+ BOOK A TIME TO CHAT

It doesn’t matter whether you need a full service solution with all the things, or just a bit of advice on specific products – we’re here to help.

It can be an overwhelming endeavor taking over or setting up a café. Even if you’re a completely established café, the prospect of changing coffee suppliers can be daunting. We think that coffee makes the world go ‘round, and so do your customers.

Don’t rush the process. Crema Coffee Garage will take your through all your options, no strings. Here's how to get in contact when you're ready:

 

 

PARTNER WITH A LOCAL WHOLESALE COFFEE ROASTER 

Apart from a good research session online, getting some great recommendations from local cafés can help steer you in the right direction. While asking your friends and family what coffee they like drinking can help, it doesn’t clue you in about how that company operates or what products, service or support they offer. At Crema Coffee Garage we consider our clients family but don’t forget to keep it professional. Just ask any of our clients – go in for a coffee and ask them what they love about us. Having real conversations can be the best way to find the café supplier you need, and Crema is confident about the coffee beans and service we give our café clients.

WE HELP GROW YOUR BRAND 

Crema Coffee Garage has a strong team of sales and support staff that have backgrounds in the coffee, hospitality or service industries. But we don’t neglect those that come with a business development or marketing background, because our teams work together to be able to give our clients the best of all worlds:

- Practical café advice based on industry expertise

- Specialist coffee knowledge to help you choose the right coffee bean

- Informed options when it comes to pricing and asset arrangements

- Great marketing and branding insights for your business

- Identifying opportunities for the businesses to expand services, products or reach financial goals

- Providing a regular amount of free ongoing training to keep barista skills current and high quality

 

+ TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAFE GOALS

When you get in touch with us, our staff will direct you to the right people to make an appointment with. These specialist team members will arrange a time to sit down with you in person, have an online meeting or an unrushed phone call.

This part of the process involves us getting a solid understanding of who you are, what you want to achieve and who your target market is.

Once we know what you need, we can start to set up coffee tastings, play with coffee machines and coffee grinders, discuss coffee training and pick some great supporting café supplies.

And you better believe we’re gonna do it over a cup of coffee wherever possible!

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT WITH A CAFE EXPERT

When you get in touch with us, we’ll make a time with you to get to know each other and get across what you need from us. Some of our clients only need a ticket to tasty, fresh roasted coffee beans. Others need the works – a full café solutions that includes coffee, café supplies, training, equipment and servicing options. We can accommodate a meeting and method that best suits you, you can come to our showroom and explore the Disney Land of coffee, or we come to you at your café. If you’re still setting up, sometimes we like to have a coffee together at one of the many great cafes that use Crema coffee or a venue that you love as inspiration. Crema staff can also catch up with video chats and phone calls, when distance, travel or restrictions are an issue. Book now and let’s catch up!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR VISION

During discussions we’re going to want to find out a few really important details which will determine the package of options we tailor for you. Some of these questions might include:

- Are you putting all the focus on high end coffee, or is it there to complement awesome food?

- Are you adding a coffee option into a non-hospitality related business like a florist, bike shop or home wares store?

- What is your café location? This can tell us a bit about your competition and how busy you might get

- What are your points of difference, and how do you want communicate that?

- How many seats will be in your café?

- Do you have a styling scheme for you café in mind?

- Who is your target market?

- What made you want to set up a café?

- What are your plans for the business growing in the future?

Getting to know each other as people as well as what we can do for you takes time and good conversation. There are many more questions and discussion points to cover in your average first meeting, but the goal is to get a full understanding of who you are and what you need to have a successful café and great relationship with us.

LET'S EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS

There are a lot of decisions to make when it comes to setting up a café, choosing new equipment or a new coffee bean. We use our discussion with you to identify your needs and what options we have to meet them. There can be a variety of factors that can affect what solutions are the best choice including your finance budget, level of industry experience and customer base. Once we know what you need, we can present you with a number of options as well as our top recommendations. This will get compiled and put together in a formal proposal and information pack so that can take your time reading through the details of each option. Most of our clients find that these proposals help them identify where they need more information or finalise their decisions, so never hesitate to get in touch and pick our brains about anything in your pack.

 

+ EXPLORE OUR RANGE OF WHOLESALE COFFEES

This is where we make choices and decisions to roll with. No café partners are going to have the same needs, but we’re going to have a great foundation based on our first discovery session with you.

Our clients are spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing the best coffee bean for their cafes and espresso bars. With 9 different blends, a quarterly seasonal blend and a monthly schedule or delicious single origin coffees – finding the perfect coffee for your customers is a breeze. Together we’ll discuss the strength and flavours you enjoy in a coffee, and what you think your market will be looking for in their daily brew. From there we will set up a coffee tasting, so you can sip your way through some delicious options until you find a couple of favourites. In the beginning, it’s normal to try a few different coffee blends out in your café and get some customer feedback before settling on your signature blend. Some of our clients opt to offer more than one coffee, catering to those who enjoy both strong and mild coffees, or offering a changing monthly single origin. All you really need to know is that the team at Crema Coffee Garage will guide you through your choices and keep tweaking your weekly orders until we find the coffee that fits you best. And if you ever want to change it up? No problem! We can set up a tasting or send you some different blends to play with anytime you’re curious.

