Ecommerce’s Role in the Booming Global Coffee Industry
Food is serious business. Now, on The Main Course, host Barbara Castiglia will invite insiders on the front lines of food to share their expertise, strategies, and forecasts for navigating the ever-changing restaurant industry.
The pandemic briefly took away one of the world’s beloved institutions – the coffee shop. As the world opens up, the opportunity to sit down in a noisy cafe will soon rear its head. But, coffee shops had to figure a way to survive during the pandemic. Many pivoted to a pickup model, while some also added e-commerce as a way to sell their beans online.
The Main Course Host Barbara Castiglia talks with Nick Stone, the Founder, and CEO of Bluestone Lane Coffee, an Australian premium coffee and lifestyle brand, about how the company adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic down under. The duo also talked about what the dynamic coffee roaster has in store for the future.
“It’s very akin to being a part of a high-performing sports team, where you’re training every day to improve, and you try to find an edge.” -Nick Stone
Stone opened the coffee shop in 2013. A former athlete and investment banker, he loved the competitiveness and collaboration in both arenas. He always enjoys being a part of high-performing teams, and he brought this energy to the Australian coffee scene.
“To deliver a premium service in a very consistent way, you have to have that ethos that you’re continually improving,” Stone said. “It’s incremental gains every single day. It’s very akin to being a part of a high-performing sports team, where you’re training every day to improve, and you try to find an edge.”
With lost revenue initially, Stone laid off 650 employees as their revenue plummeted 91 percent. But, as the company pivoted to an e-commerce model, it grew its revenue by 260 percent. One of the things that helped them during this was their new subscription model. With the revenue increase, they plan to reopen their 51 stores and continue their expansion plans.
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