Owning a successful small café is a dream that many young people have had, as it is a simple project that does not require much experience, and at the same time achieves the ambition of owning a small business.
One of the most important reasons for the success of a café project is that it does not need much potential, an idea that can be profitable if implemented correctly.
Café projects are divided into two types:
The first type involves franchising a well-known café name, whether in your country or regionally, in which case you will be restricted to a list of drinks that you serve to your customers, and in most cases the franchisor will provide you with the necessary support to provide these products with the same quality for which he is famous.
The second type is to open a café locally that will be your own business, from the idea to the choice of the place, the menu of drinks and the types of coffee you serve to your customers.
The American website "Forbes" published a report written by Natalie Kiosen, in which she talked about the most prominent steps to creating a successful and profitable small café.
The number of cups of coffee that people around the world drink is estimated at 2.5 billion cups per day, and pointed to the growth of coffee sales by 67% in 2022.
Opening a café is usually through a franchise or launching a private business (Shutterstock).
Kyosen said that establishing a successful small café project involves preparing a business plan that includes the necessary funding to implement the project, focusing on the most important steps that must be accomplished, setting a timetable, and knowing the legal steps before the project opens.
Business Plan Details
The action plan should include several elements, including:
- Executive summary.
- Executive description of the objectives of the café.
- Products and services.
- Management team.
- Market analysis.
- Financial plan.
The business plan should be the map you rely on to plan for the future of your project, make important decisions, improve the chances of success and avoid problems that you may face in the future. It is best to present your business plan to those who are experienced or have ideas for business development, and it is important to share it with your employees and benefit from their opinions.
In another report published by the Small Business website for small businesses, writer Elizabeth Nutter mentioned the most important elements of a feasibility study to create a successful café project, and these elements are:
Convenient location
This is the most important step in the implementation of your project, as you must take the time to choose the best place for your project, because this may be the main reason for the success or failure of the project.
Target workplaces and gatherings of employees or students, and make sure there is enough space for customers' cars.
When exploring the place, try to learn about past experiences in the region and examine why they have succeeded or failed.
Venue coordination and décor
Make sure to choose the right decoration work for the commercial identity you have in mind, because attention to detail is important, and it is best to hire a decorator who determines the general character of the place according to the nature of the audience you are targeting.
The place should be comfortable and bright, suitable for eating, sitting chatting, reading and working.
Necessary equipment
You should buy the necessary equipment to manage the café, and this equipment must ensure that you prepare drinks and food with the speed and quality required to achieve the satisfaction of your customers.
Sometimes there is equipment for rent that you can use at first, but make sure that this equipment is safe and can work properly and healthily.
Food & Beverage Menu
People won't come back to your café if their food and drink menu isn't their favorite. The menu should include many options to suit most tastes, and ideally somewhat limited at the beginning of the project.
It is essential that you have enough experience to make the items on your list, whatever their size and variety of choices.
Relationship with suppliers
Focus on forming good and sufficient relationships to get the best food products at the best prices from reliable suppliers, as it will be difficult for you to succeed without getting good products at the right time and at the right price.
Personnel selection
The workers of the project are its backbone. Remember that they are the front of your project, so they must be carefully selected through personal interviews during which you make sure that they are able to deal with customers and achieve the goals you have set.
Timely opening
Start your project when you have prepared and implemented everything in your plan, and the opening should be as free of problems and flaws as possible.
Also, think about the most appropriate day and time to open, and ask yourself: When is the right time for your target customers to arrive? Is it a business morning, during lunch break, or on the weekend?