CUSTOM COFFEE BLENDS

For clients who want to explore having their own signature blend created, talk to the team at Crema. We have custom options available for clients who are going through a particularly high volume of coffee or fit other criteria. Others might opt to have their coffee come in plain packaging so that they can put their own stamps of labels on it, or ask for a particular type of bag colour – a nice touch of branding and personalisation.

 

+ DO YOU NEED CAFE CONSUMABLES AND SUPPLIES?

We know that there is a lot of choice out there when it comes to choosing milk and other drink supplies. While Crema can supply some directly, where we can’t we can recommend some great companies that we have worked with for many years. Some of the great café supplies Crema Coffee Garage can hook you up with:

- Sugar sticks – branded and non-branded

- Flavoured coffee syrups

- Barista liquid sugar

- Drinking chocolate

- Chai powders

- Alternate drink powders like Matcha and Tumeric latte powder

- Loose leaf tea

- Tea bags

- Stevia sticks Other supplies you’ll need that we can help you source:

- Alternative milks such as: Oat, soy, almond, macadamia, coconut, rice and lactose free

- Dairy milk suppliers

- Cold drinks suppliers

- Cakes & slice suppliers

- Cookie suppliers

We know there is a lot to think about, but we’ll make sure you get off to the best start with products that have been tried and tested by us and hundreds of other successful cafes.

 

+ CHOOSE YOUR CAFE COFFEE MACHINE & CAFE EQUIPMENT

When you’re looking at getting set up with coffee equipment, Crema Coffee Garage offers a range of options. Some of the most popular choices in coffee equipment include:

- Commercial Cafe Coffee Machines

- Automatic Coffee Grinders

- Electronic Coffee Grinders

- Automatic Tampers (Puqpress)

- Jug Rinsers

- Cold Brew Keg Systems

- Automatic Milk Steamer Systems

Financing these purchases can happen in a range of ways, which you can read about below...

 

RENTAL OR BUY - WE CAN HELP WITH BOTH

If you’re in need of some shiny new coffee gear, the team at Crema can walk you through the options. Getting set up with the best coffee machine and equipment that you can is one of the most important decisions you can make when setting up your café, and navigating quality and costs can be overwhelming. Crema Coffee Garage specialises in coffee machines and equipment, and gets regular access directly from trusted manufacturers and brand suppliers Our team can walk you through the main options including:

Purchasing coffee equipment: If you’re replacing old equipment and are sure about the type of machinery you need, then buying a coffee machine, grinder and other accessories outright can seem like the obvious choice. While you might be able to buy some models online, the team at Crema Coffee Garage can order it for you, unpack it and bench test it to make sure everything is in order, and then organise a full installation from our experienced service technicians. While it can be cost effective to buy your equipment outright, there are other things to think about if you decide to go ahead with an outright purchase, including paying for regular servicing and maintenance call outs when needed.

Rental Agreements: When you’re starting a new venture or you’re not sure about the level of coffee sales you can expect, it can be difficult to make a final choice on equipment. This is where renting a coffee machine and equipment can be a great option. Renting gives you a chance to ‘try before you buy’ and scale up your equipment as the business grows. Crema offers its clients the option to buy their coffee machines and equipment at the end of the rental agreement, continue on with a rental agreement, or upgrade to different equipment if necessary. Aside from the flexibility to change equipment between contract terms, you will also get free regular machine servicing (excluding filter changes and damage due to negligence) and emergency tech support when you need it from our service technician department. Some good reasons people choose to rent a coffee machine include:

- Flexibility with 12, 24 and 36 month contracts

- Uncertainty about the viability of the venture

- Short venue lease agreements

- Low start-up capital

- You’re not sure how much coffee you’ll go through to start with

While a condition of a rental agreement with Crema Coffee Garage does mean you will need to use our coffee beans, usually our clients choose us for our awesome coffee beans first, and machine options second. However we’re happy to give clients some information on third party financing options if they would rather be able to choose to use coffee beans from other coffee suppliers.

On-loan Agreements: On Loan Agreements are an arrangement where coffee companies will place equipment in your cafe with no upfront charge for a fixed term, with a small portion of the cost of the machinery built into the price of roasted coffee beans per kilogram. This arrangement has been very popular, but does rely on a fairly known quantity of coffee being sold. For cafes who go through less than 10kg of coffee per week, it’s not an arrangement that would be the best financial fit. While the lack of upfront cost is attractive, signing on to an on-loan agreement can come with risks when you don’t know exactly how much coffee you’re going to go through, because the arrangement is based on you buying enough coffee to cover the cost of the equipment. If your coffee sales dip below the amount stipulated in the contract for an extended period, you may find yourself also paying a rental charge to cover the cost of the equipment and servicing costs. For cafes who have been operating for a while and have a medium to high coffee volume, an on-loan agreement would be a great fit: shiny new gear, included servicing and support and the option to buy or upgrade at the end of the loan term!

