Espresso kiosks, a way to make money from a passion?

Espresso kiosks might be a way to work for your passion?

Espresso kiosks are usually started from an idea like "isn't it good to make coffee everyday and earn money from it". Making money from what you enjoyed doing most -creating the prefect coffee experience. Sure, you probably are able to differentiate the different category of coffee and use an espresso machine with ease, but it is enough to start a coffee shop?

So, the question is: given the expertise that you have with coffee making, it is enough to start a kiosk? Is passion enough to overcome anything?

Perhaps it is enough, just look at examples like Starucks, Seattle Best. However, it would still be good to think through what I am highlighting prior to jumping into the business.

Do you have the passion?

In all honesty, if you are reading this and thinking of starting a coffee shop, you would definitely pass the first test -passion. To me, regardless if it is espresso coffee shop or restaurants, you would need a high level of passion.

This is to enable you to push on when things becomes tough and is also the catalyst for the determination to overcome all odds. And, trust me, as long as you are in a business, there are always obstacles and it grows with your business!

Do you have the location?

Have you ever consider where the espresso kiosks is going to be located? Or, you were thinking that the good brew of coffee that you make would attract customers to your shop (like bee to honey).

I am not refuting the fact that you do need great coffee to attract and retain customers to your coffee shop. However, if it is located at a good location, this would make the job so much easier.

If you just take a look at the major chain that is highlighted below, none of them are hidden, all of them took up prominent spot, street corner, shopping mall 1st level, airport transit area etc.

How to make coffee without machine?

How to prepare V60 Coffee?

How to make Kopi?

Learn about this and more at our free Coffee Appreciation Class

Do you have the "know how"?

Sure, you make the greatest coffee, but do you know how to set up espresso kiosks to have operational ease or maximize the capacity of your store. Or, what about local certification and regulation to enable the outlet for F&B operation.

And, that is on managing the store alone. What about manpower operation, schedules and wages? Do you know how to manage them?

True, everything can be outsourced. Maybe, just get a manager and put everything in place. Heck, just get a franchise and solve all the problem.

Do you have the dough?

If you do not have the know how, you need more dough, more money. Even if you have the right partnership, you still need hefty amount of money to start any espresso kiosks.

Mainly it is due to the rental, mostly is due to the renovations and initial outlay to make the shop operational and attract the customers.

A dowdy looking shop and a newcomer can hardly attract any customers, regardless how cheap or good is the coffee! Do note that people visit espresso kiosks for coffee experience, it is an overall package...

Do you have "the other" things?

It is still not so bad, if espresso kiosks can be summed up with the few pointers above. Unfortunately, it is not so.

You still need a group of suppliers, ready group of manpower, recipes, promotion gimmicks etc to just be operational. Till here, we are not even talking about the espresso kiosks positioning or growth plan, we are talking about just being in business.

There you have it, some thoughts on how "easy" it is to make your passion of coffee making into a livelihood of running espresso kiosks...

Or, you wanna to better your coffee making knowledge first? Visit our homepage...

About US | OCM Profile

OCM (OnCoffeeMakers.com) was started in 2007 with the first webpage about coffee machines. And for a number of years, we focused on helping people find their desired coffee machine (we still are helping folks with that! So, if you are looking for coffee machines for office or restaurants - check out the link).

In 2010, we started getting enquiries on restaurant marketing and we start to help food and beverage brands with their marketing. Below are campaigns and events that we have done over the years:

OCM's campaigns: F&B Marketing Ideas by OCM

OCM's Events: F&B Industry events by or with OCM

Check out this restaurant marketing guide to learn more about the many campaigns and companies we have worked with.

Since then, we have also created many marketing workshops and classes for the F&B industry. Many of these modules are still running in tertiary institutions such as Temasek Polytechnic Skillsfuture Academy and also ITE College East COC classes, below are some snippets of our lectures and workshops:

OCM’s F&B workshops: Food and Beverage Marketing Lectures | Workshops - click to watch classes on customer journey map, JTBD and more.

So, if you are looking for industry practitioners to help you scale your coffee or F&B businesses, do drop us a message or book an appointment. Do also check out our various social media platforms on regular F&B and coffee market updates:

For regular coffee (F&B) related videos: OCM Youtube

For Daily Coffee Inspiration (fun coffee content): OCM IG

For insights into the coffee (F&B) industry: OCM LinkedIN

PS: For the coffee lovers, we continue to share coffee articles (and videos) and have also started a free coffee class section (with free online coffee training supported by coffee partners).