clients to talk without raising their voices and feeling uncomfortable. There is nothing better than live and acoustic entertainment to set the mood. 

Use a different lighting

You can play with colors and candles. Warm and low lighting will set a calming atmosphere to induce some hugging and kissing. Your clients will relate those memories to your business forever, which is always lovely.    

Social media engagement

Take pictures of them enjoying their time in your coffee shop today. Tag them on your business social media accounts, and get ready to get more followers.

Of course, you could also offer some discounts or different menu set-ups! At Coffland Corp, we want you to be the best entrepreneur you can be and to make wise business decisions that will benefit you and your treasured clients! Keep visiting our blog to find more information on how to distinguish from your competition in the coffee industry!  

 There are so many ways to attract new guests on this special day.

---

Facebook: CofflandCorp

Twitter: CofflandCorp

Instagram: CofflandCorp

Google+: CofflandCorp

How Much Caffeine Is In Your Decaf Coffee?

The decaffeination process usually removes 94% to 98% of a coffee bean's caffeine.

In our previous posts, we have mentioned how drinking coffee is beneficial for your health. It reduces the risk of diabetes and heart diseases. But some people prefer it decaf. It tastes like regular coffee, except the caffeine has been removed.  

In this very moment, there is not a decaffeination method able to remove 100% of the caffeine. Most methods consist of washing coffee beans in a solvent until caffeine is extracted. They have to be green during this process before going for roasting. And depending on the way their components are washed out, the taste and smell of this type of coffee may become a little milder, and the color will be lighter.

Decaf coffee beans have had their caffeine removed at 94% to 98%, through one of the three most popular decaffeination methods. It means that it is not caffeine-free. But, how much difference can make such low percentage in one cup?

How much caffeine there is in a decaf?

According to a study from the University of Florida, an average cup of coffee is about 16 ounces. It contains around 188 milligrams of caffeine, in comparison with just the 9.4 milligrams contained in a decaf with the same measurements. In the study, researchers concluded that to feel the effects of regular coffee, you would need to drink at least 10 decaf coffees!

And of course, you don’t have to drink that much! Probably 2% won’t do any damage! If you want to avoid drinking caffeine or if you are the owner of a coffee business who wishes to please your clientele’ desires, you should research more on this matter. Regardless of how much you know, there's still a long way to prove if decaf coffee really is healthier.

One thing’s for sure. There is no such drink as caffeine-free coffee if it is made out of coffee beans. But experts say that drinking a decaf beverage, even with a small amount of caffeine, wouldn't be a tragedy since the effects would not be noticeable, although the nutritional values of decaf coffee will be almost identical to that of any other regular coffee. The beverage might lose some antioxidants during the decaffeination process, for instance.

Coffee is good for you in any way. Decaf or regular, both will provide you almost the same amount of benefits, so don’t demonize them! Here is a sum up of their amazing healthy features:

• The main antioxidants contained in regular and decaf coffees are hydroxycinnamic acids and polyphenols, which help neutralize reactive compounds called free radicals.

• Drinking both types of coffee prevents diseases like heart dysfunctions, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

• Coffee-drinking, in general, is not associated with a higher risk of dying from any cause. They both will give you an energy boost because of their levels of sugar and other sweeteners.

Overall people tend to ask for decaf coffee if they have a lower level of tolerance for caffeine, especially as they suffer from headaches, were diagnosed with some stomach disorders or anxiety attacks. In Coffland Corp, we want to teach you the more we can about coffee, so don’t listen to rumors! Instead, you should follow us throughout our social media accounts to be one click away from verified info!

Researchers say you would need to drink 5 to 10 cups of decaf to feel caffeine's effects.

---

Facebook: CofflandCorp

Twitter: CofflandCorp

Instagram: CofflandCorp

Google+: CofflandCorp

How to Tell What is the Customer Profile of Your Coffee Shop

The key to determining what kind of products to sell in your establishment.

After you define which is your coffee business customer profile, selling will be easier. And in many instances, you will be saving a lot of money and gaining loyalty among the citizens in your area.

Although almost everyone loves coffee, not all coffee lovers are the same. You can create a profile with a general description of your ideal client. It can include age range, motivations, professional and personal background, and even preferred media channels. But what you don’t want to do is to narrow it too much. Please, avoid sticking to a specific age, gender, and race. Instead, try to think about their behavior and menu choices.

Believe us when we tell you, this is basic entrepreneurial skills! Soon enough it will be easy for you to identify the behavioral patterns of your customers. Watch the way they eat and evaluate the attributes of their most asked drinks, the favorite snacks they pair them with, and the people they come with to enjoy a cup of coffee.