 

ALTERNATIVE BREW GEAR

It’s becoming increasingly common to offer more than one style of coffee in a café. While espresso will always reign supreme, a close second is cold brew coffee, with filter coffee coming in hot recently. What makes them such a great team is that they’re all extremely different coffee styles, and they offer your customers a way to drink more coffee in a day without getting bored of the taste or texture. Cold brew coffee is a real game changer, especially in Australia when the temperatures soar every year. There used to be a huge drop off in the consumption of coffee before this gem cam along to save the day, and now our clients are reporting very stable coffee sales from winter to summer. Crema Coffee Garage can teach you how to brew cold brew coffee, and if it becomes a big hit we can talk about upgrading you to a small fridge and cold brew keg system. Having cold brew on tap speeds up your coffee service significantly, and you know what? It looks damn cool too. Filter coffee machines can be set up in the morning to brew 8-10 cups at a time, and the jugs are insulated to keep them hot and steamy. A light and refreshing brew, they’re super popular with black coffee drinkers that find a black espresso just a little too rich. And somehow, they’re just so more-ish – you always need a second cup and many cafes offer a ‘bottomless’ price on filter coffees so you can get a refill throughout your stay. There are other popular brewing methods in cafes that Crema can set you up with, which include:

- Cold drip coffee

- Aeropress coffee

- Pour-over coffee

- Syphon coffee

Offering different or alternative brewing options doesn’t mean you’re getting too fancy or ‘hipster’. It means you’re offering something for everyone, and something that people want - that’s just good for business.

 

+ LEARN ABOUT OUR EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION, SERVICE & SUPPORT

EQUIPMENT SERVICING & CARE

One major point of difference that Crema Coffee Garage has is that we don’t outsource our coffee servicing or repairs to third party operators. We have devoted a huge part of our business to setting up a fully-fledged service department, with a team of coffee technicians who all started with backgrounds in mechanics and electrician trades first. One of the most stressful things that can happen to you as a café owner is having your equipment breakdown mid service, or waiting months to get a coffee technician to come and give it a service. We hear plenty of stories about coffee machines breaking down completely because they waited so long on a list to get a service.

20 years ago Crema Coffee Garage started as a café itself, and knowing the loss of business trade and panic that a broken coffee machine can cause, we decided to do things differently. Because we have a full service department we can:

- Order in coffee machines, standard and custom orders

- Bench test them to make sure everything is in working order

- Fully install them and set them up

- Offer emergency technical support, 7 days a week

- Keep our clients machines on a regular service schedule

Regular serviced schedules mean that while accidents and emergencies do happen - they never breakdown due to neglect, and you never have to wait for a service. Our service technicians are all friendly coffee lovers too, so when you need to simply ask a question you can ring our service department and chat to one of them whenever you need to.

BARISTA TRAINING AND CAFE WORKFLOWS

Along with having a full equipped service department, we also put time and thought into setting up a fantastic training facility. The Crema Coffee Academy provides both accredited and non-accredited training to support the development and improvement of barista skills for all. Our most popular courses include:

- Accredited Barista Foundations Level 1: 2 units • Prepare & serve espresso • Use hygienic practices or food safety

- Barista Advanced Level 2 (Level 1 pre-requisite): put your skills into practice with a practice service session

- Guided Practice: Are you a barista or student looking for a place to practice your skills? We offer you the space, the supplies and the guidance when you need it to practice your skills.

- Commercial Coffee Training: only available to our Crema clients, this class is specially focused on trouble shooting and the nerdy details of why things happen the way they do, and how to fix it.

The commercial coffee training we offer to our clients is definitely one of our biggest points of difference. When a new client comes on board, we offer them between 4-6 complimentary training places to get them off to a great start. We always recommend that managers and owners come along so that they can get a great understanding of what’s involved and be advocates for their baristas. We also offer 2 complimentary spots every calendar year to each of our clients so that anyone who wants to do a refresher course, or new staff that might have joined the team can come and learn the tools and techniques used to make great coffee.

Our commercial coffee training isn’t your standard coffee course. We focus on trouble shooting – all the things that can go wrong, and how to fix them. We teach our students how to change their grind, how to time their shots, how to program their shot volumes and how to split their milk properly. We talk about how to improve workflow, and how to teach their customers to order their coffees correctly. We don’t just teach great coffee, we teach great service. And the best part? You can always access it as a commercial client. So many of our clients now book their new staff in before they even start work at their cafes, because they know how good our training is and how valuable it is for them to learn the latest techniques from us. It’s also pretty great that they can outsource a little bit of the mental load of training a new staff member, because as we all know – it’s always a little bit of work in the beginning. If you’re looking for a company that is willing to invest in you with top quality training and support, Crema Coffee Garage has definitely got that base covered.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Often forgotten but definitely the framework that underpins everything we do – our administration and delivery team keep our team and yours in business. Not all heroes wear capes, and the tight knit team that makes up orders, accounts, warehouse and delivery are the ones who make everything else we do possible.

- Our accounts team will set up a billing schedule and terms that suits us both, and are always here for you if you’re having any trouble paying on time. Just let us know, we’ll set up a payment plan!

- Our orders team is here to help support our fantastic online ordering system, explain new products, fix ordering mistakes and set up your custom order favourites online.

- Our warehouse team co-ordinates between orders and delivery to make sure that we have the stock you need, and if we don’t – they get it on order ASAP and stay in contact with you about it.

- Our delivery team are probably one of the smiling faces you’re going to see the most. They’re on the front lines and seeing our clients every day, and can be your first point of contact when you have questions or problems. They work super hard every day to get your order correct to you on a consistent day and time each week or fortnight.

When you come on board as a Crema client, this team works together to make sure your experience with us is smooth, friendly and supportive. They’re the crew that receives and directs all Crema enquiries by phone and email, and they’re the department who has to know the most answers to your questions. We’re not sure what we would do without them, but we’re lucky that we don’t have to find out. If you’re looking for a coffee supplier that offers a full service coffees solution, run locally by a team who loves what they do and each other – you’ve hit the jackpot. Give the Crema Coffee Garage team a call today or submit an enquiry online to book a casual chat with one of our staff.

