The last year has driven us to become somewhat reflective beings. Well, that is certainly true for us here in the roastery at least. We often look back on the year that has passed, and wonder how we ended up where we are. No doubt this has been the sentiment at the forefront of many of our thoughts.

With the arrival of our new roaster (have a nosy at our last blog post for an insight into what this means for Root & Branch), we have been granted capacity to pivot the business to the prioritising of the world of wholesale. 

This has been a fun and challenging time for us as we navigate our growing troupe of new accounts that have been partnering with us. As our team grows, so too does the outlet to ensure your experience of joining us is as straightforward and pain-free as possible. 

Here's your Root & Branch Wholesale How-To: 

1.  Make us aware of your interest. 

There are a number of ways to contact the team to kick off the process of partnering with us. Drop us an email at any of these addresses, and someone will be sure to get back to you.

wholesale@rootandbranch.coffee

info@rootandbranch.coffee

simon@rootandbranch.coffee

philippa@rootandbranch.coffee

Within said email, be sure to introduce yourself! We believe people invest in people. Therefore, for us to assist you the best way we can, we like to have an idea of who you are, and the vision for your business. 

Alternatively, if you are in the area, we love meeting our partners face-to-face. In doing so, we are given the opportunity to get to know you, and you us. And, of course, you're invited into the space where the caffeinated magic happens. On a visit to our Portview roastery in east Belfast, we'll guide you through the entire process regarding how we get your coffee to you - from the arrival of green coffee in our unit, to the packaging and shipping of your coffee - we endeavour to ensure there will be no doubts in your mind as to what happens between you placing your order and receiving it. 

Don't be shy. Make the first move. 

2.  What do you need?

When preparing to open your cafe, or revamp your coffee set up, be sure in your understanding of what you need to get going.

- Do you already have equipment?

- Do you already have equipment that you think could do with being updated?

- Do you wish to provide both a filter and espresso option?

- What's your budget?

- Do you wish to sell retail coffee?

When it comes to all things bar related - espresso machine, grinders, etc. - we've got you. If you come to us with this information ready, we can get to work straight away on kitting you out. 

3. Wholesale account set-up

To get you started with ordering coffee, we'll set you up with an online wholesale account. This will look exactly like our regular online store, except now you will have access to wholesale pricing. We release at least two new coffees monthly, therefore, there always exists a wide variety of both espresso and filter options. You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing coffees for your customers. And if such decisions seem overwhelming, our team are always on hand with help and suggestions. 

4.  Cafe consultation and training 

We used to own cafes. We've worked with a load of cafes. We know what makes a good bar set up. And, we can help you with yours to ensure you have the best and most efficient set up possible.  Addressing bar flow and efficiency is often half the battle when it comes to opening a cafe. 

As our team grows, so too does the opportunity to dedicate roles to avenues within the business such as training. And this is exactly what we've done. Our Stephen joined the team in May 2021, and straight away we sent him and his wealth of knowledge out on the road. If you are local to our east Belfast roastery, we'll send Stephen to you just before you open for a crash course in all things coffee.

If you're more further afield, not to worry, we have you covered too! We've teamed up with Caffeina Consulting to provide some of the best online training available. Included in this package, are in depth videos such as, the steps to making a perfect espresso, grinder calibrations (too coarse/too fine), and closing procedures. The team here at Root & Branch will be sure you're raring to go and ready to brew up the perfect cup of coffee for your customers. We got you! 

5. ... and so begins a beautiful partnership! 

We're so grateful for each and every enquiry we receive. And extra delighted when you choose to partner with us! We are always a simple call or email away for any and all assistance you may require.