How to choose coffee for your office

Good office coffee keeps the team happy and makes a better impression on clients. But with so many options, where do you start? Here’s a simple guide to choosing coffee for your office.

1. Start with your machine

The right coffee depends on how you brew it:

• Bean-to-cup machines grind on demand, so buy whole beans. A medium roast suits most machines and palates.
• Espresso machines also need whole beans and a grinder. Look for a blend that tastes good with milk, because most office drinks are flat whites and cappuccinos.
• Plungers and filter machines need ground coffee, or a grinder in the kitchen. See our plunger brew guide.

2. Work out how much you need

A typical coffee drinker has about two cups per workday, at around 8g of beans per cup. That’s roughly 350g per person per month:

• 5 people: about 2kg a month
• 10 people: about 3.5kg a month
• 25 people: about 9kg a month

Add a little extra for meetings and visitors. It’s better to top up than to run out.

3. Pick a roast everyone enjoys

In a shared office, a smooth, balanced medium roast is usually the safest choice. It’s not too bitter for the black-coffee drinkers and has enough body for milky drinks. Our Cape Blend, with notes of chocolate, caramel and citrus, was made for exactly this. If your team likes it strong, a dark roast is the way to go.

4. Choose fresh over cheap

Coffee that sat in a warehouse for months tastes flat, however good it was to start with. A local roaster that roasts to order will give you noticeably better coffee, often for a similar price.

5. Find a supplier that’s easy to deal with

Look for a supplier with flexible ordering, no long contracts and someone you can actually call when you run low. And always ask for a sample before you commit.

Try South Easter in your office

We provide office coffee supply in Cape Town and deliver nationwide. Ask for pricing and a free sample and let your team decide.