If you’re thinking about adding an office coffee station, you might have questions about how to properly stock it. You don’t want to turn your office into a coffee warehouse but you also want to ensure that you aren’t constantly out of things people need. We’re here to help you set up the smart way.
Office coffee bar must-haves
In order to have the coolest coffee station, here are a few things you’ll want to gather up:
Coffee (obviously)
Since coffee is the star of the show you’ll want to put it front and center. With Wandering Bear, we make it easier for you to have a few options. Cold brew kegs, 96 oz cold brew boxes, or even our 11oz single-serve boxes we have the right mix of products to please everyone on the team.
Tea
For those who don’t drink coffee, we recommend keeping some tea bags on hand. The best coffee bars offer a variety of caffeinated and decaffeinated herbal blends to please any palate.
Hot water
If you want to make coffee or tea, you might need access to hot water to prepare your beverages. If you don’t have a sink by your beverage space, consider a water cooler with instant hot water.
Ice
If you offer iced coffee, you may also want to offer ice cubes to keep beverages cold. A refrigerator with a freezer or ice maker is ideal but you could also consider a countertop ice maker as well.
Sweeteners
Sugar, simple syrup, stevia, Splenda, and the classics like Sweet N’ Low or Equal can also be part of your mix. Consider a combination of sugar and artificial sweeteners as people have different dietary needs. From diabetes to allergies you want to ensure you have an option for every need.
Dairy or non-dairy creamers
Like sweeteners, you also want to accommodate those who like their beverages with some creamer. From milk to coconut or oat-based options you can offer a variety - even flavored creamers. To make sure you are ordering what people want to drink, you can ask employees how they take their coffee and shop accordingly. If you don’t have a refrigerator, you will be limited to shelf-stable options.
Cups
So people aren’t sharing germs, if you don’t have a dishwasher you will want to either ask every employee to bring their own cup or provide disposable drinkware. There are some more sustainable options available now so you are not limited to styrofoam and plastic. Consider the environment as much as possible!
How much cold brew is enough cold brew?
With cold brew gaining in popularity, providing this in the office will have you well on your way to becoming employer of the year! So how much do you need? The average “medium” cold brew in a coffee shop is 16 ounces. So, assuming the average employee who drinks cold brew will need 16-20 ounces a day if you have 10 people in your office you will need 160 - 200 ounces of coffee per day to let everyone drink what they want. As your coffee program goes on you will be able to further refine this number to keep everyone well caffeinated.
How to stock an office coffee bar
You want your coffee bar to look neat and inviting but also well stocked. There is definitely an art to this. Start by ordering some nice bins or a caddy for your sweeteners and creamers. A caddy with multiple sized containers allows you to store a variety of products neatly. Keep bulk boxes of product in cabinets or a separate closet.
If you are providing cups, remember to purchase both hot and cold cups. You don’t want cups that are so small people have to go back and forth for refills all day, but you also don’t want cups that are so big that people are overfilling them and wasting coffee every day. You can purchase an elegant wood holder to keep things looking neat, tidy and easy to grab and go!
Before setting up your coffee bar, decide where you will store excess kegs of cold brew and supplies - a messy bar or an office that looks like a restaurant supply closet is not inviting nor will it inspire employees to do their best work.
Our final tip for setting up an office coffee station?
Subscribe and save. At Wandering Bear, we offer discounts to smart and savvy business owners (like you!) so that you can keep your office stocked (but not too stocked) and you never have to worry about running out of your favorite coffee coffees! Contact us today to set up your subscription.