 

+ WE CAN HELP WITH BRANDING & MARKETING SUPPORT

CAFE BRANDING

The approach each café will take to how they communicate their brand is different. Some take extreme pride in the brand of coffee they serve and want that to be something they showcase through visible branding. Others want to develop and be known exclusively for their own brand. Others still seem to achieve a perfect balance of both – a collaboration for success, if you like. The Crema team can talk to you about your vision and which type of branding will best suit. From the other side of the equation, Crema Coffee Garage doesn’t automatically supply branding materials such as barriers, umbrellas and other signage to every client who uses our coffee. However, the branding love works both ways. When we offer branding to a client, we’re extending our trust that you will make a great coffee from our product, and you’re trusting us that we will always supply you great coffee to work with. While advertising the coffee you use can be a huge draw card for those who love that brand, when we have our branding at a venue that isn’t doing its best to make a great coffee from our roasted coffee beans that can be damaging to us. For that reason, we’re responsible about having an open discussion with our clients surrounding this and coming to an agreement that works for both parties. Though not a hard and fast rule, we generally don’t offer branding to cafes who are doing less than 10kg per week as this generally means that they are not making coffee their main focus. For brand new cafes, we also make a more considered choice – though when new clients really engage with us on training and investing in all the right tools for success, that goes a long way in assuring us that you’re committed to making great coffee. Some of the branding we can supply includes:

- Umbrellas

- 2m and 1m barriers

- A-frames

- Tear drop flags

- Custom signage

- Coffee blend signs & POS signage

We can also discuss custom branding solutions if you’re going for a unique or understated look. If you want to explore having your coffee bags designed and printed with your own unique graphics and branding, we can talk to you about that. We can also discuss branded takeaway cups and other packaging, though minimum orders do apply.

BRANDED CUPS AND PACKAGING

Not one of the most exciting considerations, but definitely important – packaging! What is café packaging? Glad you asked! When you’re getting set up for the first time, or you’re changing brands, some of the top things to consider are:

- Takeaway cups – single or double walled

- Takeaway cup lids – black or white

- Cup sleeves

- Cup trays

- Drink stirrers

- Carry bags

- Cakes & treats containers

- Food packaging

While Crema doesn’t supply all of the food packaging options, we have great suppliers that we can connect you to.

 

+ BARISTA TOOLS AND ACCESSORIES

There a plenty of bits and bobs you need to set up a café that can be easily forgotten. Some are obvious, but some are things that you would never think of unless baristas in the know clued you in. Luckily Crema Coffee Garage has their finger on the pulse where that’s concerned, between two fully operational espresso bars and a training facility that teaches the best and most up-to-date practices. Sometimes the smallest, most inexpensive tool can make the biggest difference to the quality of your coffee and the smoothness of each coffee service.

Crema can help you get all your new swag together, and choose upgrades if you’re missing things in your current set up. Some of the best barista tools and café supplies to consider include:

- Coffee Tampers

- Automatic Coffee Tampers like the Puqpress

- Coffee tamper mat to protect benches

- Milk Thermometers

- Stick-on Milk Thermometers – super hygienic and easy to read

- Knock boxes for spent coffee grinds

- Shot timers

- Dosing scales

- Brewing scales

- Measuring shot glasses

- Drink whisks and mixers

- Latte art pens and tools

- Barista milk jugs

- Barista cloths for milk steaming, machine polishing and wiping out coffee baskets

- Espresso cleaning powder

- Group head brushes

- Blind filter basket for cleaning

- Pipe-cleaner brushes for cleaning milk steamer nozzles

- Docket runners or docket holders

- Latte glasses and piccolo glasses

- Chocolate (and chai) shakers

- Ceramic cups and saucers

Crema Coffee Garage can help you pick what you need, and guide you through the different options available. Not every café will need such an extensive list – it depends what kind of operation you’re running and how long it has been since you upgraded your gear. Having these things can make or break a service, and it can also make you baristas happy little chappies and you know what they say – Happy barista, happy life.

 

+ BARISTA TRAINING AND CAFE WORKFLOWS

Crema Coffee Garage is proud to boast a well-appointed barista training room and talented accredited trainers who love what they do. Not only that, but they all have other roles at Crema that complement their training abilities such as coffee roasting, green bean buying, café management and latte art.

We know that there are two parts to making a great cup of coffee: roast it to perfection, prepare it with care.

Don’t rush the process. Crema Coffee Garage will take your through all your options, no strings.

We take handle the roasting part, but we help our café clients upskill by providing free coffee training for every new client. Not only that, we continue to provide a consistent amount of complimentary training spots to each venue, every year. Whether you have had a little bit of staff turnover or you have some staff that want to come along for a refresher, sending your baristas and café staff to coffee training for us is never a waste of time.

We always encourage the owners and managers of cafes to come along to training with their staff as well, for good reason. Training together is great for team bonding, creates understanding and empathy for the complexities of the job and arms them with the knowledge of what is involved, and what isn’t.

Our commercial client training is different to your average coffee class, with real-world scenarios enacted to force problem solving skills alongside the basics. Can’t get your coffee shots right? Lucky we taught you how to dial in your grinder properly.

