Health & Care Catering: Why you should take care of your guests
Admittedly, everything seems quite straightforward. As the owner of a café located in a hospital or nursing home, the clients come automatically – as they have few alternatives. But it’s not quite that simple – and also a little short-sighted.
Because beyond the provision of basic supplies, there’s also a business case characterized by the extended needs of the clientele – for recreation, a break, enjoyment ... and café operators in the health & care segment shouldn’t underestimate this potential and simply leave it untapped.
And of course it’s not all about the patients or residents, but also the staff, i.e. nurses and carers, and not least the visitors – who also make a very conscious decision about whether to make use of the gastronomic delights on offer, or not. Doesn't actually sound so surprising when you think about it.
Targeted offerings
For this target group, it’s not enough to simply offer anything “warm and brown” in the cup. You need to think hard about a range of genuine coffee specialties – and don't just follow the manufacturer’s suggestions for displaying a basic assortment, but make a conscious decision about how you want to shape your particular offerings. The displays are actually quite easy to adapt these days – your coffee technician will be glad to give you all the details.
It’s also not a good idea to optimize your products according to direct material costs – because anyone who saves on coffee beans hasn't understood the basic business principle of water-based beverages. The price of the coffee is almost irrelevant for a café owner – the most important thing when it comes to maximizing sales and earnings is flavor. The drip catchers alone or the biscuits, cream pots and sugar sachets often cost much more than the amount of coffee used. So it pays to think a bit more carefully about things.
More flavor, fewer frills
The same applies to the amount of coffee used to prepare the beverages. Try using a higher quality coffee – and more of it – and focus on how the flavor of your café crème changes, how much better a cappuccino with less water and more coffee in the espresso tastes. It’s better to save on all the unnecessary frills.
This is the way to actually attract guests, to get them to consciously enjoy their coffee, and to persuade staff to have a second cup. Your tax advisor will be happy to tell you how to handle the increased sales and earnings.