Observation is a great way to collect that data, but you could also start engaging conversations with your clients. Think about email marketing, customer feedback, and maybe developing a good customer loyalty program. You can do surveys on your social media accounts to find out more! These are the topics you may use to learn about their preferences:

• Quality of coffee
• Coffee origins
• Customer service (staff's attitude and speed of service)
• Comfortable sitting
• Latte art

The responses you will get, plus the data you and your employees collected by observing clients, could fit into one or two of the following profiles:

Coffee boost hunters

This group consists of students and business workers who want a cheap cup of caffeine on their way to work or class. These are people who drink coffee daily and have the sufficient income to spend what it takes to have at least five cups of coffee a week. Students’ age groups are between 18 to 24 years old, while office workers go from 25 to 39 years old. They are just to busy to deal with fancy nonsense!

Social drinkers

Café lovers engage with the whole being-in-a-coffee-shop experience. Rather than coming in to grab a cup of coffee, they want to stay and have a good talk with real cups warming their hands. The ceramic ones, not plastic-made. For them to feel like the cast of Friends in Central Perk is the ultimate goal. These customers like to pair their drinks with food, choose the place for business meeting, and have semi-romantic dates.

Specialty coffee exclusive

Living in the third wave of coffee. Specialty coffee drinkers are willing to pay more as long as the beverage they are drinking is high quality. The target market in this scenario is people who love extra ingredients in their coffee, not just everyday espressos, cappuccinos, lattes and mochas. If this is your case, you should create marketing strategies to communicate the origins of the coffee you serve and the transparency in every stage of its production.

Bean aficionados

Whole beans buyers are everywhere these days. They like it when you give them the option of seeing how your baristas ground the beans in the coffee shop. It is a game and a challenge for them because they can tell the difference between coffee beans from Colombia, Ethiopia, and Kenya with only the scent. They can probably distinguish when they are arabica or robusta. These customers don’t care how cute the foam art turns out to be. What they want are balance and fresh flavors, so you better buy a fancy ground machine!

Once you know what they crave and offer them quality products, you will win their hearts! As providers of exclusive private label coffee and specialty coffee from Colombia, in Coffland Corp, we aim for high-standard businesses with a modern vision. Contact us to know about our services!  

Know the targets and needs of those who buy and drink the world's favorite beverage.

---

Facebook: CofflandCorp

Twitter: CofflandCorp

Instagram: CofflandCorp

Google+: CofflandCorp

We Are Living in the Third Wave of Coffee

Green coffee bean's buyers started to pay attention to where and how coffee was produced.

We know what you are thinking: which were the first and second waves? Well, like everything that is special and treasured, coffee has evolved to become what it is today: everyone’s favorite drink. Thanks to different movements that have spread globally, the way we experience and consume coffee, as well as its scenario and audience, have changed, and that is why we are living in the Third Wave of coffee.

The First Wave of coffee occurred when mass marketers increased consumption of coffee and put it into every kitchen by packaging it in airtight cans, which facilitated consumers to buy coffee. The Second Wave of coffee was created by artisans and coffee producers, who wanted to teach us how this product was made. At that point, people started learning about its origins, roasting styles, and types of coffee beans.

In the Second Wave, coffee lovers were introduced to espresso beverages and certain names were born, such as Peet’s and Starbucks, now famous enterprises. That being said, if all these aspects spin around our awareness of coffee,  how else can we experience coffee today? Why is it different now? Keep reading!

Third Wave of coffee

People now expect high-quality coffee, but this wave is more complicated than that premise because now they also want to know if the coffee they are drinking comes from a conscious production, both in its environmental and social impact. Those involved in sourcing, roasting, brewing, and serving, can get the difference in this way of producing coffee. That’s why every coffee business owner should adapt to this.

Connoisseurs consider that a consumer of the Third Wave appreciates a good cup of coffee but do not accept old traditional ways of growing or making coffee. These clients probably want to hear about the farm conditions, harvest, processing style, roast date, coffee variety and tasting notes, just like any other wine expert who truly loves to see the result of everyone’s hard work. To go deeper into this issue, we have prepared for you a list of characteristics you must offer within your menu:

• Information about what sustainability is and the different roast profiles.
• Innovative brew methods.
• Charging more if it’s a quality product.
• Teaching your clientele about the abilities of baristas, farmers, and roasters.

In the end, it is all about attention to detail. It carries over to the way the coffee is brewed in coffee shops that follow this wave nowadays. From the grind of the coffee to the temperature of the water when it’s brewed. Consumers feel they are drinking something special when you share the story behind each cup of coffee.

This is a whole new experience, isn't it?

As a coffee business owner, your job from now on is to educate yourself and your employees so they can pass on that knowledge to your clientele. You can enable channels of communication between producers and consumers, including direct trade and social media. What you should sell today are unique experiences!

Specialty coffee and private label coffee are signature products at Coffland Corp, as they turned out to be the primary outputs demanded in this new coffee movement. Contact us if you want us to be your providers and surf that wave like a pro!

The Third Wave of coffee is the result of everyone’s hard work.

---

Facebook: CofflandCorp
Twitter: CofflandCorp
Instagram: CofflandCorp
Google+: CofflandCorp