Coworking continues to grow across the UK, with more coworking workspaces than ever before. The savviest among them lease a coffee machine to keep their customers happy – and on the premises. The advantages of leasing a coffee machine v buying a coffee machine are clear: deductible cost and cost certainty, minimal capital outlay to retain cash in the bank, and service agreements for easy maintenance. But why supply a coffee machine in the first place?
Running a competitive and profitable coworking office depends on creating enough appeal and generating enough income. A high-quality coffee machine helps in two ways.
Firstly, it’s an essential component in attracting members. The rise in café culture and in home coffee machines are clear evidence of the value the British public place on enjoying decent coffee. A jar of instant in the kitchenette just doesn’t cut it any more. Freelancers and remote workers are actively looking for more social workspaces and suitable meeting venues. For many, this makes the high street coffee shop an obvious place to combine business and pleasure. Luring them away from this easy but compromising option requires a strong beverage offer in a coworking space. And even if you attract them with your funky layouts, table tennis and pool tables, if there’s no coffee machine then they’ll be nipping out every couple of hours and will be reluctant to arrange meetings on site. You can be pretty sure that “but there’s no decent coffee” is going to feature early on in their discussions with friends and other workers about your coworking venue.
Secondly, a bean-to-cup coffee machine in particular can be an extra source of revenue for coworking companies. Margins can be tight, certainly in the early years, and providing on-site coffee is a good way to offset some costs. Whether you build your profits into your membership or daily pass fees, or charge per coffee, is up to you. But one thing’s for certain: a good portion of coworking members will otherwise be spending up to £3 per coffee in a local coffee shop. You have the chance to save your members money and lift your profits at the same time.
Choosing the right coffee machine for your shared workspace is easy. Head to our selection of bean-to-cup machines; you’ll find serving quantities and recommendations in the tech specs of each coffee machine. Stock a selection of reusable coffee cups, and you’ll not only gain some additional income at the same time as spreading an eco-friendly message, you’ll likely sell more coffee too, as workers grab a coffee to savour on their way home.