Creativity and Community to Navigate Rough Waters

We are witnesses to a changing time that affects our daily life and affects business, especially small and medium sized business.

In the specialty coffee business, there has always seemed to be a stronger sense of connection between the different actors of the value chain.  A value chain describes all the steps or activities needed to create a product or service. In the case of coffee, some of the actors are producers, processing plants or mills, exporters, importers, roasters, coffee shops, retail stores, and finally the final consumer. 

As the last days have unfolded with the impact of COVID-19 in the specialty coffee industry worldwide, I found some very specific lessons on adapting to changing environment, putting creativity to work and engaging the community as strategies to remain afloat during these rough times. 

Today I want to share with you one of these lessons:  

Transparent, direct messages can engage your clients in a good cause that will also keep you in business. 

                    

Andytown Coffee Roasters in San Francisco, sent out an honest message to their clients: They asked them to purchase coffee and pastries to be delivered to health professionals. This would allow Andytown to maintain a revenue stream and would also provide coffee and sustenance to healthcare professionals. 

• They communicated clear steps and options of how to do it and their clients responded placing orders of  US$20,000 to be donated to their health professionals the first day. 
• They gave feedback to their clients informing them where their donation would go 
  
• They shared photos of the delivery 

• They shared appreciation messages and photos from the healthcare professionals.
  
   
• Given the success and feedback, they brought on board other businesses, to add juices and granola to the menu of options available, in this way spreading the spark of creativity and engagement to other businesses in their community. 

We are all connected: Consumers to Roasters to Green Coffee Importers to Exporters to Coffee Producers at Origin. 

Seek out initiatives to support small business in your community! Many more are positively impacted. 

Photos: Andytown Coffee Roasters Instagram and Website.