Learn how to start a coffee shop in Florida from Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea! The award-winning coffee roaster, which has helped open over 300 independent coffee shops in more than 30 states, recently updated its online coffee shop startup guide with more tips and success stories for The Sunshine State.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Want to learn how to open a coffee shop in Florida? Get tips on starting a profitable business in The Sunshine State from coffee shop startup experts at Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea.
Through its 7 Steps to Coffee Shop Success program, Roast magazine's 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year has taught over 300 entrepreneurs across the country how to open their own independent coffee shops.
In 2022, Crimson Cup published a series of startup guides to help entrepreneurs in each state achieve their dreams of opening their own coffee shops.
For 2023, the company's 7 Steps coffee shop startup consulting team has updated its "How to Start a Coffee Shop in Florida" guide with even more tips and resources.
"Florida offers fertile ground for many types of small businesses, and coffee shops are no exception," said Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert.
A survey by WalletHub ranked Orlando, Miami and Tampa among the Top 10 Coffee Cities in America.
"Florida ranks 32nd among the states in the number of coffee shops per capita, with fewer than one coffee shop for every 6,248 Florida residents. That leaves a lot of Floridians without a local coffee shop in a state with a lot of coffee demand."
Crimson Cup supports three independent coffee shops in Middleburg, Pensacola and Tampa.
These entrepreneurs learned how to open their shops through the company's 7 Steps program.
The program is based on Ubert's book, Seven Steps to Success: A Common-sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee, which he wrote to help coffee shop owners master all aspects of successful coffee shop operations.
"We help entrepreneurs with little or no coffee experience become owners of thriving coffee shops serving their local communities," he said.
"From choosing a terrific location and writing a strong coffee shop business plan to calculating coffee shop startup costs, buying and laying out equipment, hiring and training staff and more, our team is here to guide you."
To hear about the book in Ubert's own words, download a free recorded introduction on Soundcloud.
Owners of coffee shops in Florida towns including Middleburg, Pensacola and Tampa have learned how to open and run a coffee shop from Crimson Cup.
"As a coffee roaster and coffee business consultant, Crimson Cup believes our company only succeeds when our customers do," Ubert said. "As a result, we support coffee shop owners at every step, from concept through opening day and beyond."
In 2022, a new coffee shop named The Rex Cafe opened in Pensacola, Florida. Inspired by old Hollywood movies and the cafes of Europe, The Rex Café provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere for sipping classic espresso beverages inside a restored Pensacola theater.
The café operates as an extension of Generation Church, which purchased the historic Rex Theater at 18 North Palafox Street and restored its 1930s Art Deco design.
"By providing simple and quality beverages, our mission is to create a space for the community to develop relationships, make connections and enrich your soul," said Associate Pastor and Café Manager Lois Renaud.
Originally built in 1910 as a furniture store, The Rex Theater entertained Pensacola audiences from the 1930s to the 1980s. Generation Church renovated the theater in 2012 to include a large main theater, a second-floor meeting space, and a third floor that houses classrooms and church offices.
A decade later, they were ready to add a café in the first-floor lobby of the main theater.
Pastor Renaud said the inspiration for The Rex Café arose from the church's desire to be a more intricate part of the community.
"We didn't want just to be a church only open on Sundays, but a part of people's everyday lives," he said. "What better way than a coffee shop?"
To learn how to operate a coffee shop, he and Assistant Manager Annie Gray turned to Crimson Cup.
"We were looking for a coffee partner that could help us develop a café that does justice to the unique beauty and iconic history of The Rex Theater," Pastor Renaud said. "A coffee franchise would not have allowed us the flexibility we needed."
As Generation Church was searching for a coffee partner, a Honduras coffee professional who worked with the church on missions encouraged Pastor Renaud to contact Crimson Cup.
For over a decade, the roaster has worked with Honduran coffee farmers through its unique Friend2Farmer initiatives.
"In Honduras and around the world, Crimson Cup looks not just for partners, but for lifelong friends," said Founder and President Greg Ubert. "Our Friend2Farmer program goes far beyond Fair Trade. We help provide a better quality of life for the farmers, their families and their communities. It's all part of our Focus on Good."
Once the connection was made, Crimson Cup's coffee shop startup consultants guided Generation Church in everything from writing a coffee shop business plan to laying out the café, developing a menu, choosing equipment, training staff and more.
"The Rex Cafe has a fabulous partnership with Crimson Cup," said Pastor Renaud. "From our cafe's inception until today, they guided through the entire process."
"They provide everything we need for a successful coffee shop, from equipment support to products. We love using their coffee and other products for our beverages and look forward to growing our relationship."
The coffee, which is roasted by Crimson Cup, has won rave reviews from local coffee lovers.
"As someone who treasures the privilege of having a cup of coffee, I can be quite picky," wrote one Google reviewer. "The Rex Cafe offers an experience surpassed by none in all of my travels, centered around great coffee and espresso."
Pastor Renaud invited everyone in Pensacola, Escambia County and the Florida panhandle to experience The Rex Café. Follow the café on Instagram and Facebook for updates.
To help entrepreneurs learn about opening coffee shops, Crimson Cup will continue to post an updated state-level guide each week in 2023 until all 50 states are covered.
"Although the fundamentals of coffee shop operation remain the same from state to state, the economic opportunities, business formation and licensing requirements vary widely," Ubert said. "We're excited to share information and resources to help entrepreneurs expedite their startup journey."
He invited anyone who is thinking of opening a coffee shop in any state to call Crimson Cup for guidance.
"If you run into any roadblocks or just want to discuss your vision with a coffee expert, you can reach our startup team by calling 1-888-800-9224."
About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea
Founded in 1991, Crimson Cup is at the forefront of the coffee industry. Its attentive roasting, startup support and global partnerships are consciously designed for the greater good of communities around the world. Among other significant recognitions, the company has earned 2023 Double Gold awards at the Aurora International Taste Challenge, 2020 and 2017 Good Food Awards, the 2019 Golden Bean Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazine's 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.
Crimson Cup travels the world searching for the perfect cup – driven by meaningful relationships, honesty and a shared vision for the future. Its Friend2Farmer initiatives foster respect and decency through mutually beneficial collaboration across local and global communities.
Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program, the company teaches entrepreneurs how to open and run independent coffee houses in their local communities.
Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 300 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across more than 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also owns several Crimson Cup Coffee Shops and the CRIMSON coffeehouse and retail store in Easton Town Center. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com.
Media Contact
Cheryl Claypoole, Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, 614-361-5023, [email protected], https://www.crimsoncup.com
SOURCE Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea
Share this article