Can’t remember how to do something? Now you have a connection to a coffee trainer who can talk you through your problem over the phone, in real time. Suit up and dial in!

So you’ve made your choices and booked in for training – what’s next?

Now we handle everything to set you up and get you ready to kick off a roaring coffee trade. Depending on what you needed from us, this could look like:

- Booking in a coffee machine installation day

- Delivering and installing and dialing in your coffee machine, coffee grinder, jug rinser and all the plumbing and electrics that go with it

- Adjusting your coffee grinder to work with a new coffee blend

- Unpacking and testing all your new barista tools, milk jugs and barista accessories

- Discussing POS systems and order management

- Setting up your custom order favourites in our system, so you never have to remember

- Making sure we have the right accounts, delivery and communications information

- Checking your café set up for ideal workflow, implementing improvements and making recommendations

- Showing you how to use all your extra café supplies like drinking chocolate, chai powder or sugar syrups

- Providing advice on other cafe suppliers like dairy, alternative milks, cold beverages and ready-to-go local pastries and treats

 

FITOUT AND WORKFLOW

Cafe fit out ideas to consider. If you already have a space that can’t be altered much, it’s always great to bring us photos and some quick measurements so that we can make sure we choose equipment that will fit and be compatible with other considerations, such as plumbing and electrical. 

If you’re looking to get advice on a new shop fit out for your cafe, asking us first can definitely save you time and money! With years of experience behind us in fitting out our own venues and helping our clients, we can make sure that you get the most out of your space and choose equipment that will be right at home.

- Maximise your space and workflow

Part of what we consider when it comes to coffee machine installation and equipment selection is not just the space it's destined for, but the impact it will have on the workflow of your staff. If you have an especially small space - such as a container coffee shop - this is just about one of the most important things to think about. If you don't consider this when looking at how to design a coffee shop, you can end up with a dangerous or inefficient order of operations. This can be annoying for both staff and customers, but it can also end up affecting your budget bottom line. Our team can help you plan a simple cafe design and coffee shop process flow chart to get the most out of your investment.

- What are the best POS systems Australia wide?

We get this question a lot, and the answer really depends on your unique needs. Some will need restaurant POS systems if they have that style of dining. Others will need to look at retail POS systems if coffee is an add-on offering to an otherwise retail environment. And of course, there are some specific cafe POS systems out there that cater distinctly to coffee shops. 

You might be thinking, “Well that’s great, but how do I choose a POS system that is right for me, and which POS system is the best?”. Start by first writing a list of things you need your POS to do, track, integrate with and store. Armed with this list, we can help you do some research and put in some enquiries with likely providers, as well as being able to give real reviews on all the systems being commonly used in our client’s venues with great success.

+ COFFEE EQUIPMENT INSTALLATION

If you’ve purchased a new coffee machine from us or have your own that needs installing, our coffee service technicians can book in an installation time with you to get it all set up, from the plumbing to the electrical. For operating cafes, we take into consideration the best days and down times to do this, and strive to do so after hours. For new coffee shop setups, we work with you to book in a time and day that works best around all the other trades and organisation happening.

- Coffee machine installation cost

The cost for us to install a coffee machine depends largely on the specific circumstances. For clients who have bought their equipment through us, are on rental agreements or On Loan Agreements - there is no cost to installing your equipment. 

If you have your own coffee machine, costs will depend on whether you’re coming on board as a wholesale coffee client or are simply in need of a hand when it comes to coffee machine installation. How much work is required to do the installation, such as special plumbing materials or partial challenges can also affect costs, but the average coffee machine installation costs ranges from $300 - $600. 

 You can get in contact with our friendly Service Department, and they can walk you through the costs.

- Coffee machine plumbing - do I need a plumbed in coffee machine?

While most cafes will require a plumbed in coffee machine - both to meet Food Safety Standards and for convenience - this may not apply to all setups. Mobile coffee carts, smaller venues and places with pre-existing space limitations may be granted the option of having a more flexible solution. The best thing to do is to first seek advice from your local council about what you can and can’t do. Once you know that, we can talk you through the pros and cons of both options for your cafe.

How long does it take to install a coffee machine?

Installing a coffee machine can take as little as 1 hour, if all the necessary preparation has been done beforehand. Our service technicians can help you prepare for your installation date by making you aware of what needs to be in place before they arrive, gathering the information they need from you,  and letting you know what you might need to organise ahead of time. However, installations can always run into problems that require creative solutions to overcome, and these can often take extra time to resolve. Service technicians will always plan for an average of a few hours, but are quick to communicate with our clients if anything unexpected arises.

Coffee machine water connection requirements

Commercial coffee machines require access to an easily accessible cold water outlet, which will typically run through a water filter to maintain water hardness between 30ppm and 150 ppm, and a pH between 6.5-8.5 for optimal coffee flavour and to prevent damage to the equipment. Our service technicians will test the mains pressure and use a pressure limiting valve to regulate the flow between the water outlet and the water filter to ensure smooth operation. Waste water will also be plumbed out into available drainage holes, and all plumbing will be installed as neatly as possible in the space provided, to ensure safe and efficient operation. Our service technicians will ask you about available water outlets and drainage positions before they come to install the machine, to ensure you have the right set up in place to move forward.

