[D]rinks and food are just one element of branding; retail items also tell customers a lot about who you are as a company. Branded merchandise helps curate the image you want to project to each new face that steps through your door. Whether you’re into snapback hats, stickers, travel mugs, buttons, or loyalty programs, the items you choose to sell should have intention behind them.
1) RETAIL MUGS
Drinkware is a good place to launch your merchandising segment. Reusable drinkware encourages sustainable practices, promotes your brand, and gives your customers a friendly reminder of your café each time they use the mug. These travel-friendly vessels from Retail Mugs get your logo onto a product and into the hands of your regulars.
2) TOTE-ALLY AWESOME
Coffee pairs just as well with tote bags as it does with pastries and indie music. Heart had these totes specially designed by their friend Drew Steadham at Make It Good, keeping consistent with their dedication to local, hand-crafted work. Whether you choose to partner with a local artist or stick with a classic logo, offering a branded tote shows your customers you care about helping them get through their busy day.
3) LOOKS GOOD ON YOU, THOUGH
Cultivate loyalty among your customers by lending a helping hand on bad hair days. Sweet snapbacks like these from Dark Horse Coffee Roasters capitalize on cool factor through thoughtful branding. Dark Horse went straight to the hat experts to have these made, seeking the design expertise of Headline Caps and New Era to bring their hat dreams to life.
4) 33 BOOKS CO.
Loyalty programs got their name for a reason. These tasting journals from 33 Books Co. are ideal for encouraging community engagement in independent shops, multi-roaster cafés, and cupping labs. Create social media tie-ins or build an incentive program for frequent flyers. With a mini flavor wheel and room for notes on thirty-three coffees, what better way to invite customers to learn more about your offerings? 33 Books offers both branded and standard designs.
