coffee business strategies

I sent the following message out to everyone in the coffee business that I could find in Hawaii. Registration for classes has been pretty weak this year, as compared to last. I understand that the same things is occurring across the board for Kona Coffee Cultural Festival events, so hopefully a different perspective on the economic climate is precisely what people need to spur them into action!

Dear Hawaii coffee industry colleague:

There is less than one week remaining until the Kona Pacific Farmers Cooperative hosts a comprehensive series of retail coffee skills development workshops that are open for you to attend. At this time last year, classes were standing-room-only with a waiting list. In 2007 exit surveys, participants left amazingly positive comments, so similar excitement was expected leading into this year. Surprisingly, with less than 1 week to go, available seats remain in most sessions.

I suspect that recent economic news and record low consumer sentiment have put a damper on many businesses or otherwise caused a reduction in spending to weather uncertain times ahead. When sales nosedive, training budgets are often the first casualty because their benefits are so difficult to quantify in terms of dollars and cents.

Although difficult to measure, the benefits of training are REAL and substantial.

Professional skills development has been proven to:

* Increase job satisfaction and motivation;
* Increase efficiencies in job performance, directly resulting in financial gain;
* Increase employee capacity to adopt new technologies and methods;
* Reduce employee turnover; and
* Enhance your company’s brand image.

There is no better time to improve your business and your employees’ job performance than while sales are slow. Referring to his own investment strategy, Warren Buffet said it best two weeks ago in his New York Times editorial, “A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.” November 2008′s timid business climate is ideal to invest in your own business; those taking the time to invest in themselves now will emerge as stronger and better companies than their competition as normal business returns.

Classes will be held Monday through Friday at the Kona Pacific Farmers Cooperative’s new coffee cupping lab on Napo’opo’o Rd in Captain Cook:

Monday, November 3- Advanced Profile Roasting, led by Paul Thornton, roastmaster and green coffee buyer for Coffee Bean International of Portland, Oregon, licensed Q grader and board member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

Tuesday, November 4 – Coffee Farm and Processing Plant Tour, led by KPFC

Wednesday, November 5 & Thursday, November 6 – Beginning and Advanced Espresso, led by Andrew Hetzel, consultant for Big Island-based Cafemakers, board member of the 51-nation World Barista Championship and Hawaii’s only resident Q grader.

Friday, November 7 – Cupper’s Training, also led by Andrew Hetzel, where you can improve your sensory skills and learn to objectively evaluate a variety of coffees to world recognized standards.

Please see the attached flyer for more information, or to register, call the Kona Pacific Farmers Cooperative at (808) 328-2411. Group rates are available for multiple attendees representing a single organization.

Feel free to distribute this information at your business, to your customers and industry colleagues.

I look forward to seeing you there,

Andrew