Commercial coffee machine power requirements

Commercial espresso machines can vary in their power needs, so it’s important to check with our service technicians about your specific machine and grinder before having power outlets and supplies installed. As a guide, their requirements can be anywhere from 220-240 single-phase outlets, with a power supply of between 15A-30A depending on the size and power of the coffee machine. If your power or isolating switches are in locations that could be affected by water, they must have weatherproof power switches installed - this is compulsory. COmmercial coffee machines that come direct from the factory do not always have a suitable power plug attached, but our service technicians can fit one for you if necessary.

 

FINE TUNING SETTINGS & PROGRAMS

When we install your new grinder, we will set a grind size that works well with your coffee machine - more specifically, you group handle basket sizes. The relationship between grind size and coffee dose is tightly woven, and needs to be paid attention to. If you have an electronic grinder that also measures out a timed dose, we will need to set  both the grind and the dose using some scales. 

Even after being set, a new electronic grinder can experience large fluctuations in consistency for the first few weeks of operation - often called the ‘seasoning period’ - before settling down to a more manageable range of change.

If you’re winding ‘how do I adjust my coffee grinder?’ - then it’s a good idea to take advantage of the complimentary commercial coffee training we offer our wholesale coffee clients, or book in for a paid coffee course with the Crema Coffee Academy to make sure you’re ready to keep on top of your coffee quality! 

Programming shot volumes on your coffee machine

Most coffee machines these days work on what we call ‘volumetrics’. This means that each button on the machine can be programmed to deliver a set amount of water each time it’s pressed, consistently. When your service technicians set up your machine for the first or perform a scheduled maintenance service, they will check and set your coffee volumes for you. They will also often label the buttons for you until you get used to what they all do.

Over time, shot volumes can slide out of calibration and begin delivering more or less water than the original setting. For this reason we always recommend our clients have an accurate measuring shot glass to check their espresso shots. While many baristas monitor their espresso shots based on weight, this weight can change depending on the coffee being used and therefore we do not consider this an accurate method for programming. If there is a problem you can identify it early and have a service technician assist you, or get advice on how to reprogram the button yourself.

We often get asked what the symbols on the buttons of an espresso machine mean, and the answer might surprise you. Those symbols - one cup, two cups or half a cup - are only there as a guide for those who program the volumes. Realistically, you can program those buttons to do whatever you want. In this way, you can choose which symbols you want to use for each volume, whatever works best for you!

Learning how to calibrate coffee machines and adjust the shot volumes on your coffee machine isn’t too difficult, but it does require a range of tips and considerations to do it accurately. For this reason, we strongly recommend having one of our knowledgeable trainers or service technicians run you through how to do this properly to avoid mistakes.

Adjusting your calibrated tamper or automated tamper

If you’re lucky enough to have a calibrated tamper, which ‘click’ when you reach the right amount of downward pressure, they will still need to be set to a comfortable and effective weight first. Usually this is done by adjusting a screw or ball joints with an allen key. When you’re choosing a weight to set your tamp to, we recommend about 10-12kg of pressure. While it really doesn’t matter which weight you choose, it does matter that you choose a weight that your smallest or physically weakest barista can comfortably perform. Otherwise, you’re going to have an issue of inconsistent tamping across staff members, and possibly put some at risk of injury. We aren’t all gym bunnies!

If you have an automated tamper like a Puqpress, you will need to set it to a ‘kilograms of pressure’ setting on the digital display. Usually this is between 15-25 kgs of pressure. Once this has been set, don’t change it! Changing the pressure constantly will affect the consistency of your espresso shots. Ideally you should be making sure your coffee dose also stays stable with scales, with the only thing changing regularly being your grind size.

Giving your barista tools and accessories a test run

Once we get the biggest players set up and working - your coffee machine, grinder and tamper - it’s time to make sure all your barista tools are in working order and arranged in a way that makes sense for workflow. 

If you’re a very lucky barista, you’ll also have a milk jug rinser installed. These have been revolutionary for hygiene and fast service, but you do need to get across how they work and how to take them apart to clean them properly. We recommend getting your hands on  some milk line cleaner to give parts a soak and deep clean at least once a week ( it’s also great for soaking milk jugs in!).

Other coffee machine accessories, barista supplies and tools you should unpack and test run include:

- Espresso shot timers

- Milk thermometers

- Barista cloths

- Barista whisks

- Latte art pens

- Espresso cleaning powder

- Group head brushes

- Grinder brushes

- Dosing scales

- Measuring shot glasses

- Milk Jugs

- Chocolate shakers

- Coffee waste tubes and knock boxes

- Rubber tamper mats

The types of coffee shop accessories you will need will depend on your unique setup and equipment. ALways make sure you talk to one of our friendly team members at Crema before spending up a storm! Sometimes you may end up with stuff you don’t need,, or you might look past something absolutely essential. IOt’s a pretty big world of coffee supplies out there, and it’s easy to get lost without a coffee sherpa to guide you through it.

 

CHOOSING PRODUCTS & TESTING RECIPES

Choosing the right milk for your coffee is therefore an extremely important decision - it’s a massive contribution to the flavour of composition of the coffee most of us are drinking.

The top considerations when it comes to choosing the right dairy milk for your coffee shop are first quality, followed closely by:

- Availability - who delivers to your area, and is it frequent enough?

- Price - Is it an affordable price for where you’re at financially now?

- Ownership - is it local and or/Australian made and owned? This is an important consideration for many, including Crema Coffee Garage.

