Yesterday I was in a shopping mall and passed a coffee stall and felt hungry. I saw a large biscuit selling for R25 on placed on the coffee shop stand. I quickly did a mental calculation: the biscuit was R5 less than a cup of coffee.
Then it struck me: What a brilliant way to increase (or double) your sales.
When people go to a coffee stall, they are thirsty or craving a cup of coffee, but they’re also probably hungry and want a snack.
By offering a snack of whatever sort, you can, as a coffee stall owner, increase your sales.
Now look, this isn’t a new idea. For those already running a coffee stand, it’s old hat. They know about this. Remember that old sales and marketing concept from McDonald’s? McDonald’s sells hamburgers, but they always ask if you want fries with your hamburger. This almost doubles the value of your purchase and doubles McDonald’s revenue.
I thought I’d do a little homework on the internet for this post. Some of the things that came up you probably know about, but maybe one or two you haven’t thought of. So, perhaps they could be valuable to you. I’m not trying to be smart or clever about this because I have never run a coffee stall. I must be honest about this. I’m mostly interested in business concepts, how small businesses operate, and if there are new ideas I can perhaps pass them on to others who may need new ideas.
Remember to consider your target audience, local competition, and pricing strategy when selecting additional products or services to offer.
Here’s a list of things to increase sales and profitability at your coffee stall by offering complementary items:
- Pastries and baked goods (e.g., muffins, croissants, cookies)
- Sandwiches, wraps, or light meals
- Fresh fruit or fruit cups
- Yogurt or oatmeal bowls
- Specialty teas or hot chocolate
- Snacks like nuts, energy bars, or trail mix
- Coffee-related accessories (e.g., mugs, beans, brewing equipment)
- Gift cards or loyalty programs
- Partner with local businesses to offer bundled deals (e.g., coffee and a nearby gym membership)
- Host events like coffee tastings, live music, or book clubs to attract more customers
The ninth item on this list is something I saw in action two weeks ago. It wasn’t a coffee stand but it was at a small coffee shop. Next to the coffee shop is a small bakery shop. The owner of the bakery shop and the coffee shop did a joint promotion where you got a coffee and three koesisters (a syrupy doughnut) for R50. Now that’s something that I witnessed myself. These two shops are in Simon’s Town, Cape Town. Hats off to these two enterprising businesswomen.
Anyway, onwards: As I say, make what you want of this list. Most of these things are being put into practice. Try some out, see what works and what doesn’t. Customers always enjoy something new. So if you can, delight them in some way or another. You could well increase your sales.
