It’s no secret that the best workplaces in the world attract the best talent. For example, Google gets constantly rated as one of the best places to work, and therefore, attracts the best programmers from all over the world.

Here’s the thing:

You’re not Google. You can’t just buy $13,000 sleeping pods for your employees to take a nap in - or grow your own food to serve for free in the cafeteria…But hey, the least you can do is get your folks a decent cup of coffee. I’m not joking. While you may think it’s not a big deal - having high quality coffee at your workplace can be extremely beneficial for you. And not just from the usual health standpoint, but rather from a business point of view as well. You see, when you put a decent coffee machine at your workplace, here’s what happens:

1. You dramatically increase productivity among your team members: ‍

Various scientific studies have shown that coffee protects your brain and lungs from being damaged, reduces sleep related stress and increases alertness and if that’s not enough, literally improves a person’s learning ability.

2. You improve office culture by increasing interactions:

‍Sitting behind their desks and buried in their phones, employees don’t tend to talk to each other, unless it’s something work related. Having a coffee machine employees are excited to drink gives your team an excellent opportunity to connect with each other during a coffee break, thus strengthening bonds and improving office culture.

3. You increase the perceived value of your company:

‍Let’s be honest, not every office gives decent coffee to their employees - if at all. But if you do, you’ll surely create buzz in your society as your colleagues show off to their close friends and family members how you’re awesome enough to give them comlimentary barista quality coffee. It’s an excellent perk to give that’s effective at not only attracting great talent, but also keeping them with you in the long run.

Convinced about getting good quality coffee for your workplace? Then let me show you how to choose not the coffee your office needs, but the coffee your office deserves.

‍

These Aren’t The Beans You’re Looking For: Three Factors Which Influence Coffee Quality

What seperates a $2 cup of coffee from a $10 cup of coffee. A lot of things, actually. But the three main things which I recommend you check when get a cup of are:

‍

1. Arabica or Robusta: Which Variety Are You Using?

‍

There are generally two types of coffee beans. Arabica and Robusta. Arabica coffee is the one you should get, but it can get costly. That’s because it has a rich color, more fruity taste and acidity, and is much harder to grow. The specific climate it requires means this type of coffee can only grow in certain African countries around the world. Robusta coffee, on the other hand, is the less good-looking friends of Arabica. It doesn’t have as much of a rich taste, is easier to cultivate and has double the caffeine. Hence, it’s cheaper and easier to get. This is what’s available in supermarkets the majority of the time. But keep in mind, not all coffee beans are made equal. You can find high quality robusta beans and in the same way you can find low quality arabica beans. It depends from who you source your coffee from.

2. Roast Freshness: How Long Since Your Coffee Was Roasted?  

‍

The longer the time has gone since coffee is roasted, the more chances that it has lost its flavor. That’s because when you roast coffee, it gradually releases the oils which are responsible for the rich texture and aroma of the coffee. And the more these oils evaporate, the bigger the chances your coffee will be bland and less tasteful. One way to check for the freshness of your coffee is to look at the manufacturing date at the back. The more recent the date is, the fresher the coffee. Another way to confirm the freshness of coffee is to open the bag and look at its packaging. If you can see brown spots and stains around the packaging, it means the oils are still there and your coffee is fresh. If you can’t see brown coffee stains around the packaging, rub some coffee on your hands. If they leave a residue, it signals the coffee is fresh. Just keep in mind that if you’re getting lightly roasted coffee, they might not leave that much of a color. But even a minor residue means the coffee still has retained its freshness.

3. Brewing Method: Is It Made Correctly?

‍

Even the best quality coffee will taste like slime if it hasn’t been brewed properly.

And this depends on many factors such as:

• How old the machine is in which you’re brewing coffee? It is efficient? More importantly, is it clean?
• What quality water are you using? Are you using that same tap water with which you clean your dishes? Or are you using purified water?
• Are you correctly pairing your coffee beans, roast type and brewing style? Or do you not give a damn?

‍

Yes, the way you brew your coffee - or the way your barista does - has a huge effect on how your coffee turns out.

‍

‍

The Easiest Way To Get High Quality Coffee

‍

From the above, you might have gotten an idea that your cheap supermarket or $2 a cup coffee might not be the ‘high quality coffee’ your office deserves. And let’s face it, you don’t want your employees taking two-hour breaks to the Starbucks every time they want a cup of coffee. What you want is an affordable solution to this seemingly impossible problem: Good quality coffee that’s easy to get at an affordable cost. Well, today is your lucky day, because I can help you out.

Me and my team at Vendibean deliver high-quality coffee from your favorite local roasters through our Barista Robot to budding startups, growing companies and other awesome workplaces - and we can hook you up as well. Companies like HP are saying VendiBean is the “new water cooler” and the best thing that’s happened to our culture in years!

If that’s something you’d like, feel free to get in touch with me here on LinkedIn. Or you can send me a message on my email at teal@vendibean.com. I’d love to hear from you about your coffee needs (problems).

‍