- Sustainability and ethical responsibility - Do they invest in and carry out sustainable practices, and are their cows cared for? Depending on your stance, this might be a deciding factor.

- Customer service - This may seem less important, but finding a supplier who is friendly, helpful and will work with your invoicing and accounts system as best they can makes a lasting relationship.

Our Crema team can give you local insider knowledge when it comes to suppliers we have worked with, and some of the best performers in the region. We can also put you in touch with their representatives to start talking about a supply.

- What is the best non-dairy milk for coffee in Australia?

- While the best alternative milk for coffee somewhat depends on customer preference, there are some clear winners including:

- Almond milk

- Soy milk

- Oat milk

- Coconut Milk

- Macadamia Milk

- Rice Milk

- Hemp Milk

- Cashew Milk

Some fan favourites at Crema Coffee Garage include Milk Lab Almond Milk, Happy Happy Soy Boy, Bonsoy, Milk Lab Macadamia Milk, Alternative Dairy Co Oat Milk, and Milk Lab Coconut Milk.

Something every cafe owner and barista should note - if they don't know already - is the common and normal phenomenon of alternative milks ‘splitting’ or appearing a little curdled when mixed with coffee. The main reason for this comes down to how acidic the coffee you’re using is, and while there are some ways to minimise it - such as not over-heating the milk - you ultimately cannot stop it from happening without changing your coffee. 

The conundrum is that a coffee high in acidity is what pairs best with dairy milk and gives it the flavour we know and love, so only one milk can win this fight and it’s almost always going to be in favour of your biggest customer base. If you’re a super dedicated coffee shop, you could consider setting up an extra coffee grinder with a lower acid coffee bean, which would pair well with alternative milks and black coffees.

We like to switch it up from time to time on the alternative milk front, as new and improved products arise. The R&D going into creating better and better alternative milks is a space to watch, and no one is watching more closely than us! We can recommend some alternative milk suppliers that we know and trust, and give you a taste test of some of the products we have chosen to run with to help you make a decision.

 

Wholesale beverage suppliers

Most coffee shops still need to offer non-coffee options, including cold drinks. A coffee shop is an inclusive environment after all! You might have some thoughts already about what kinds of drinks to offer, but these might include:

- Juices

- Soft drinks

- Bottled water

- Sparkling water

- Flavoured milks

- Kombuchas

- Iced teas

- Energy drinks

- Sports drinks

- Protein drinks

Depending on your customer base, offering at least a small selection of these will keep everyone happy, as they are often purchased to have before or after a coffee. The team at Crema Coffee Garage can put you in touch with somegreat suppliers, and give advice when it comes to signing up for contracts with bigger suppliers.

Drinking chocolate,  Chai latte, Coffee syrups, teas & more

Whether they’re intended as standalone drinks or you’re adding them to coffee, the Australian consumer loves nothing more than variety. Part of your standard weekly order is usually going to include drinking chocolate, chai latte powder or syrup, teas and a range of flavoured coffee syrups. Some other popular products that can be overlooked sometimes include:

- Turmeric latte

- Matcha latte

- Beetroot latte

- White drinking chocolate powder

- Raw Liquid Sugar Syrup for baristas

- Frappease powder for iced frappes

It’s pretty rare that we run into a drink product we’ve never heard of, so it’s with great confidence that we can guide you through the most popular choices and products for each category. Crema Coffee Garage supplies wholesale cafe supplies to their clients, along with freshly roasted coffee beans, so we know what we’re about.

Ready to go treats & local cafe food suppliers

Few things rouse a weary office worker or tired mum like the phrase ‘coffee and a muffin’. So when you’re setting up your cafe, it’s wise to consider what sort os tasty little treats and ready-to-go food options you might consider offering. Not everyone has a full kitchen or a way to offer food prepared onsite, but there are heaps of great options to get snacks delivered to you fresh each day by some truly fantastic local suppliers.

Many cafes use a combination of suppliers who excel at different things - you might get your bread from one place and your cookies from another.

With our fingers on the pulse and access to a huge client network, we can definitely help you make some choices and get in contact with suppliers who can keep you stocked up with:

- Cookies

- Muffins

- Doughnuts

- Slices

- Protein balls

- Danishes

- Breads

- Tarts

- Cakes

- Pastries

- Pies

- Quiches

This is hardly a comprehensive list, and largely depends on the kind of storage you have available (refrigerated or ambient), but when it comes to sneaky little cafe treats there is definitely something for everyone out there!

We have different cold brew options for our clients depending on their budget and how much cold brew they are selling, from a small retail setup through to a fully installed  cold brew keg system and everything in between!

We can also assist you in trialling and deciding on some tasty coffee to use as your cold brew blends, because not all coffee shines as a cold brew. For that reason we roast a dedicated Cold Brew Blend, and can recommend several other coffees in our range that are consistently delightful served cold.

If you’re on the fence about choosing to offer cold brew or you’re not sure if it’s worth it, do yourself a favour and ask our staff why you shouldn’t write it off as a passing trend. Not only is it here to stay, it's easy to make, cost efficient and speeds up service. What’s not to like?

Don’t rush the process. Crema Coffee Garage will take your through all your options, no strings.

We take handle the roasting part, but we help our café clients upskill by providing free coffee training for every new client. Not only that, we continue to provide a consistent amount of complimentary training spots to each venue, every year. Whether you have had a little bit of staff turnover or you have some staff that want to come along for a refresher, sending your baristas and café staff to coffee training for us is never a waste of time.

