Learn how to open a coffee shop in Missouri from Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea! The award-winning coffee roaster, which has helped start over 300 independent coffee shops in 30 states, recently published an online coffee shop startup guide for The Show Me State.

Want to learn how to open a coffee shop in Missouri? Get insider secrets on starting a profitable business in The Show Me State from the coffee shop startup experts at Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea.

Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program, Roast magazine’s 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year has taught over 300 entrepreneurs in 30 states how to open a coffee shop. The company supports three independent coffee shops in Missouri.

Now, the company’s 7 Steps coffee shop startup consulting team has added to its series of state-level coffee shop startup guides with, “How to Start a Coffee Shop in Missouri.”

“Missouri is a terrific place to start a coffee shop!,” said Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert.

“In fact, Missouri ranks 34th among the states in the number of coffee shops per capita, with fewer than one coffee shop for every 6,593 residents. That leaves a lot of Missourians without a local coffee shop.”

He noted Crimson Cup supports two independent coffee shops in Missouri. These entrepreneurs learned how to open their shops through the company’s 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program.

The program is based on Ubert’s book, Seven Steps to Success: A Common-sense Guide to Succeed to Specialty Coffee, which he wrote to help coffee shop customers master all aspects of successful coffee shop operations.

“We help entrepreneurs with little or no coffee experience become owners of thriving coffee shops serving their local communities,” he said. “From choosing a terrific location and writing a strong coffee shop business plan to buying and laying out equipment, hiring and training staff and more, our team is here to guide you.”

To hear about the book in Ubert’s own words, download a free recorded introduction on Soundcloud.

Randy and Stephanie Miller and their team opened their Crazy Llama Coffee shop in Webb City, Missouri in 2018.

“We saw a big need and a big void for a great coffee shop in the Northern Joplin, Webb City and Carl Junction area of Missouri,” Randy said.

“However, neither of us had coffee experience. To be successful, we knew we needed to find a great coffee supplier that would be a big hit with customers.”

Before deciding to open a coffee shop, Randy and Stephanie were both officers in the U.S. Navy.

After their service careers, Randy worked as an engineer and plant manager in the manufacturing industry. Stephanie continues to work at Webb City High School.

Stephanie said they found Crimson Cup via a Google search.

“We ordered the 7 Steps book and read it the first night,” she said. “From there, we knew Crimson Cup was the right fit.”

As they worked through the 7 Steps, the couple found Step 1: Focus on the Location, most helpful in opening their coffee shop.

“Finding the right location to be successful was extremely important,” Randy said. “You only get one shot at it and it has to be right. Fortunately, we found a great location with a drive-thru in an area that had a big need for specialty coffee.”

Crimson Cup assigns a 7 Steps trainer to guide each coffee shop owner and team through a successful opening.

Following their trainer’s advice helped Crazy Llama Coffee set a Crimson Cup record for its grand opening. The team served nearly 2,000 drinks in a single day.

The couple credits Crimson Cup with a big contribution to their success. “Crimson Cup is part of our team,” Randy said. “The expertise they provide is invaluable. If there is ever a question, they are there to answer it in a timely manner.”

When asked for advice for aspiring coffee shop owners, Randy focused on his partnership with Crimson Cup. “Listen to the advice of Crimson Cup and don’t try to reinvent the wheel,” he said.

“They have years of success and know what they’re doing. They want you to succeed as much as you do.”

Besides the Missouri guide, Crimson Cup recently published guides on How to Start a Coffee Shop in Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia.

About once a week for the next year, the roaster will post a state-level coffee shop startup guides on its website. Next up: a guide on how to start a coffee shop in Wisconsin

“Although the fundamentals of coffee shop operation remain the same from state to state, the economic opportunities, business formation and licensing requirements vary widely,” Ubert said. “We’re excited to share information and resources to help entrepreneurs expedite their startup journey.”

He invited anyone who is thinking of opening a coffee shop in any state to call Crimson Cup for guidance.

“If you run into any roadblocks or just want to discuss your vision with a coffee expert, you can reach our startup team by calling 1-888-800-9224.”

About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea

Founded in 1991, Crimson Cup is at the forefront of the coffee industry. Its attentive roasting, startup support and global partnerships are consciously designed for the greater good of communities around the world. Among other national recognitions, the company has earned 2020 and 2017 Good Food Awards, the 2019 Golden Bean Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazine’s 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.

Crimson Cup travels the world searching for the perfect cup – driven by meaningful relationships, honesty and a shared vision for the future. Its Friend2Farmer initiatives foster respect and decency through mutually beneficial collaboration across local and global communities.

Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee shop startup program, the company teaches entrepreneurs how to open and run independent coffee houses in their local communities. By developing a coffee shop business plan, entrepreneurs gain insight into coffee shop startup costs.

Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also owns several Crimson Cup Coffee Shops and a new CRIMSON retail flagship store. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com, or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.

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