£5 for a takeaway coffee? Why you need an office coffee machine…

With the rising costs of takeaway coffee, potentially reaching as high as £5 per cup in London, installing a commercial coffee machine in your office can save you and your team time and money, and boost productivity.

The takeaway coffee industry is booming and the UK’s coffee shop chains like Pret, Costa, Greggs, Starbucks, McCafe and Nero are leading the market. In fact, they are a significant contributor to the economy, valued at £15 billion annually. Overall there are around 30,000 cafes and coffee shops across the country giving the consumer plenty of choice.

Over the last two decades, the market for hot drinks in the UK has experienced a sharp increase, with consumer spending on coffee, tea, and cocoa having more than doubled.

Research also shows that 80% of people who visit coffee shops do so at least once a week, whilst 16% of us visit daily, proving the growing appetite for takeaway coffee.

However, for many of us facing rising energy bills, increased housing costs and soaring grocery prices, we ask, how long can we justify the spend?

Club Pret – end of an era

Pret recently hit the news (and not in a good way) for changing their Club Pret subscription model. Club Pret membership was initially launched in 2020 to rave reviews offering customers great value and promoted as a way to encourage customers back after lockdown.

The model, which will change in September 2024, currently offers the perk of ordering up to five free barista-made drinks daily and 20% off all food for a monthly fee of £30. This represents fantastic value for office workers based in towns or cities and subscribers were reportedly able to save hundreds of pounds a year through the app. Whilst it was money-saving for subscribers who could take advantage of the offers, Pret was reportedly losing money and Pret Club was in the end, too good to be true.

The new model will now only offer subscribers 50% off of five drinks per day for a £10 monthly fee and the discount on food is being scrapped. Users were livid at the announcement and social media channels were flooded with complaints. Users were threatening to stop buying takeaway coffees and stating they could no longer afford the luxury.

Why is takeaway coffee expensive?

Most of us are already paying full price for our coffee so why are takeaway coffee costs rising? Like many industries, the takeaway coffee industry has been increasingly affected by rising energy and labour costs. You also need to factor in extreme weather which has caused the wholesale price of coffee beans to increase by a fifth since last year. Property rates and rent are also on the rise pushing up the price of a cup of coffee. In London and other major cities, it’s not uncommon to spend over a fiver per coffee – especially if you’re adding extras like syrup shots or different types of milk.

How much money could you save by giving up takeaway coffee?

Of course, it depends on how much you spend and the frequency of your visits to your high street coffee shop, but one expert says that giving up fancy coffees could save you up to £2k a year.

However, no one is saying you should give up your quality coffee and downgrade to instant coffee instead! More and more offices are providing their employees with barista-style quality coffee from a commercial coffee machine. There are a number of benefits of ditching the takeaways and installing a coffee machine in the office, but let’s talk about cost first.

How much is an office coffee machine?

Before choosing a coffee machine for the office, you’ll want to establish the requirements with your team.

If variety is important for example, choose a machine that brews multiple drinks like cappuccino, latte, americano, espresso and hot chocolate. If you have a large team, you’ll need to opt for a larger, high-capacity machine over a smaller unit or install multiple machines in various office locations.

Your main considerations will include:

Budget: Determine your budget for the coffee machine to help narrow down your options.
Usage: Assess how frequently the machine will be used so you can opt for a model that can handle the daily demand.
Space: Consider the amount of space available in your office as it will dictate the size of the machine you can accommodate.
Customisation: Decide if the ability to customise coffee drinks is important for meeting diverse preferences.
Ease of use: Look for a machine that’s user-friendly and intuitive, and can simplify operations for everyone in the office.
Maintenance: Check if the machine features automated cleaning and descaling processes to ease the upkeep.
Service plan: Consider opting for a service plan that includes both proactive and reactive maintenance to ensure the machine remains in optimal condition and meets the demands of your team.

Daily costs

Almost all our customers choose to rent or get their machines on a free loan agreement. With these options, you can have a commercial coffee machine pouring barista-style brews in the office from just £4 – £8 per day. If you choose to buy your machine outright, it will involve a significant initial financial outlay. Plus, all of our machines come with service plans so if anything does go wrong, you’re covered meaning downtime is always minimal. We offer two levels of cover which are Essential and Complete Care – find out more.

While providing barista-style quality coffee for free to your employees is an extra office expense, it is relatively low cost compared to other employee benefits and office perks.

And of course, by having access to coffee in the office, employees will be less inclined to leave work for coffee runs, thereby saving on lost work time, potentially reducing lateness, and it’s saving them money.

Discover More: Why is takeaway coffee so expensive?

Other benefits of having an office coffee machine

It’s not just that your team will save money and increase productivity by ditching the takeaway drinks from coffee shops. Offering free, quality coffee can improve overall employee satisfaction. It’s a perk that shows you care about the comfort and wellbeing of your employees, which can be a factor in retaining and even attracting talent.

Having a coffee machine in the office is also going to support your sustainability goals as it negates the need for single-use takeaway cups. It also helps to improve your workplace culture by creating a collaborative and inclusive environment.

A coffee machine in a kitchen or break-out area serves as a central gathering spot where employees can meet informally, share ideas, and strengthen relationships across different levels and departments, enhancing teamwork and communication.

Find out more

If you’d like to provide your team with a premium coffee experience at work and improve your workplace culture at the same time, simply get in touch with our expert team. We’ll be happy to help you find the perfect coffee solution to meet your needs.