This is the part where we get to set up and play with all your cool new stuff, and make sure it’s exactly what you need it to be.

+ ON-GOING CAFE SUPPORT

Once you’re up and running, it’s not unusual to have extra questions or have things go wrong. That’s just the nature of a service industry like hospitality, which is built on people. The team at Crema is passionate about being there to support our clients throughout their business evolution – it’s definitely not all about sales. - 5am distress phone calls for technical problems? We take them. - Emergency coffee deliveries when you’ve had a big day? We figure it out. - Need advice or someone to talk to about café life? We totally understand. We’re here to save our clients from their worst days and emergency needs with a team who will absolutely bend over backwards to come up with a solution and have you back up and running in no time. There are no stupid questions and no judgment from a team who knows that you can be the best at what you do, and still be at the mercy of outside factors! When your equipment breaks or your product runs out, we know that brings your café to a complete stand still. We’re here to make sure you get back online, ASAP. Need support? Give us a call!

+ Need a coffee machine tech? We got em! Crema Coffee Garage prides itself on having its very own service department. We don’t outsource our repairs, servicing or emergency call outs to a third party provider. Although there are plenty of reputable local coffee technician services around, having our own department allows us to prioritise out café clients to get them the assistance and support they need as soon as possible.

+ Run out of coffee after a big service? Sometimes you just can’t predict how much coffee you’re going to go through with a busier-than-normal service, and the team at Crema Coffee Garage will go out of its way to organise an emergency pick up or delivery to make sure your service doesn’t skip a beat.

+ Café marketing plans & Café brand advice. Whether you’re setting up a café, you’re offering a new product or you just want to add a little more pizazz and extra cash flow to your coffee paradise – we can help you explore your options. Crema Coffee Garage has different branding options available and a wealth of solid marketing advice to give based on first-hand experience and hundreds of connections to cafes who are doing it right. Marketing ideas for cafes aren’t in short supply, but they do require a more targeted approach than general retail products and services. Get in touch and start a discussion to get some more eyes on your business and a product that looks great.

+ Have a special event running and need some extra support? If you have a special event on or can foresee the need for some extra coffee ahead of a national holiday, talk to the team about adjusting your weekly order to make sure you have everything you need to run a busy and super-smooth coffee service. Our warehouse team is here to save your day! Call us to find out how we can support you through events and special holidays.

+ Have some questions about coffee training? One of the biggest contributors to the success of a café is having well trained staff. Crema Coffee Academy can help, offering an amount of complimentary staff coffee training to every commercial client. We do this because we know that the consistency and quality of product are the key to café success, and the only way to ensure that is a solid foundation in coffee training and techniques. Our commercial client coffee training has a focus on problem solving and technical skills – something you don’t often find in standard coffee courses. Want to know more? Give us a buzz and ask to speak to one our fantastic trainers.

+ What to check when opening a café with no experience? It can be an exciting but daunting experience when you have decided to make opening a café your next venture, but you lack experience in the industry. The absolute best thing you can do is get great advice from experienced mentors and do your research. Head on over to our latest article about it for some fantastic advice to point you in the right direction.

+ Running low on small coffee shop ideas? We’re glad you asked! Some of the most profitable and successful cafes aren’t thinking big – they’re offering high quality coffee and good service at an affordable price. And that’s about it! But the way you do that can vary and come with unique differences, depending on the location, venue, target market, marketing plan and access to different services. Want to know how you can set up a small, successful café? Call us and speak to one of our experienced team members today.

+ How to open a café with a low budget. If you’re setting up your café and you don’t have a huge amount of funding, there are several ways to go about it which we cover extensively in our article ‘how to open a café’. The most important things to note here are speaking to experienced café or hospitality business owners, a financial advisor, a solicitor and doing your market research to make sure you’re investing in a sure thing.

+ Small business Australia? We’re for it. The team at Crema Coffee Garage didn’t just happen overnight – we started small and built our business slowly over time. We’re uniquely qualified to help our café clients navigate the hospitality waters of setting up and running a café with successful results. If you want to be considered part of business Australia, we’re here to help.

+ Asking yourself “Where are coffee machine repairs near me? We’re here! If you’re having a coffee emergency and you aren’t a wholesale coffee client, you can still call us to see if we can do something to help you out. We service and repair a huge range of coffee machines, including home models. While we don’t fix a few of the big names for small machines such as Breville and Sunbeam, we can still give you the right customer service contact number to get you on your way to a working coffee machine. Coffee Newcastle – we’re looking after it!

+ Looking for a Jura coffee machine service Newcastle? We got you – we’re a Jura certified service centre. Jura machines are one of the best and most beloved automatic coffee machines – Swiss made and engineered for a high quality coffee every time, we know why people love them so much. Like every coffee machine, they require regular servicing and the occasional repair to keep them in tip-top shape for years to come. Jura has a fantastic capped price servicing pricing structure – give us a call to ask us about it today!

+ Finding the right café for inspiration If you’re asking yourself “where is a nice café near me?!” then you’re in the right spot. Newcastle and Brisbane are home to some of the best cafes in Australia, and while Melbourne likes to boast the top spot – we like to think we’re heavy hitters in the competition. Have a chat to our staff in store and our seasoned sales team to get their top recommendations on local places to visit for a great coffee, and to get in the know about cafes who are inspiring their customers with unique offerings.