13 must-reads for every coffee shop business

The coffee business is thriving but competitive. To stay ahead, you’ve got to perfect the basics, try new things, monitor trends, educate employees, and outperform the chains. In sum: you need fresh information and ideas on a continual basis.

Check out these 13 sites that cater to coffee shop owners and industry vendors. Bookmark the ones that inspire you most.

Fresh Cup Magazine

Based in the brew mecca of Portland, Oregon, Fresh Cup Magazine offers a friendly vibe as it gathers tips, events, trends, and profiles. They cover what new blends are hitting the market, when the next coffee expo is, who’s launching a tea house, where the best beans grow—all the latest from the world of coffee and tea.

CoffeeTalk

CoffeeTalk is an industry heavy-hitter surveys the business from crop to cup. A bonus for merchants: the annual international vendors directory lists thousands of businesses serving coffee houses and restaurants. Set up a free profile if you sell to coffee shops, or use it to locate goods and services.

Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

Founded in 1901 and host of the annual Tea & Coffee World Cup trade show, T&CTJ has a long history and deep expertise. Tap that knowledge for your blending, roasting, equipment, or packaging questions, or for a big-picture look at global trends.

Daily Coffee News

The online arm of Roast Magazine, Daily Coffee News segregates news into four categories: roasting, retail, origin, and industry. Click on retail to find out what coffee shop owners across the country are up to. Or sign up for twice weekly emails with the site’s top content.

Barista Magazine

For original content on coffee entrepreneurs and barista culture, Barista is the go-to source. Interviews and feature articles bring a level of depth and insight that most information providers can’t reach. Plus, each issue is available free online.

QSRWeb

While national franchises get a lot of attention, there’s plenty on QSRWeb for people in the coffee business. Articles, white papers, webinars, podcasts, and more explain how to run your own business, from customer service to food safety to staffing and training.

FastCasual

Covering the diverse scene, FastCasual includes content specifically for coffee shop owners. Particularly valuable is the wealth of Starbucks news. Pull up the Coffee/Specialty Beverage section, and you’ll learn about their price increases, wage trends, changes to rewards program, new offerings, and more—a quick way to track the super competitor.

Perfect Daily Grind

Created by a team of millennials, Perfect Daily Grind is an upbeat site that reports on the global coffee scene, including tips and recipes for owners and baristas. Read up on how to develop a coffee menu, motivate employees, price your drinks, mix a coffee cocktail, pick the best non-dairy milk, and make a better cup of brew.

Sprudge

Looking for fresh ideas from around the world? Let Sprudge take you on a tour of standout coffee spots in Prague, Toronto, Seville, Lima, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Kyoto, and other big-name and offbeat destinations. The next bubble tea phenomenon is just waiting to be discovered.

Coffee Companion

Your most passionate customers can also be the most exacting. Find out what makes them tick with Kevin Sinnott’s Coffee Companion. The blog elevates coffee prep to an art form—and gives you a peek inside the hearts and minds of true connoisseurs.

CoffeeShopr

Are you launching a business or trying to bring it to the next level? CoffeeShopr is packed with helpful, down-to-earth advice on how to start and run a coffee shop. Check out “What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Coffee Business” to hear what 15 owners have to say about planning ahead and avoiding mistakes.

Latte Art Guide

From barista basics to advanced latte designs, an experienced brew master offers step-by-step guides for creating art in a cup in the Latte Art Guide. Learn to make a scorpion, a phoenix, a swan, a rosetta, a tulip, or an inverted rosetta tulip. Anyone can do it!

Dear Coffee, I Love You

If you’re crazy for design, check out Brian W. Jones’s mix-up of great coffee and great design. From packaging to café interiors to stylish coffee products, photos and text put the power of design on full display.

Editorial Team

Insights, Inspiration, Quick Service Restaurants (QSR)

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