Coffee subscriptions for businesses: what you need to know

Coffee subscriptions are becoming increasingly common in workplaces of all sizes. Many teams want great tasting office coffee without the hassle of managing stock, placing repeat orders or keeping track of what is running low. A subscription can take away that pressure. It keeps the office supplied with the right beans at the right time. It often works alongside your machine support package.

This guide explains what a coffee subscription actually is, why so many businesses choose one, and the pitfalls to watch out for.

What is a coffee subscription?

A coffee subscription is a service that delivers coffee to your office on a regular schedule. Most office coffee suppliers offer this. It often includes the right type of coffee for the machine you have on site.

A subscription usually covers the basics. You choose the coffee, select how much you want and confirm how often you need it delivered. After that, the deliveries arrive automatically.

Why businesses choose coffee subscriptions

For many workplaces, a subscription keeps things simple. Here are some of the most common reasons people find them useful.

• It removes the need to manually track orders. Coffee arrives at the same time each month so you always know what to expect.
• It helps offices avoid running out. This keeps your team happy and reduces downtime.
• It supports more consistent quality.
• Budgeting becomes easier as a regular monthly cost gives you predictable spending.
• It reduces admin because there is no need to raise repeated purchase orders or contact multiple suppliers.

Many companies also find that a subscription makes it easier to manage growth. As your team expands, you can adjust the quantity. If consumption drops, it is simple to scale back.

How coffee subscriptions link to your office coffee machine

In most cases, the supplier of your office coffee machine will send you coffee. Often the coffee is specifically chosen for the machine you have on site.

Using supplier recommended coffee helps reduce the risk of machine faults. We have an article that explains how on our learning hub. It also keeps your drinks tasting as they should. For larger teams with varying tastes, your supplier can usually recommend alternative coffees that still work for your set up.

When your new beans arrive, make sure you switch them over without accidentally changing the settings on your machine. If you are not sure how to do that, take a look at our learning hub guide on how to change coffee beans when your new stock arrives here.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Subscriptions work well when they are managed carefully. There are a few things that can trip people up.

• Overestimating how much coffee you need. This usually leads to bags piling up and going stale before they can be used.
• Choosing beans that are not recommended for your machine.
• Forgetting to adjust your subscription when headcount or working patterns change.

These issues are usually easy to fix once they are spotted. Most suppliers will help you review your consumption and adjust your plan so it keeps working for your team.

Is a subscription right for your team?

If you want reliable quality, a consistent supply and less admin, then a subscription is worth considering. It works particularly well for businesses that want a simple way to keep their team supplied with great tasting coffee without needing to think about stock checks or last minute orders.

The free loan model follows a similar idea. You get the machine on site without a large upfront cost and your service package keeps everything running smoothly. There is more on how the free loan model works here.

Conversely, coffee subscriptions might not be appropriate for workplaces with inconsistent coffee consumption, very small teams or teams with fluctuating budgets.

If you would like help choosing the right beans or want advice on how much coffee your team needs, the FreshGround team is always happy to help.

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